1946-49: The Original BAA
The Knicks and 10 other franchises had their beginnings on June
6, 1946, at the Hotel Commodore in New York City. A group of arena
operators met to discuss the formation of the Basketball Association
of America, the forerunner of the NBA. The original teams were
divided into two divisions. The East consisted of the New York
Knickerbockers, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia Warriors, Providence
Steamrollers, Washington Capitols, and Toronto Huskies. The West
was composed of the Pittsburgh Ironmen, Chicago Stags, Detroit
Falcons, St. Louis Bombers, and Cleveland Rebels.
On November 1, 1946, the Knicks played the first game in the
new league's history, beating the Huskies, 68-66, in Toronto.
Neil Cohalan was coach, and the starting lineup consisted of
Ossie Schectman, Stan Stutz, Jake Weber, Ralph Kaplowitz, and
Leo "Ace" Gottlieb, who was New York's high scorer with 12 points.
Madison Square Garden had a crowded schedule of hockey and
college basketball games for the BAA's inaugural season, so
New York played most of its home games at the 69th Regiment
Armory. The Knicks got off to a 10-2 start in November, which
would remain one of the best months in franchise history. In
their debut season they posted a 33-27 record.
Future Hall of Famer Joe Lapchick replaced Cohalan as coach
for the franchise's second season, and he led the Knicks to
the second of nine consecutive playoff appearances. From his
first season at the helm the club showed steady progress, improving
from 26 wins to 32 and then 40 in successive campaigns.
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1949-51: Knicks Reach First NBA Finals
Prior to the 1949-50 season the BAA merged with the National Basketball
League to form the National Basketball Association. The BAA took
in six teams from the NBL, bringing its total to 17, and went
to a three-division format. New York remained in the Eastern Division.
The Knicks reached their first NBA Finals in 1950-51 despite
backsliding to a 36-30 record and a third-place finish in the
East. The season also brought more opportunities in the sport
for minorities; New York had opened the door to one of the first
African-American players in the league, 6-7 Nathaniel "Sweetwater"
Clifton.
In the playoffs New York got tough and dumped Boston and the
Syracuse Nationals in the early rounds. Then the Knicks met
the Rochester Royals in the Finals. Rochester won the first
three games; New York stormed back to take the next three. The
decisive game was a pitched battle. The score was tied at 75
apiece with 40 seconds left when Rochester's Bob Davies made
two foul shots. The rules called for a jump ball after a successful
free throw in the final three minutes of a game; the Royals
controlled the tip, held the ball, and scored at the buzzer
for a 79-75 victory.
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1951: New York's First Superstars
Although military service caused him to miss the 1951 run at the
crown, the Knicks' star in the early days was Carl Braun, a deft
6-5 shooter who averaged 13.5 points in a career that spanned
13 seasons. As a first-year player in 1947-48 he scored 47 points
against Providence, a team rookie record that still stands 47
years later. Braun retired as the Knicks' career scoring leader
with 10,449 points, although he was later surpassed by Willis
Reed, Walt Frazier, and Patrick Ewing.
Braun, rebounder Harry "the Horse" Gallatin, and 6-foot playmaker
Dick McGuire were perennial All-Stars for the Knicks in the
mid-1950s. Gallatin and McGuire were eventually enshrined in
the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Gallatin was a ferocious 6-6, 215-pound rebounder who collected
5,935 boards and played in a club-record 610 consecutive games.
He led the NBA in rebounding in 1953-54, when he pulled down
1,098 boards for an average of 15.3 rebounds. That same season,
in a game against the Fort Wayne Pistons, Gallatin set a franchise
record (tied by Reed in 1971) by collecting 33 rebounds. His
prowess on the boards earned him All-NBA First Team honors.
McGuire enjoyed eight standout years with New York. He led
the team in assists for six consecutive seasons, from 1950-51
through 1955-56, and scored 8.0 points per game as a Knick.
He was a five-time All-Star and was named to the All-NBA Second
Team in 1950-51. After his playing days McGuire remained affiliated
with the franchise as a head coach, assistant coach, chief scout,
and director of scouting services. The Knicks retired his uniform
No. 15 in 1992, and the following year he was elected to the
Hall of Fame.
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1951-53: Those Darn Lakers
New York made three consecutive trips to the NBA Finals in the
early 1950s. After being defeated by Rochester in their first
grab for the ring in 1951, the Knicks went 37-29 in 1951-52 and
played the Minneapolis Lakers for the title. The teams split the
first six games, but the Lakers, hosting Game 7, rolled over New
York for the crown.
The 1952-53 Knicks had a stellar season, going 47-23. They
got off to a blazing start but cooled off toward the end of
the year when various injuries dogged the lineup. In a rematch
of the previous year's Finals, they lost to the Minneapolis
Lakers and George Mikan in five games.
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1953-59: Never a Dull Moment
The Knicks were decent through the remainder of the decade, but
from 1959-60 through 1965-66 the club failed to make the playoffs.
Consistency was not a characteristic of the franchise; the coaching
parade included Vince Boryla, Fuzzy Levane, Carl Braun, Eddie
Donovan, and Dick McGuire. Of New York's 12 campaigns between
1955-56 and 1967-68, only one was a winning season.
The Knicks of that era were bad, but not boring. In 1957-58
New York led the league with a 112.1 scoring average while compiling
a 35-37 record. Hard-nosed Richie Guerin, a 6-4 shooter out
of Iona, was terrific. A fiery competitor and a high scorer,
he made six consecutive All-Star Teams. Over an eight-year Knicks
career Guerin scored 10,392 points and averaged 20.1 points,
ranking among the team's all-time top five in both categories.
In 1959 Guerin became the first Knicks player to score 50
points in a game when he tallied 57 against Syracuse on December
11. It was one of 11 times in his career in which he scored
40 or more points. Guerin could also pass-on December 12, 1958,
he handed out a franchise-record 21 assists against the St.
