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The New York Knickerbockers, more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at Madison Square Garden. They are one of two NBA teams located in New York City; the other team is the Brooklyn Nets.
The Knicks are one of only two teams of the original National Basketball Association still located in its original city (the other being the Boston Celtics). The "Knickerbocker" name comes from the pseudonym used by Washington Irving for his A History of New York, which name became applied to the descendants of the original Dutch settlers of what later became New York, and later, by extension, to New Yorkers in general.
The team, established by Ned Irish in 1946, was one of the founding members of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), which became the NBA after merging with the rival National Basketball League (NBL) in 1949. The Knicks were successful during their early years and were constant playoff contenders under the franchise's first head coach Joe Lapchick. Beginning in 1950, the Knicks made three consecutive appearances in the NBA Finals, all of which were losing efforts. Lapchick resigned in 1964 and the team subsequently began to falter.
It was not until the late 1960s when Red Holzman became head coach that the Knicks began to regain their former dominance. Holzman successfully guided the Knicks to two NBA championships, in 1970 and 1973. The Knicks of the 1980s had mixed success that included six playoff appearances; however, they failed to participate in the NBA Finals.
The playoff-level Knicks of the 1990s were led by future Hall of Fame Center Patrick Ewing; this era was marked by passionate rivalries with the Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, and Miami Heat. During this time, they were known for playing tough defense under head coaches Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy, making two appearances in the NBA Finals, in 1994 and 1999. However, they were unable to win an NBA championship during this era.
Since 2000, the Knicks have struggled to regain their former successes, but won their first division title in 19 years in 2012–13, led by a core of forwards Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire. They were eventually eliminated in the Eastern Conference Semifinals by the Indiana Pacers, and failed to make the playoffs for eight years until the 2020–21 season, when they were led by forward Julius Randle and sophomore RJ Barrett, who was selected third overall in the 2019 NBA draft.
Arenas[]
- Madison Square Garden (III) (1946–1968)
- 69th Regiment Armory (occasional games, 1946–1960)
- Madison Square Garden (IV) (1968–current)
Franchise history[]
1946–1967: Early years[]
In 1946, basketball, particularly college basketball, was a growing and increasingly profitable sport in New York City, New York. Hockey was another popular sport at the time and generated considerable profits; however, the arenas were not used often. Max Kase, a New York sportswriter, became the sports editor at the Boston American in the 1930s, when he met Boston Garden owner Walter A. Brown. Kase developed the idea of an organized professional league to showcase college players upon their graduation and felt it could become profitable if properly assembled. Brown, intrigued by the opportunity to attain additional income when the hockey teams were not playing or on the road, contacted several arena owners. On June 6, 1946, Kase and Brown and a group of seventeen others assembled at the Commodore Hotel in New York City, as the Basketball Association of America (BAA), where charter franchises were granted to major cities throughout the country.
Ned Irish, a college basketball promoter, retired sportswriter and then president of Madison Square Garden, was in attendance. Kase originally planned to own and operate the New York franchise himself and approached Irish with a proposal to lease the Garden. Irish explained that the rules of the Arena Managers Association of America stated that Madison Square Garden was required to own any professional teams that played in the arena. On the day of the meeting, Kase made his proposal to the panel of owners; however, they were much more impressed by Irish and his vast resources; Kase relented and the franchise was awarded to Irish.
Irish wanted a distinct name for his franchise that was representative of the city of New York. He called together members of his staff for a meeting to cast their votes in a hat. After tallying the votes, the franchise was named the Knickerbockers. The "Knickerbocker" name comes from the pseudonym used by Washington Irving in his book A History of New York, a name that became applied to the descendants of the original Dutch settlers of what later became New York, and later, by extension, to New Yorkers in general. In search of a head coach, Irish approached successful St. John's University coach Joe Lapchick in May 1946. Lapchick readily accepted after Irish promised to make him the highest-paid coach in the league; however, he requested he remain at St. John's one more season in hopes of winning one last championship. Irish obliged, hiring former Manhattan College coach Neil Cohalan as interim coach for the first year.
