New to the Knicks

Hi Everyone, I've been looking to get in to NBA for some time and want to choose a team.

I'm a football (soccer) fan who supports Leeds United for my sins. I've done some reading and it seems that the Knicks are quite similar; some great times often laced with pain and suffering. As a Leeds fan, i thought i'd add to it.

What do I need to know about the Knicks; history, best players etc?

TIA :)