Louis Hawks.
Guerin was well supported by Willie Naulls, a 6-6 forward
who played six-plus seasons for the Knicks and averaged 19.3
points over the course of his New York career. The team also
featured Kenny Sears. The 6-9 inside threat led the league in
field goal percentage for two consecutive seasons, 1958-59 and
1959-60.
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1959-67: Seasons of Struggle
In 1959-60 New York averaged 117.3 points, an all-time franchise
high, while going 27-48. Guerin ranked among the NBA's top 10
in scoring (21.8 ppg) and assists (6.3 apg). On December 11 against
Syracuse the Knicks had their highest-scoring game ever, pouring
in 152 points. Opponents, however, usually scored more-the team
yielded 119.6 points per game for the season. On January 24 St.
Louis set the Knicks' opponent scoring record by tallying 155
points.
The Knicks experienced a lot of mediocre years during this stretch,
but they hit rock bottom in 1960-61 with a franchise-low 21 victories.
On November 15, 1960, the Los Angeles Lakers' Elgin Baylor toasted
New York for 71 points. On Christmas Day, Syracuse handed the
Knicks the worst beating in franchise history, a 162-100 setback.
In 1961-62 the team struggled again, finishing 29-51. Richie
Guerin, however, averaged 29.5 points, a mark that would survive
as a Knicks record for 23 years, until Bernard King topped it
in 1984-85. Guerin's total of 2,303 points was a franchise mark
that would last even longer, nearly 30 years, until Patrick
Ewing surpassed it in 1989-90. On February 14 Guerin made 23
field goals against Boston, matching Willie Naulls's team record
from the previous year. The Knicks sent three players-Guerin,
Naulls, and Johnny Green-to the 1962 NBA All-Star Game.
One of the most legendary games in NBA history was also played
in 1961-62, and New York held the dubious distinction of being
on the wrong end of the action. On March 2 the Knicks squared
off against the Philadelphia Warriors in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
By the time the dust had settled, Philadelphia's Wilt Chamberlain
had scored 100 points, the best individual scoring performance
in league history. The Warriors won the game, 169-147, despite
strong performances from three Knicks players: Guerin (39 points),
Cleveland Buckner (33), and Naulls (31).
The Knicks failed to improve in 1962-63, finishing at 21-59.
The following season New York upped their record by a single
game to 22-58. The franchise's fortunes finally began to change
in 1964-65 with the drafting of center Willis Reed of Grambling.
Reed made an immediate impact and was the first Knicks player
to be named NBA Rookie of the Year. In March he scored 46 points
against Los Angeles, the second-highest single-game total ever
by a Knicks rookie. For the season, Reed ranked seventh in the
NBA in scoring with 19.5 points per game and fifth in rebounding
with 14.7 boards per contest.
Although the team's record that year was still substandard
at 31-49, the pieces were being pulled together for future success.
Jim Barnes and Howard Komives joined Reed on the NBA All-Rookie
Team.
In 1965-66 New York treaded water, finishing at 30-50. For
the second straight year the Knicks had a promising youth brigade,
and Dick Van Arsdale was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team. The
club also acquired Dick Barnett from Los Angeles in a trade
for Bob Boozer. The Knicks improved slightly in 1966-67, to
36-45, and Reed was named to the All-NBA Second Team. That season
New York earned its first playoff berth since 1959, but the
Knicks lost a division semifinal series to the Boston Celtics.
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1967-69: New York Hires Holzman In The Knick Of Time
The team's potential went unfulfilled until William "Red" Holzman
replaced Dick McGuire as coach midway through the 1967-68 season.
After half a season under McGuire, New York was 15-22. Holzman
led the same group of players to an immediate turnaround and a
28-17 finish. They ended with a 43-39 record, the team's first
winning season since 1958-59.
Bit by bit, things started going right. Reed and Barnett played
in the 1968 NBA All-Star Game, Reed as a starter. At season's
end, Walt Frazier and Phil Jackson were named to the NBA All-Rookie
Team. The franchise was poised for dramatic success. Thanks
to smart drafting and shrewd trades, the Knicks were building
a dynasty.
In 1968-69 New York won 54 games and finished in third place
in the Eastern Division behind the Baltimore Bullets and the
Philadelphia 76ers. The Knicks stumbled out of the gate, managing
only a 10-14 mark early in the season, then righted themselves
and played stellar ball the rest of the way. On December 19
they traded Walt Bellamy and Howard Komives to the Detroit Pistons
in exchange for Dave DeBusschere. The day after the trade the
Knicks pounded the Pistons, 135-87; the 48-point margin of victory
was the club's largest ever. New York put together a 10-game
winning streak from December 17 through January 4, then had
an 11-game streak from January 25 through February 15.
That season the Knicks' emphasis on stifling defense paid
off. The club allowed only 105.2 points per game, leading the
NBA in that category. Willis Reed asserted himself even more
and set a franchise record by grabbing 1,191 rebounds (14.5
rpg). Walt Frazier was third in the NBA in assists (7.9 apg),
behind Oscar Robertson and Lenny Wilkens. In the NBA Playoffs,
New York swept Baltimore in the division semifinals but then
fell to Boston in a six-game division finals series.
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1969-70: Reed's Heroics Lead Knicks To Championship
In 1969-70 the Knicks won 60 regular-season games for the first
time, including a then NBA-record 18-game winning streak from
October 24 through November 28. They started at 9-1 and never
looked back. New York built its success on pressure defense and
a selfless passing game.
Reed, Frazier, and DeBusschere played in the NBA All-Star Game,
with Reed earning the game's Most Valuable Player Award. Despite
a slight fade to 6-7 over the final weeks of the season, New
York finished with a 60-22 record and the Eastern Division crown.
