Pat Riley recalls Xavier McDaniel-Anthony Mason brawl during his first Knicks practice: 'They went from bleacher to bleacher'

The two quickly became essential parts of the Knicks' defensive-heavy squad. The intensity they brought to the court was also reflected in the practice sessions, and in the first one under Pat, all hell broke loose.

"We had a rebounding drill, block out, rebounding drill," Riley said. "Okay, and so X [Xavier McDaniel] and Mace [Anthony Mason] lined up with each other, and that's it. The ball went up on the board, and there it went. They went from bleacher to bleacher; we were all chasing them, trying to pull them apart and all that stuff, and they landed a few."

Managing situations

X and Mace were competitors, pushing themselves and each other to the limit. Pat understood it was part of the team's ethos despite the confrontation. After the dust settled, the Knicks head coach took control of the situation, knowing that he needed to set the tone for what goes on internally in his team.

"So when it was over with, I brought them into the middle. I think Pat had Mace and Oak had X, and I said, 'You guys finished, and then they said, 'We're finished… I said, 'Your territories have been declared right? Okay.' The rest of the year, they were the best teammates, man," Riley said.

Both players played crucial roles in the Knicks' resurgence during the 1990s. Together with Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley, they formed the backbone of Riley's squad. Under the legendary coach's guidance, the Knicks were consistently one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, pushing the Chicago Bulls to the brink and challenging for championships throughout the decade.

The pinnacle of their playoff aspirations came in 1994, making it to the NBA Finals. Though they ultimately lost in a seven-game series to the Houston Rockets, the team's grit and determination were evident. It's a character that hasn't returned to the franchise ever since.