With no college draft in the league's initial year, there was no guarantee that the Knicks or the league itself would thrive. Consequently, teams focused on signing college players from their respective cities as a way to promote the professional league. The Knicks held their first training camp in the Catskill Mountains at the Nevele Country Club. Twenty-five players were invited to attend the three-week session. Players worked out twice a day and the chemistry between the New York natives was instant. With a roster assembled, the Knicks faced the Toronto Huskies at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens on November 1, 1946, in what would be the franchise's first game—as well as the first in league history. In a low-scoring affair presented in front of 7,090 spectators, the Knicks defeated the Huskies 68–66 with Leo Gottlieb leading the Knicks in scoring with 14 points. With Madison Square Garden's crowded schedule, the Knicks were forced to play many of their home games at the 69th Regiment Armory during the team's early years. The Knicks went on to finish their inaugural campaign with a 33–27 record and achieved a playoff berth under Cohalan despite a dismal shooting percentage of 28 percent. The Knicks faced the Cleveland Rebels in the quarterfinals, winning the series 2–1. However, the Knicks were swept by the Philadelphia Warriors in two games in the semifinals.
As promised, Lapchick took over in 1947, bringing with him his up-tempo coaching style, which emphasized fast ball movement. Six new players were signed, including guard Carl Braun and Japanese-American guard Wataru Misaka, the first non-Caucasian basketball player in the BAA. Under Lapchick, the Knicks made nine straight playoff appearances beginning in 1947. Braun, who averaged 14.3 points, emerged as the team's star and paired with Dick Holub and Bud Palmer to account for half of the team's offense. Despite this, the Knicks struggled throughout the year, compiling a 26–22 record. Their finish was good enough to place them second in the Eastern Division and secure a playoff match-up against the Baltimore Bullets where they lost the series two games to one. In the 1948 BAA Draft, the Knicks selected two future Hall of Fame players in center Dolph Schayes and Harry Gallatin. The Knicks were leery of Schayes' talent, prompting the center to leave to play for the Syracuse Nationals of the struggling National Basketball League. Despite losing Schayes, the team started the year well going 17–8 before they fell into a slump. They ended the year with a seven-game win streak to finish with a 32–28 record and a third-straight playoff appearance. The Knicks defeated the Baltimore Bullets in a rematch of their previous encounter in 1947, winning the series 2–1. The team however, struggled against the Washington Capitols and lost the series 1–2.
Prior to the beginning of the 1949–50 season, the BAA merged with the National Basketball League to form the National Basketball Association with the BAA absorbing six teams from its former competitor. Despite division realignments, the Knicks remained in the Eastern Division. The team continued its dominance under Lapchick, winning 40 games; however, they lost the Eastern Division finals to the Syracuse Nationals.
The following season, the Knicks made history signing Sweetwater Clifton to a contract, thus becoming the first professional basketball team to sign an African American player. During this same season, the Knicks finished with a 36–30 record. Though they placed third in their division, they secured a playoff spot and began the first of three consecutive trips to the NBA Finals. In spite of their success, the Knicks could not overcome the Rochester Royals despite a valiant comeback after losing the first three games of the Finals. The next two years, in 1952 and 1953, New York fell to the Minneapolis Lakers in the Finals.
It was during this early period, the Knicks developed their first standout players in Carl Braun who retired as the Knicks leading scorer with 10,449 points before later being surpassed by the likes of Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier, and Willis Reed. Harry Gallatin and Dick McGuire were also well-known standouts on the team and were later enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Following these back-to-back losses, the Knicks made the playoffs in the subsequent two years with no success. Lapchick resigned as the team's head coach in January 1956 citing health-related issues. Vince Boryla made his debut in February 1956 as the Knicks' new coach in a win over the St. Louis Hawks. However, after two seasons of poor performances and no playoff appearances, Boryla tendered his resignation from the team in April 1958.
Looking to regain their former dominance, Andrew Levane was named the head coach and in his first year, the results were significantly better as the team finished with a 40–32 record, securing their playoff spot. However, the Knicks could not manage to get past the Eastern Division semi-finals. The Levane-led squad fared poorly to begin the 1959–60 season and under mounting pressure Levane resigned and was immediately replaced by Carl Braun, who became the team's first player-coach. The team did not fare much better under Braun and the Knicks hired Eddie Donovan, who helped build up St. Bonaventure's basketball team, in 1961.[29] During Donovan's tenure, New York failed to achieve a playoff berth. As a testament to their struggles, on March 2, 1962, the Knicks faced the Philadelphia Warriors in Hershey, Pennsylvania, where they infamously allowed Wilt Chamberlain to score an NBA-record 100 points in a 169–147 Warriors victory.