In the playoffs New York defeated Baltimore in seven games
and bounced the Milwaukee Bucks in five. The NBA Finals pitted
the Knicks against a Los Angeles Lakers team led by Jerry West
and Wilt Chamberlain. The games were filled with drama as the
teams traded victories. The two clubs split Games 3 and 4, both
of which went to overtime.
The seventh contest, on May 8, provided one of the most stirring
moments in NBA history. Reed, the Knicks' captain and center,
had injured his leg in Game 5 and had sat out Game 6 as the
Lakers won easily, 135-113. He was not expected to play again
during the series, and his absence seemed certain to doom the
Knicks. Instead, Reed limped onto the court at the last minute
before the Game 7 tipoff, started the game, made the first two
baskets, and provided the dose of adrenaline that his teammates
needed. Frazier scored 36 points, handed out 19 assists, and
was a perfect 12-for-12 from the free throw line. The Knicks
beat the Lakers, 113-99, for the title.
Reed was the regular-season NBA Most Valuable Player, the
All-Star Game MVP, and the Finals MVP. Reed and Frazier were
selected to the All-NBA First Team, the first Knicks to earn
the honor since Harry Gallatin did so in 1953-54. Red Holzman
was named NBA Coach of the Year. But the key to the Knicks'
success was teamwork.
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1970-72: Stars Of The Seventies
Walt Frazier, a 6-4 guard out of Southern Illinois who had been
the fifth pick in the 1967 NBA Draft, was the Knicks' stylish
floor general. He was considered the best on-the-ball defender
of the time. A seven-time All-Star and six-time All-NBA selection,
he retired as the Knicks' all-time leader in games played (759),
minutes (28,995), assists (4,791), and points (14,617, a mark
later surpassed by Patrick Ewing).
Frazier averaged 19.3 points over his 10 seasons with New
York. Although he finished his career in Cleveland in 1980,
the Knicks retired his uniform No. 10 in 1979. Frazier was elected
to the Hall of Fame in 1986.
Dick Barnett, at 6-4, was known for his unique jump shot,
in which he contorted his body into a question-mark shape and
leaned back at a seemingly impossible angle before releasing
the ball. He spent his first five NBA seasons with Syracuse
and Los Angeles, before being acquired by New York in 1965.
He averaged 15.6 points in nine years with the Knicks. The team
retired his uniform No. 12 in 1990.
Willis Reed was the backbone of the Knicks' championship teams.
The 6-10, 240-pound Grambling graduate played 10 seasons in
New York, appearing in seven All-Star Games. He was Rookie of
the Year in 1964-65, NBA MVP in 1969-70, and Finals MVP in both
1970 and 1973. When he retired, he was the club's all-time leader
in rebounds (8,414) and points (12,183, since surpassed by Walt
Frazier and Ewing). He averaged 18.7 points during his career.
In 1976 the Knicks retired Reed's uniform No. 19, making him
the club's first player to be so honored. He coached the team
for 11/2 years during the late 1970s and later became an executive
with the New Jersey Nets. He was elected to the Hall of Fame
in 1981.
Dave DeBusschere, at 6-6 and 235 pounds, was a workmanlike
player who provided the final ingredient in the Knicks' championship
mix when he was acquired from the Pistons in 1968-69. He earned
NBA All-Defensive First Team honors six times for New York and
played in five NBA All-Star Games as a Knick (and eight overall).
After his 12-year playing career DeBusschere filled executive
roles for the Nets and the Knicks and served as commissioner
of the American Basketball Association. The Knicks retired his
uniform No. 22 in 1981, and the next year he was elected to
the Hall of Fame.
Bill Bradley entered the NBA in 1967 following a legendary
collegiate career at Princeton. The 6-5 college center became
a guard-forward in the NBA and played with the Knicks for all
10 of his pro seasons. He was known as an unspectacular but
intelligent player.
Bradley was smart off the court, too-he had been a Rhodes
Scholar in college and later had a successful second career
as a U.S. senator from New Jersey. He was elected to the Hall
of Fame in 1982, and two years later the Knicks retired his
uniform No. 24.
New York fell off to 52-30 in the 1970-71 season, which was
still good enough for first place in the newly formed Atlantic
Division. The club started hot, at 31-11, then hovered around
.500 for the final three months of the year. On February 2 Reed
tied Harry Gallatin's all-time club record by hauling in 33
rebounds in a game against the Cincinnati Royals. Reed, Frazier,
and DeBusschere all played in the All-Star Game, Reed and Frazier
as starters.
The Knicks beat Atlanta in five games in the opening round
of the playoffs, then fell to Baltimore in seven games in the
Eastern Conference Finals. Game 7 ended with a two-point Bullets
win at Madison Square Garden.
Three games into the 1971-72 season the Knicks, sensing a need
for offensive creativity, acquired 6-3 guard Earl "the Pearl"
Monroe from Baltimore in a trade for solid backup players Mike
Riordan and Dave Stallworth.
Monroe was a consummate showman, a flashy ballhandler, and
an imaginative shotmaker. He popularized the reverse-spin move
on the dribble. After four seasons in Baltimore he spent nine
with New York; he averaged 16.2 points as a Knick and made two
All-Star appearances. When he retired in 1980, Monroe ranked
fifth (and is currently sixth) on the Knicks' career scoring
list with 9,679 points. The team retired his uniform No. 15
in 1986, and he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1989.
Monroe's initial effect on the team was disruptive. He was
not able to modify his game easily, so his teammates had to
adjust, and New York slipped to 48-34 in 1971-72. After a shaky
start the Knicks began to come together again, winning 12 of
17 games in February, and in the playoffs they easily handled
Baltimore and Boston. In the Finals against Los Angeles, New
York won the opening game, 114-92, at the Forum but then lost
four straight to the Lakers.
