The bright lights of New York aren’t for everyone. They could either make or break a player. Jamal Crawford spent four seasons with the New York Knicks, which featured some of the best years of his NBA career. Do note that all of Crawford’s personal accolades came later in his career, but New York still holds a special place in his heart for being the place where his favorite NBA moment took place.
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Crawford didn’t come into the NBA with the reputation of a stellar sixth man. In his early years, he was trying to make a name for himself. After the Chicago Bulls traded him to the New York Knicks, he quickly realized that his career could change in an instant.
The 20-year NBA veteran looked for any opportunity to display his skill. It was undeniable that Crawford was an exceptional ball handler and could put the ball in the basket. His amazing handles were then amplified following the birth of his iconic shake-and-bake crossover.
Since retiring from basketball, Crawford has taken a break from breaking ankles to break down the game instead. He recently joined Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart’s ‘block party’ for their Roommates Show. Brunson took the opportunity to ask Crawford about his favorite move of his career. Instead of giving an answer, he highlighted something else.
“I don’t know if I have a favorite move, but I have a favorite game,” Crawford said. “It was when we played the Heat, and it was in front of the Garden crowd.”
The game Crawford is referring to took place on a random day during the 2006-07 NBA season. He put the basketball world on notice.
On January 26, 2007, the defending NBA champion, the Miami Heat, were in town. Crawford saw the opportunity in front of him and capitalized. He went on to finish with a career-high 52 points while most importantly leading the Knicks to a 116-96 victory.
That specific game and performance have since become a memory for the three-time Sixth Man of the Year winner. However, the details remain vivid.
“I missed my first four shots, and then I got hot. I scored 42 straight points, but it was in front of that crowd. And [the Miami Heat] had just won the championship, so they were for real. That was like my favorite moment ever,” Crawford revealed.
Aside from the outstanding performance on the court, Crawford remembers one other significant detail from the game. “The whole world was watching, and Heath Ledger was actually at the game,” Crawford said.
Unfortunately, Ledger would pass away just a year after Crawford’s favorite performance, after he himself delivered a career best performance as the Joker in Cristopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight in 2008. The former Knicks star was a huge fan of Ledger’s work. With the context of what happened, the moment remains incredibly sincere to Crawford’s heart.