In 1964, the franchise's fortunes began to take a steady turn. The Knicks drafted center Willis Reed, who made an immediate impact on the court and was named NBA Rookie of the Year for his efforts. However, the leaders of the team still remained in flux. In an attempt to reorganize, the Knicks named former standout Harry Gallatin as head coach while reassigning Donovan to general manager position. After a slow start in 1965, Dick McGuire, another former Knick, replaced his former teammate Gallatin midway through the season. Though he failed to guide the Knicks to the playoffs in 1965, he managed to do so the following season, however, the Knicks lost in the Eastern Division semi-finals.
1967–1975: Championship years[]
In 1968, right after the Knicks made it to the playoffs for the first time since 1959, the Knicks hired Red Holzman as their head coach. With Holzman at the helm, and young players such as Bill Bradley and Walt "Clyde" Frazier, the Knicks were a playoff team again in 1968. The next season, the team acquired Dave DeBusschere from the Detroit Pistons, and the team went 55–27. In the ensuing playoffs, the team made it past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 1953, sweeping the Baltimore Bullets in three games, before falling to the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics in the Eastern Division finals.
In the 1969–70 season, the Knicks had a then single-season NBA record 18 straight victories en route to 60–22 record, which was the best regular season record in the team's history. After defeating the Balitmore Bullets in the Eastern Division semifinals and the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Division finals, the Knicks faced the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals.
With the series tied at 2–2, the Knicks would be tested in Game 5. Reed tore a muscle in his right leg in the second quarter, and was lost for the rest of the game. Despite his absence, New York would go on to win the game, rallying from a 16–point deficit, and took a 3–2 series lead. However, without their injured captain, the Knicks would lose Game 6, setting up one of the most famous moments in NBA history. Reed limped onto the court before Game 7, determined to play through his pain. He scored New York's first two baskets before going scoreless for the remainder of the contest. Although he was not at full strength, Reed's heroics inspired the Knicks, and they won the game by a score of 113–99, allowing New York to capture the title that had eluded them for so long. Reed, who had been named the All-Star MVP and the league's MVP that season, was named MVP of the Finals, becoming the first player to attain all three awards in a single season.
The Knicks' success continued for the next few years. After losing to the Baltimore Bullets in the 1971 Eastern Conference finals, the team, aided by the acquisitions of Jerry Lucas and Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, returned to the Finals in 1972. This time, the Knicks fell to the Lakers in five games. The next year, the results were reversed, as the Knicks defeated the Lakers in five games to win their second NBA title in four years. The team had one more impressive season in 1973–74, as they reached the Eastern Conference finals, where they fell in five games to the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics. It was after this season that Reed announced his retirement, and the team's fortunes took a turn for the worse.
1975–1985: Post-championship years[]
In the 1974–75 season, the Knicks posted a 40–42 record, their first losing record in eight seasons. However, the record still qualified them for a playoff spot, though the Knicks lost to the Houston Rockets in the first round. After two more seasons with losing records, Holzman was replaced behind the bench by Reed. In Reed's first year coaching the team, they posted a 43–39 record and made it to the Eastern Conference semifinals, where they were swept by the Philadelphia 76ers. The next season, after the team got off to a 6–8 start, Holzman was rehired as the team's coach. The team did not fare any better that season, finishing with a 31–51 record, their worst in thirteen years.
After improving to a 39–43 record in the 1979–80 season, the Knicks posted a 50–32 record in the 1980–81 season. In the ensuing playoffs, the Chicago Bulls swept them in two games. Holzman retired the following season as one of the winningest coaches in NBA history. The team's record for that year was a dismal 33–49. However, Holzman's legacy would continue through the players he influenced. One of the Knicks' bench players and defensive specialists during the 1970s was Phil "Action" Jackson. Jackson went on to coach the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers to eleven NBA championships, surpassing Red Auerbach for the most in NBA history. Jackson has cited Red Holzman as the best coach he ever played for and a major influence on his coaching philosophy.
Hubie Brown replaced Holzman as coach of the Knicks, and in his first season, the team went 44–38 and make it to the second round of the playoffs, where they were swept by the eventual champion Philadelphia 76ers. The next season, the team, aided by new acquisition Bernard King, improved to a 47–35 record and returned to the playoffs. The team beat the Detroit Pistons in the first round with an overtime win in the fifth and deciding game, before losing in second round once again, this time in seven games to the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics. The team's fortunes again turned for the worse the next season, as they lost their last twelve games to finish with a 24–58 record. The first of these losses occurred on March 23, 1985, where King injured his knee and spent the next 24 months in rehabilitation. Some figured that his career would end from this injury, but he proved them wrong and resumed his career near the end of the 1986–87 season.