Walt Frazier and Dave DeBusschere led New York's stifling
defense, which allowed only 104.7 points per game, third best
in the league. Both players were rewarded by being named to
the All-Defensive First Team at season's end. Frazier was also
selected to the All-NBA First Team.
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1972-76: First A Title, Then A Decline
The 1972-1973 Knicks won another NBA title. They finished the
regular season with a 57-25 record, second in the Atlantic Division
to the blazing Boston Celtics, who were 68-14. New York ripped
through the first four months of the campaign, compiling a 43-13
mark before cooling off at season's end. The Knicks eliminated
Baltimore and Boston in the early rounds of the playoffs, then
for the third time in four seasons faced the Lakers in the NBA
Finals. In a reversal of the previous season's outcome, the Knicks
lost Game 1, then won four straight. They claimed their second
NBA championship with a 102-93 victory in Game 5.
Led by the pressure and ball-hawking of Frazier, New York yielded
only 98.2 points per game, the stingiest mark in the league. Bill
Bradley set a new team record for free throw percentage, which
he would surpass in each of the next four seasons.
For the rest of the 1970s, however, the pendulum swung back
to leaner times. The 1973-74 squad still managed a 49-33 record,
leading the league in defense for the fifth time in six seasons,
but they lost to Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals. Willis
Reed retired after the season, and his departure sent the team
into a tailspin that would last into the next decade.
New York's 1974-75 record was 40-42, the team's first losing
mark in eight seasons. It would be followed by two more subpar
campaigns. Walt Frazier made the sixth of his seven All-Star
Game starts and earned the game's MVP Award. Earl Monroe joined
him in the East All-Star's starting backcourt. In addition,
Frazier was selected to the All-NBA First Team, for the fourth
and final time.
In 1975-76 the Knicks stumbled to a 38-44 record. The only
bright spot was Bradley, who broke his own free-throw percentage
mark, averaging .878. The following season was more of the same,
with the Knicks matching their 1974-75 record of 40-42 and finishing
out of the playoffs.
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1976-78: "Red" Out, Reed In
Coach Red Holzman, who had guided the Knicks to both of their
championships, was replaced by Willis Reed before the 1977-78
season. Reed brought the Knicks back above .500, if only slightly,
to 43-39.
During the late 1970s the Knicks had well-traveled, 6-10 Bob
McAdoo on the roster. As he did everywhere he went, McAdoo put
up impressive numbers, averaging 26.7 points during his tenure
with New York, the highest scoring average of any Knicks player
who performed at least three years for the team. In 1977-78
McAdoo scored 2,097 points (26.5 ppg), at the time the second-highest
Knicks season total in history, behind Richie Guerin's 2,303
in 1961-62.
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1978-83: Reed Out, "Red" In
New York started the 1978-79 season at 6-8, prompting management
to relieve Reed of his coaching duties and bring back Holzman,
who didn't fare much better, guiding the Knicks to a 31-51 record.
For the first time in team history no New York player made the
All-Star Game roster.
In 1979-80 New York went 39-43. Micheal Ray Richardson, picked
fourth overall by the Knicks in the 1978 NBA Draft, led the
league in two categories that showed his quickness and savvy.
He topped the NBA in both assists (10.1 apg) and steals (3.23
per game), setting new franchise records in the process. He
also had seven triple-doubles. The Knicks set one other team
record that year, when Joe C. Meriweather blocked 10 Atlanta
shots in a game on December 12. At season's end, rookie center
Bill Cartwright joined Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Larry Bird, Calvin
Natt, and David Greenwood on the NBA All-Rookie Team.
This was an era of losing seasons and missed playoffs for
the most part, but Holzman did manage to get one overachieving
campaign out of the Knicks, winning 50 games in 1980-81. The
team got out to a solid 25-13 start, slumped slightly at midyear,
then finished with a 19-10 mark over the final two months. In
the playoffs the Knicks were quickly ousted by the Chicago Bulls.
For the season, Mike Glenn broke Bill Bradley's club free throw
percentage record, with an average of .891. Richardson set a
club mark by picking up 9 steals against Chicago on December
23.
In 1981-82 the team dropped to 33-49. Cartwright set a franchise
mark for most free throws without a miss when he canned 19 straight
against the Kansas City Kings on November 17. Richardson matched
his own club record with seven triple-doubles on the year.
After the season Red Holzman retired as the winningest coach
in Knicks history (613-484). He had led the franchise to two
NBA titles (in 1970 and 1973) and had been named 1969-70 NBA
Coach of the Year. His 696 career victories ranked him among
the top 10 winningest coaches in NBA annals (he currently ranks
11th).
The early 1980s saw a brief upswing for New York. In 1982-83
new coach Hubie Brown led the team to a 44-38 record. The Knicks
started slowly, remaining below .500 through January, then caught
fire and played 26-11 ball for the remainder of the schedule.
The team was tough on defense again, leading the league by allowing
only 97.5 points per game. Marvin Webster and Bill Cartwright
combined for 258 blocks. New York advanced to the postseason
but was swept in the conference semifinals by Philadelphia,
the eventual NBA champion.
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1983-85: King Rules Over NBA
In 1983-84 Bernard King, who had come over from the Golden State
Warriors in a trade for Micheal Ray Richardson, set a club record
for field goal percentage with a .572 mark. He had back-to-back
50-point games, on January 31 against the San Antonio Spurs and
on February 1 against the Dallas Mavericks. For the season, King
averaged 26.3 points, fifth best in the NBA.
The Knicks went 47-35 that year. Coach Brown guided the team
to a memorable first-round playoff victory against Detroit.
The teams swapped wins before New York took the decisive Game
5, 127-123, in overtime. King averaged 42.6 points in the series.
In the Eastern Conference Semifinals the Knicks pushed the eventual
NBA-champion Boston Celtics to seven games before succumbing.
