New York's Basketball State Of Mind No Longer Involves Agony As Liberty Gets City First Pro Title Since 1973

Fans of the WNBA's New York Liberty have suffered an agony similar to fans of the New York Knicks. Those who crossover as fans of both: that's downright persecution.

Many of today's New York Knicks fans would be hard-pressed to remember the franchise's last NBA championship. It came in 1973. The Knicks also won the title in 1970. 

NEW YORK - As berserk fans cascade onto floor, police surround Knicks' Willis Reed, after the New Yorkers topped the Los Angeles Lakers at the Garden, winning their first NBA Championship title on May 8, 1970. Wilt Chamberlain removes headband as he walks dejectedly from floor.  (Photo by Dan Farrell/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)

The New York Knicks' starting five -- (L to R) Dick Barnett, Walt Frasier, Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere, and Willis Reed.  (Photo by Dan Farrell/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)

That's it. Two NBA championships for the Knicks. Ever. And both came more than 50 years ago.

So, unless you were born in the 1960s or before, you might have thought the Knicks were, well, champion-less.

Just like the Liberty, one of the original teams from the WNBA's inaugural 1997 season, was champion-less.

Was. Was is now the key word here.

That's right. Until Sunday night, the New York Liberty had done nothing to alleviate the Big Apple's pro basketball frustrations. 27 seasons. 0 championships.

But, finally, in front of a raucous, sellout and hungry home crowd, the Liberty quashed all of that pain and heartache that has been haunting New York basketball fans for decades. The franchise won its very first WNBA championship – and the city's third ever basketball championship – with a crazy, exhausting come-from-behind 67-62 overtime win over the Minnesota Lynx at Barclays