During the early 1980s, the Knicks drastically changed their uniforms. The home uniforms would feature the team nickname below the number and the base color was maroon instead of the traditional orange. However, in the 1983-84 season, they would revert back to the championship-era uniforms and the orange color, which would remain virtually unchanged for the next twelve seasons.
1985–2000: The Patrick Ewing era[]
As a result of the Knicks' dismal performance in the 1984–85 season, the team was entered into the first-ever NBA Draft Lottery. The team ended up winning the number one pick in that year's NBA Draft. They selected star center Patrick Ewing of Georgetown University. In Ewing's first season with the Knicks, he led all rookies in scoring (20 points per game) and rebounds (9 rebounds per game), and he won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. The team would not fare as well, though, as they posted a 23–59 record in his first season, and a 24–58 record in his second season.
The team's luck changed in the 1987–88 season with the hiring of Rick Pitino as head coach, and selection of point guard Mark Jackson in the draft. Combined with Ewing's consistently stellar play, the Knicks made the playoffs with a record of 38–44, where they lost to the Boston Celtics in the first round. The team would do even better the next season as the team traded backup center Bill Cartwright for power forward Charles Oakley before the season started and then posted a 52–30 record, which was good enough for their first division title in nearly twenty years. In the playoffs, they defeated the 76ers in the first round before losing to the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
Before the 1989–90 season began, a couple of major changes occurred. Pitino left the Knicks to coach the University of Kentucky's basketball team and Stu Jackson was named head coach. The Knicks went 45–37 and defeated the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs, winning the final three games after losing the first two. They went on to lose to the eventual NBA champion Detroit Pistons in the next round. In the 1990–91 season, the team, which replaced Jackson with John McLeod as head coach early that season, had a 39–43 record and were swept by the eventual NBA champion Bulls.
1991–1996: The Pat Riley/Don Nelson years[]
Sensing that the team needed a better coach in order to become a championship contender, new Knicks president Dave Checketts hired Pat Riley prior to the 1991–92 season. Riley, who coached the Los Angeles Lakers to four NBA titles during the 1980s, taught the Knicks hard, physical defense, and immediately gave them a boost. That season, the team, which now included fan favorite John Starks, posted a 51–31 record, good enough for a first place tie in the Atlantic Division. After defeating the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the playoffs, the team battled with the Chicago Bulls for seven games, before once again letting the Bulls get the best of them.
The 1992–93 season proved to be even more successful, as the Knicks won the Atlantic Division with a 60–22 record, matching their record from the 1969-70 season when they won their first NBA championship. Before the season, the Knicks traded Mark Jackson to the Los Angeles Clippers for Charles Smith, Doc Rivers, and Bo Kimble while also acquiring Rolando Blackman from the Dallas Mavericks. After defeating the Indiana Pacers and the Charlotte Hornets, the Knicks made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, where once again, they met the defending two-time NBA champion Chicago Bulls. After taking a 2–0 series lead, the Knicks would go on to lose the next four games.
After the Bulls' Michael Jordan made what would be his first retirement from basketball to play baseball prior to the 1993–94 season, many saw this as an opportunity for the Knicks to finally make it to the NBA Finals. The team, who acquired Derek Harper in a midseason trade with the Dallas Mavericks, once again won the Atlantic Division with a 57–25 record. In the playoffs, the team played a then NBA-record 25 games (the Boston Celtics played 26 games in the 2008 Playoffs); they started by defeating the New Jersey Nets in the first round before finally getting past the Chicago Bulls, defeating them in the second round in seven games. In the Eastern Conference Finals, they faced the Indiana Pacers, who at one point held a 3–2 series lead. They had this advantage thanks to the exploits of Reggie Miller, who scored 25 fourth quarter points in Game 5 to lead the Pacers to victory. However, the Knicks won the next two games to reach their first NBA Finals since 1973.
In the Finals, the Knicks would play seven low-scoring, defensive games against the Houston Rockets. After splitting the first two games in Houston, the Knicks would win two out of three games at Madison Square Garden, which also hosted the New York Rangers' first Stanley Cup celebration in 54 years following their win over the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of their finals during the series. In Game 6, however, a last-second attempt at a game-winning shot by Starks was tipped by Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon, giving the Rockets an 86–84 victory and forcing a Game 7. The Knicks lost Game 7 90–84, credited in large part to Starks' dismal 2-for-18 shooting performance and Riley's stubborn refusal to bench Starks, despite having bench players who were renowned for their shooting prowess, such as Rolando Blackman and Hubert Davis available. The loss denied New York the distinction of having both NBA and NHL championships in the same year. Nevertheless, the Knicks had gotten some inspiration from Mark Messier and the Rangers during the finals.