King was named to the All-NBA First Team, and Darrell Walker
made the NBA All-Rookie Team.
In 1984-85 the 6-7 King became the first Knicks player to lead
the league in scoring, with 32.9 points per game. His scoring
average set a new team record, surpassing Richie Guerin's 29.5
in 1961-62. On Christmas Day, King set a club record by pouring
in 60 points against New Jersey. From February 1 to March 23
he had 24 consecutive games of 20 or more points, a New York
record at the time. He repeated as an All-NBA First Team selection.
Then on March 23 his season (and, many feared, his career)
came to a crashing halt. In the season's 55th game at Kansas
City, he crumpled to the floor with a torn anterior cruciate
ligament in his right knee. He missed 24 months of action while
enduring painful physical therapy and rehabilitation.
The team as a whole was going backwards. It set a franchise
mark for consecutive losses, dropping 12 straight games from
March 23 through April 13. New York had its worst month ever
in April, going 0-7, and for the season the club declined by
23 games in the loss column to 24-58.
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1985-89: New York Wins League's First Lottery
On May 12 the NBA held its first draft lottery for the seven teams
that failed to make the playoffs. New York won the draw and earned
the right to pick first in the 1985 NBA Draft. The prize was Patrick
Ewing, a 7-foot All-America center from Georgetown University.
The 1985-86 Knicks went 23-59. Ewing had a standout rookie
season but missed 32 games because of a knee injury. Still,
he led all rookies in scoring (20.0 ppg) and rebounding (9.0
rpg); was named to the NBA All-Star Game, although the injury
kept him from playing; and was chosen NBA Rookie of the Year,
making Ewing the first Knicks player to win the award since
Willis Reed in 1964-65.
The next year was also grim, ending at 24-58, but after three
abysmal seasons things began to improve. In 1987-88 the postseason
dry spell ended with the hiring of Rick Pitino as head coach.
The Knicks showed a 14-game improvement in the win column,
finishing 38-44, and they snuck into the playoffs on the final
day of the season. New York lost in the first round to Boston,
three games to one.
The team's success was built on Ewing, who made the first of
his many All-Star Game appearances that season, and Rookie of
the Year guard Mark Jackson, who provided flashy floor play
and set a new Knicks assists record with 10.6 per game.
The 1988-89 New York team, buoyed by a club-record 26-game
home winning streak, posted a 52-30 record, the highest victory
total since the championship season of 1972-73.
Running and gunning in Pitino's fast-paced, open-court scheme,
the Knicks won the Atlantic Division for the first time since
1970-71.
They filled the basket at a rapid clip, raining in 116.7 points
per game, but also gave up 112.9 per contest. The club advanced
to the postseason and eliminated Philadelphia in the first round
before falling to Chicago in the conference semifinals.
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1989-91: Charles Is In Charge, But Knicks Aren't
To give Ewing some relief on the boards, the Knicks had acquired
rebounding specialist Charles Oakley from Chicago prior to the
season in exchange for center Bill Cartwright. The Bulls immediately
reaped rewards from the deal as they claimed three consecutive
NBA championships. But Oakley, who had led the league in total
rebounds for two years, helped the Knicks. On January 3 he set
a club mark by pulling down 14 offensive boards against Boston.
For the season, he ranked sixth in the NBA in rebounding with
10.5 boards per game.
The 1989-90 Knicks had a slight relapse. Rick Pitino departed
to take the coaching reins at the University of Kentucky, and
Stu Jackson took over as head coach. New York finished at 45-37.
In the first round of the playoffs the club dropped the first
two games to the Celtics, then became only the third team in
NBA history to rebound from a two-game deficit to capture a
best-of-five series. In the second round New York faced the
Detroit Pistons, who dispatched the Knicks in five games.
For the season, Oakley averaged a career-high 14.6 points
and was poised to finish second in the NBA in rebounding (11.9
rpg) when he broke his hand near the end of the campaign. His
61 games played failed to qualify him for inclusion among the
season's rebounding leaders.
Patrick Ewing had a prodigious year. His 2,347 points (28.6
ppg) broke a Knicks record that had survived nearly three decades.
(Richie Guerin had amassed 2,303 points in 1961-62.) Ewing's
.567 field-goal percentage was the second best in franchise
history, and his scoring average was the third highest ever
for the club. Ewing also set a New York record by scoring 20
or more points in 28 consecutive games from January 25 to March
27. He posted a career-high 51 points against Boston on March
24 and set a team single-season record for blocked shots with
327. Ewing finished among the NBA leaders in scoring, rebounding,
blocks, and field goal percentage, and was named to the All-NBA
First Team.
The club regressed again in 1990-91, finishing 39-43 and losing
in the first round of the playoffs. Jackson was replaced by
John MacLeod early in the season, but the move didn't seem to
help.
Ewing, however, continued to play the superstar role, ranking
among the league's top five in scoring (26.6 ppg), rebounding
(11.2 rpg), and blocked shots (3.19 per game). Charles Oakley
ranked third in the league with 12.1 rebounds per game, the
highest average for a Knicks player since Bob McAdoo's 12.8
in 1977-78.
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1991-92: Stand Pat? Nah, Hire Pat
On March 1 Dave Checketts was named club president, and he hired
Pat Riley as head coach for 1991-92. During Riley's nine seasons
at the helm of the Los Angeles Lakers his teams won nine Pacific
Division titles and four NBA championships (1982, 1985, 1987,
1988). At the time, Riley's career winning percentage of .733
was the best in NBA history. His Lakers squads never won fewer
than 50 games, and in five seasons they won more than 60.
In 1991-92 Riley brought the Knicks back to prominence with
a 51-31 record, tying Boston for first place in the Atlantic
Division. In a March 31 game against Chicago, 6-5 guard John
Starks set a franchise mark by making 8 three-point shots. The
volatile Starks was a fan favorite because of his unlikely route
to the NBA. As an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State,
he was signed by the Warriors but was waived following the 1988-89
season. After a year in the Continental Basketball Association
he signed with the Knicks in 1990-91. The next season he emerged
as a valuable sixth man, with three-point range and a competitive
temperament.
Patrick Ewing was superb in 1991-92, ranking among the NBA's
top 10 in scoring, rebounding, and blocked shots. His 24.0 points
per game put him in fifth place, his 11.2 rebounds per contest
were good for eighth, and his 2.99 blocks per game ranked fourth.
In the NBA Playoffs, with newly acquired Xavier McDaniel providing
the muscle, the Knicks engaged the defending NBA-champion Chicago
Bulls in a physical conference semifinal series. The series
went the distance before Chicago prevailed in Game 7, 110-81.
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1992-93: Knicks Win 60 But Are Bulled Over Again
The 1992-93 Knicks featured seven new players but still managed
to turn in the second 60-win season in franchise history (1969-70
was the first). Before the season the Knicks engineered a three-team
trade with the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Clippers that
sent Mark Jackson to the Clippers and brought Charles Smith, Doc
Rivers, and Bo Kimble to New York. The Knicks also acquired veteran
Rolando Blackman from Dallas and drafted guard Hubert Davis from
North Carolina. Xavier McDaniel departed for Boston via free agency.
Coach Pat Riley did a masterful job molding the new players
into a cohesive unit, especially on defense. New York led the
league and established a franchise record by allowing opponents
only 95.4 points per game. At season's end, Riley edged out
the Houston Rockets' Rudy Tomjanovich for the NBA Coach of the
Year Award.
For the season, Ewing hauled down 980 rebounds, the most by
a Knicks player since Bob McAdoo's 1,010 in 1977-78. He finished
seventh in the NBA in rebounding (12.1 rpg) and sixth in scoring
(24.2 ppg).
As the Knicks entered the 1993 NBA Playoffs many felt that
the club, which had finished 60-22, finally had what it would
take to unseat the Chicago Bulls in the East. The Knicks eliminated
the Indiana Pacers and the Charlotte Hornets and then took a
two-game lead over the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference
Finals. The Michael Jordan-led Bulls, however, stormed back
to take the next four games and leave the Knicks just shy of
a Finals berth.
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1993-94: The New Beasts Of The East
When Michael Jordan announced before the 1993-94 season that he
was retiring from the NBA, the mantle of Eastern Conference favorite
fell squarely onto the shoulders of the Knicks, who for four straight
years had been unable to get past the Jordan-led Chicago Bulls.
As it turned out, the Knicks were the "beasts of the East."
They topped the Atlantic Division with 57 wins on the strength
of a defense that allowed an average of 91.5 points per game,
the fourth-lowest total in the 40 years that the 24-second shot
clock had been in use. Patrick Ewing was a major force with
an average of 24.5 points per contest (sixth in the NBA), and
Charles Oakley snared 11.8 rebounds per game (seventh in the
league).
The Knicks suffered a setback in December when starting point
guard Doc Rivers was lost for the season with a knee injury,
but they averted disaster with the subsequent acquisition of
Derek Harper from the Dallas Mavericks. At midseason Ewing and
John Starks represented the Knicks at the 1994 NBA All-Star
Game, Starks for the first time in his career.
In the playoffs New York defeated the New Jersey Nets in four
games to set up a rematch with the Bulls in the conference semifinals.
This time the Knicks prevailed, four games to three, and then
needed seven games to drop the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern
Conference Finals. The NBA Finals pitted New York against the
Houston Rockets in a bruising series in which neither team cracked
100 points in a single game. Harper practically won two games
for the Knicks single-handedly, but the club's offensive woes
eventually proved its undoing. The series went the limit, with
the Rockets triumphing in Game 7 to claim the title.
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1994-95: Offensive Woes Haunt Knicks; Riley Steps Down
The New York Knicks were unable to return to the NBA Finals in
1994-95, although they enjoyed a successful campaign. The team
finished at 55-27, two games behind the Orlando Magic in the Atlantic
Division and with the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.
New York began the playoffs by ousting the Cleveland Cavaliers
in an unsightly, low-scoring first-round series.
By contrast, the Eastern Conference Semifinals series between
New York and the Indiana Pacers was a classic. The teams had
become rivals as a result of the previous season's seven-game
conference finals battle, and this series did nothing to quell
that rivalry. The tone was set in Game 1 when the Pacers' Reggie
Miller scored eight points in the final 16 seconds to erase
a five-point Knicks lead, give Indiana the win, and stun the
sellout crowd at Madison Square Garden.
The series went the distance, but as time expired in Game
7, Patrick Ewing missed a driving layup and a chance to tie
the contest, giving the Pacers the victory. The Knicks had played
stifling defense throughout the year, but their offensive woes
hurt them in the postseason. Head Coach Pat Riley took the loss
especially hard and resigned the day after the Finals ended.
Don Nelson, who earlier in the season had stepped down as head
coach of the Golden State Warriors, was soon named as Riley's
successor.
The regular season was not without its moments. Forward Anthony
Mason won the NBA Sixth Man Award after averaging 9.9 points
and 8.4 rebounds while shooting .566 from the floor. Ewing was
banged up for much of the season but held his own, finishing
in the league's top 10 in scoring, rebounding, and shotblocking.
John Starks had a mercurial season; his average of 15.3 points
per game was second best on the squad, but he shot just .395
from the floor and .355 from three-point range. Taking advantage
of the closer three-point line, Starks did set new NBA records
for three-pointers.
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1995-96: Nelson's Stay a Short One
The Knicks of 1995-96 were a team of many changes, yet still highly
competitive in the Eastern Conference. Many of the team's key
components were playing what would amount to their final season
in New York, en route to a 47-35 record, the first time in five
seasons the team failed to reach the 50-win mark.