The next year, the Knicks were second place in the Atlantic Division with a 55–27 record. The team defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round before facing the Indiana Pacers again in the second round. The tone for the Knicks–Pacers series was set in Game 1, as Reggie Miller once again became a clutch nuisance to the Knicks by scoring eight points in the final 8 seconds of the game to give the Pacers a 107–105 victory. The series went to a Game 7, and when Patrick Ewing's last-second finger roll attempt to tie the game missed, the Pacers clinched the 97–95 win. Riley resigned the next day, and the Knicks hired Don Nelson as their new head coach.
However Nelson's uptempo approach clashed with the Knicks' defensive identity, and during the 1995–96 season, Nelson was fired after 59 games, and, instead of going after another well-known coach, the Knicks hired longtime assistant Jeff Van Gundy, who had no prior experience as a head coach. The Knicks ended up with a 47–35 record that year, and swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs before losing to the eventual champion Chicago Bulls (who had an NBA record 72 wins in the regular season) in five games.
1996–2000: The Jeff Van Gundy years[]
In the 1996–97 season, the Knicks, with the additions of such players as Larry Johnson and Allan Houston, registered a 57–25 record. In the playoffs, the Knicks swept the Charlotte Hornets in the first round before facing the Miami Heat (coached by Riley) in the second round. The Knicks took a 3–1 lead in the series before a brawl near the end of Game 5 resulted in suspensions of key players. Many of the suspended Knicks players, Ewing in particular, were disciplined not for participating in the altercation itself, but for violating an NBA rule stipulating that a benched player may not leave the bench during a fight (the rule was subsequently amended, making it illegal to leave the "bench area"). With Ewing and Houston suspended for Game 6, Johnson and Starks suspended for Game 7, and Charlie Ward suspended for both, the Knicks lost the series.
The 1997–98 season was marred by a wrist injury to Ewing on December 22, which forced him to miss the rest of the season and much of the playoffs. The team, which had a 43–39 record that season, still managed to defeat the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs before having another meeting with the Indiana Pacers in the second round. Ewing returned in time for game two of the series. This time, the Pacers easily won the series in five games, as Reggie Miller once again broke the hearts of Knicks fans by hitting a tying three-pointer with 5.1 seconds remaining in Game 4, en route to a Pacers overtime victory. For the fourth straight year, the Knicks were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.
Prior to the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season, the Knicks traded Starks in a package to the Golden State Warriors for shooting guard Latrell Sprewell (whose contract was voided by the Warriors after choking Warriors' head coach P. J. Carlesimo during the previous season), while also trading Charles Oakley for Marcus Camby. After barely getting into the playoffs with a 27–23 record as the eighth seed, the Knicks started a Cinderella run. It started with the Knicks eliminating the #1 seeded Miami Heat in the first round after Allan Houston bounced in a running one-hander off the front of the rim, high off the backboard, and in with 0.8 seconds left in the deciding 5th game. This remarkable upset marked only the second time in NBA history that an 8-seed had defeated the 1-seed in the NBA playoffs. After sweeping the Atlanta Hawks in the second round four games to none, they faced the Indiana Pacers yet again in the Eastern Conference Finals. Despite losing Ewing to injury for the rest of the playoffs prior to Game 3, the Knicks won the series (aided in part to a four-point play by Larry Johnson in the final seconds of Game 3) to become the first eighth-seeded playoff team to make it to the NBA Finals. However, in the Finals, the San Antonio Spurs, with superstars David Robinson and Tim Duncan, proved too much for the injury-laden Knicks, who lost in five games. The remarkable Game 5 of the Finals is remembered for its 2nd half scoring duel between the Spurs' Tim Duncan and the Knicks' Latrell Sprewell, and was decided by a long jumper by Avery Johnson with 47 seconds left to clinch the title for the Spurs.
The 1999–2000 season would prove to be the last one in New York for Ewing, as the Knicks, who had a 50–32 record that season, swept the Toronto Raptors in the first round, then defeated the Miami Heat in the semifinals in another dramatic 7-game series in which Ewing's dunk with over a minute remaining in Game 7, provided the winning margin in a 1-point road victory. They would, however, lose in the Eastern Conference Finals to the top-seeded Indiana Pacers in six games, denying the Knicks another trip to the NBA Finals. After the season, Ewing was traded on September 20, 2000, to the Seattle SuperSonics, and the Ewing era, which produced many successful playoff appearances, but no NBA championship titles, came to an end.