The changes began on February 8, when Charles Smith was traded
with rookie Monty Williams to San Antonio, in exchange for J.R.
Reid and Brad Lohaus. Ten days later, Herb Williams and Doug Christie
were traded to Toronto for Willie Anderson and Victor Alexander.
In early March, the Knicks bid adieu to Coach Don Nelson, Pat
Riley's successor, after only 60 games. Nelson, in his first year
of a multiyear contract, didn't see eye-to-eye with some of his
players. He was replaced by long-time assistant Jeff Van Gundy,
who finished the season with a 13-9 record in his debut as a head
coach.
New York was led again by the steady play of Patrick Ewing,
who finished in the league's top ten in scoring, rebounding
and blocked shots. Anthony Mason also shined. Playing a league-high
42.2 minutes per game, Mason was second to Ewing in points and
rebounds, and led the Knicks with 4.4 assists per game.
In the playoffs, the Knicks blasted Cleveland three games
to none, setting up a bit of a nostalgic rematch between the
Knicks and the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. As was the
case in the early 1990s, the Bulls were too much for New York,
winning the best-of-seven series in five games.
The series would mark the last appearance in a New York uniform
for free agents Derek Harper and Hubert Davis, as well as Mason,
who was shipped to Charlotte in an offseason trade for Larry
Johnson that brought the Knicks new hope as they entered a new
era under Van Gundy.
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1996-97: New Knicks Storm Atlantic
The
new New York Knicks made their debut on Broadway in
1996-97, receiving rave reviews in their premiere season. With
the addition of Larry Johnson, Allan Houston, Chris Childs and
Buck Williams to complement veterans Patrick Ewing, John Starks
and Charles Oakley, the Knicks improved by 10 games to 57-25,
and a second place Atlantic Division finish.
The facelift, which also included the addition of rookies John
Wallace and Walter McCarty, helped the Knicks record the third-best
record in franchise history in Jeff Van Gundy's first season
as head coach. Notable wins included a 92-88 victory at Orlando
on November 19 in which Ewing became the 23rd player in NBA
history to score 20,000 points and a 98-86 win over the Nets
on December 30 that was the 2,000th win in the history of the
franchise.
Ewing earned his 11th appearance in the All-Star Game with
yet another strong season. He finished among the league leaders
in scoring (22.4 ppg), rebounds (10.7 rpg) and blocked shots
(2.42 bpg). Starks won the league's Sixth Man Award, averaging
13.8 ppg off the bench. Houston (14.8 ppg), Johnson (12.8 ppg,
.512 FG%) and Childs (9.3 ppg, 6.1 apg) quickly proved their
worth to the New York faithful.
As the postseason unfolded, the Knicks looked poised to make
a run at the Chicago Bulls. After a first-round sweep over the
Charlotte Hornets, the Knicks took a commanding 3-1 lead over
the Miami Heat in the Conference Semifinals. Late in Game 5,
a scuffle erupted and four Knicks (including Ewing) received
automatic one-game suspensions for leaving their bench area.
With the Knicks undermanned in Games 6 and 7, the Heat became
only the sixth team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit
to win a playoff series. It was the first time in six months
that the Knicks lost three straight games.
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1997-98: Knicks Look at Life Without Ewing
The Knicks high hopes for 1997-98 were put to the test on December
20 when All-Star center Patrick Ewing used his wrist to break
a fall, and suffered a dislocated Lunate bone and torn ligaments
in his left wrist. The collapse many expected never occurred,
and while Ewing looked on, New York responded with a 43-39 record
and a first-round upset of Miami in the playoffs.
New York was 15-11 when Ewing went down against the Milwaukee
Bucks, forcing New York to count on a solid team effort. Stepping
up first and foremost were Allan Houston and Larry Johnson.
Houston led the team in scoring (18.4 ppg), including 34-point
performances against both Portland and Cleveland and scored
32 points against the Lakers in a 101-89 win on March 1. Johnson
chipped in 15.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game and, like Houston,
took a more active role around the basket with Ewing out.
The emotional leader of the Knicks was once again John Starks.
Coming off the bench, Starks contributed 12.9 points per game,
and made a Knicks' franchise-record 9-of-12 three-pointers against
the Milwaukee Bucks on January 29.
Point guard Charlie Ward started every game for the Knicks
this season, averaging 7.8 points and team highs in 5.7 assists
(5.7 apg) and steals (1.76 spg). Charles Oakley, who passed
Ewing to become the Knicks' all-time leader in playoff games
played with 113, continued to do everything that was asked of
him and more, even filling in at center when backups Chris Dudley
and Buck Williams were injured. Oakley led the Knicks in rebounding
at 6.4 rpg, while contributing off the bench were Chris Mills
( 9.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg), Chris Childs (6.3 ppg, 3.9 apg ) and mid-season
addition Terry Cummings (6.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg).
Ewing reached a few milestones before being injured in late
December. On December 16, he scored his 22,000th career point
in an 83-78 win over the Detroit Pistons, and moved past Larry
Bird into 17th place on the NBA all-time scoring list after
scoring 19 points in a 104-84 win over the Vancouver Grizzlies
on Nov. 23.
Without their man in the middle, the Knicks scrapped their
way to the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, earning a
reprise of their playoff series with arch-rival Miami. This
time New York got the last laugh, prevailing in another hard-fought,
low scoring series with a 90-81 win to earn a Semifinal berth
with Indiana, and setting the stage for Ewing's remarkable return
for Game 2 against the Pacers. New York pushed the Pacers hard,
but Larry Bird's troops brought New York's unlikely season to
an end in five games.
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1998-99: Unforgettable Run to the Finals
The Knicks made two big trades, yet they barely made the playoffs.
While there, they lost their captain to an injury. And they still
found a way to become the first No. 8 seed in history to reach
the NBA Finals.
Two weeks before the season, New York acquired Latrell Sprewell
from Golden State for John Starks, Chris Mills and Terry Cummings.
Months earlier, the Knicks got Marcus Camby in a deal that sent
Charles Oakley to Toronto. After all the changes, the rotation
took time to form and New York stumbled to a 27-23 record in
the regular season. From then on, it was a different story.
New York was matched against top-seeded Miami in the first
round. The series went to a deciding Game 5, won by the Knicks
on Allan Houston's running one-hander with 0.8 seconds to play.
The game-winner bounced off both the rim and backboard before
dropping through.
New York swept Atlanta in the second round as Camby emerged
as one of the most exciting players of the 1999 playoffs. Camby's
playing time was erratic for most of the season, but there was
no holding him back after he notched 11 points and 13 rebounds
in Game 2 of the Atlanta series. For the remainder of the postseason,
his rebounding, shot-blocking and highlight dunks energized
the Knicks.
Patrick Ewing's season ended after Game 2 of the Eastern Conference
finals against Indiana. The Knicks captain had been playing
despite a painful Achilles injury, but was relegated to the
sideline after doctors discovered the tendon was partially torn.
The Knicks needed a magic moment in Game 3 at Madison Square
Garden, and they got it when Larry Johnson broke a 1-1 series
tie with his game-winning four-point play. New York clinched
in Game 6 despite losing Johnson to a knee injury in the first
half. He was able to play in the Finals against San Antonio,
but the injury limited his mobility.
Despite Sprewell's 35 points and 10 rebounds in Game 5, the
Spurs wrapped up the title with a 78-77 victory. Sprewell (26.0
ppg) and Houston (21.6) formed a high-scoring duo in the Finals,
but the Knicks missed Ewing in the paint and were no match for
San Antonio's Twin Towers, Tim Duncan and David Robinson.
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1999-2000: Eastern Conference Repeat Falls Short
For the 12th time in their history, the Knicks notched a 50-win
season, going 50-32, good for second place in the Atlantic Division.
It's also the second time they'd top the 50-win plateau under
Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy.
The Knicks attempt to regain their place atop the Eastern
Conference started out well, with New York sweeping the Vince
Carter, Tracy McGrady and the high-flying Raptors, 3-0. For
the third straight season, the Knicks then advanced to play
their arch-rivals to the south, Pat Riley's Miami Heat, whom
they vanquished in a rough and tumble second round matchup,
four games to three.
But their luck against playoff nemeses ended there, with Reggie
Miller's Indiana Pacers winning the Eastern Conference crown
by downing the Knicks in six games to advance to the NBA Finals
against the eventual league champion L.A. Lakers.
The Knicks° trademark stingy defense finished second in the
NBA in points allowed at 90.7 and third in opposing FG pct.
(.424). Knicks guard Allan Houston (19.7 ppg, 21st in NBA) made
first career NBA All-Star Game appearance, while Van Gundy piloted
East squad in that mid-season classic in Oakland, Calif. In
other personal highlights, Latrell Sprewell averaged 18.6 ppg
(25th in NBA), while Marcus Camby notched 1.97 bpg (10th in
NBA).
Hobbled in early season by Achilles tendinitis, Ewing averaged
15.0 ppg and 9.7 rpg in what would turn out to be the last of
his 15 record-breaking seasons in New York.
The Knicks went 33-8 at home -- where they extended their
sellout streak at the Garden to 347 consecutive games. They
finished 17-24 on road. New York finished second in NBA with
.781 FT pct.
The injury bug again bit the Knicks. Marcus Camby (knee) and
Ewing (Achilles) were both sidelined for long stretches. New
York recorded 196 manpower games lost due to injury, with prospective
¿Top Eightî players available as a unit for only 33 of the regular
season°s 82 games.
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2000-01: Ewing Era Comes to an End
In a season of change, Knicks finish third in Atlantic Division
with 48-34 mark, and made their club-record 14th consecutive Playoff
appearance.
After advancing to the Conference Semis for nine straight
years, the Knicks are knocked out in the first round by Toronto,
3-2.
The season began with a blockbuster trade that shocked the
NBA and Knicks fans when New York traded local legend and certain
Hall of Famer, Patrick Ewing to Seattle in four-team, 12-player
megadeal. On September 20, 2000, the Knicks sent Ewing to the
Sonics bringing Glen Rice, Luc Longley and Travis Knight to
New York.
As was their trademark under Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy, the
Knicks° defense led the NBA with 86.1 ppg allowed and .417 opposing
FG pct. The Knicks held their opposition under 100 points in
post-shot clock NBA record 33 consecutive games, from November
11 - January 21. Knicks also led the league with a club record
.796 FT pct. with guard Allan Houston shooting a club record
.909 from the line (second in NBA). Marcus Camby was third in
the league in FG pct at .524 and Kurt Thomas followed right
behind at .511, good for fourth overall.
A veteran of the Jordan wars, Mark Jackson, returned to New
York in a trade with the Toronto Raptors on February 22, 2001.
He ranked sixth in NBA in assists at eight per game. Houston
(18.7 ppg) and Latrell Sprewell (17.7) represented the Knicks
in NBA All-Star Game in Washington, D.C.
The Knicks went 30-11 at the Garden, where they kept the longest
active sellout streak in the NBA at 391 games. New York was
18-23 on the road and 12-5 in games decided by three points
or less.
Jeff Van Gundy passed Pat Riley on Knicks° all-time win list
on March 1 with a 95-88 win over Boston to become third-winningest
coach in franchise history. Van Gundy had tallied 238 victories
at season°s end.
Again key starters were hobbled by injury, including Charlie
Ward (knee) and Larry Johnson (back). The season-long injury
bug (284 manpower games) forced Van Gundy to use 19 different
starting lineups.