2000–2003: Downfall[]
Despite the loss of Ewing, the Knicks remained successful in the regular season, as they posted a 48–34 record. In the NBA playoffs, however, they fell in five games to the Toronto Raptors, failing to get past the first round of the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Soon, the Knicks began suffering through a steep decline. After starting the season 10–9, the team was stunned on December 8, 2001 by the sudden resignation of Van Gundy, who explained that he had "lost focus" and would no longer be able to properly coach the team. The team named longtime assistant Don Chaney as their new head coach, ending up with a 30–52 record, and for the first time since the 1986–87 season, they did not qualify for the playoffs.
The Knicks attempted to improve during the 2001–02 season by initiating a number of trades and free agent signings. Among these included acquiring guards Shandon Anderson and Howard Eisley, both of whom carried expensive, long-term contracts. These moves were criticized by many analysts and Knicks fans, as it was considered that not only were these players overpaid in light of their recent performances, but also because the contracts took up valuable salary-cap space. Such trades heavily contributed to the Knicks sky-rocketing payroll, which would burden them in the years to come. The Knicks improved slightly in 2002–03, but still delivered a disappointing season, posting a 37–45 record and failing to qualify for the playoffs for the second straight season.
2003–2008: The Isiah Thomas era[]
After a 10–18 start to the 2003–04 season, the Knicks underwent a massive overhaul. Isiah Thomas was named the Knicks' president on December 22, 2003 after the firing of Scott Layden, and eventually replaced Don Chaney with Lenny Wilkens behind the bench. At the same time, Thomas orchestrated several trades, including one that brought point guard Stephon Marbury to the team. The team seemed to have good chemistry following the Marbury trade as he executed the pick and roll successfully with the team's two jump-shooting big men, Michael Doleac and Keith Van Horn. However, that chemistry unravelled when the latter two were traded in a three team trade with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Atlanta Hawks, bringing in Tim Thomas and Nazr Mohammed. The team qualified for the playoffs that year with a 39–43 record, but were swept by the defending Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Nets in the first round. The series included a much publicized spat between the Knicks' Tim Thomas and Nets' Kenyon Martin, in which Thomas challenged Martin to a fight in the newspapers and called him "Fugazy".
The Knicks fared worse in the 2004–05 season, as they ended up with a 33–49 record. Wilkens resigned during the season, and Herb Williams, who had previously coached the team in a game against the Orlando Magic prior to the team hiring Wilkens, took over as interim head coach for the remainder of the season and did not fare much better as the Knicks ended their season with a 33–49 record and out of playoff contention.
Hoping to find a leader that could put the team back on track, New York hired Larry Brown to coach the team. Brown, who idolized the team during his childhood, was well regarded for his coaching abilities and his arrival brought a sense of hope to the franchise. Also, Brown had previously head coached the Detroit Pistons to a NBA championship in 2004. Hoping to find the next Patrick Ewing, the Knicks drafted center Channing Frye and signed centers Jerome James and Eddy Curry, the former prior to the season and the latter during the season. Curry, who reportedly had a worrying heart condition, refused to take a controversial DNA test, and fell out of favor with John Paxson, Chicago's general manager. The Bulls signed-and-traded him to the Knicks along with Antonio Davis for Tim Thomas, Michael Sweetney, the Knicks' 2006 first-round pick, and the right to swap first-round picks with the Knicks in 2007, as well as 2007 and 2009 second-round picks. Isiah Thomas did not lottery-protect the picks, and the Knicks forfeited the second pick in the 2006 Draft, and the ninth in the 2007 Draft. With a bloated payroll, the Knicks stumbled to the second worst record in the NBA that season, at 23–59. The season concluded with the firing and $18.5 million buy-out of head coach Larry Brown after one season.
With the departure of Brown, team president Isiah Thomas took over the head coaching responsibilities. Thomas continued his practice of signing players to high priced contracts while the franchise struggled to capitalize on their talent on the court. As a testament to their struggles, on December 16, 2006, the Knicks and the Denver Nuggets broke into a brawl during their game in Madison Square Garden. With multiple players still serving a suspension as a result of the brawl, on December 20, 2006, David Lee created one of the most memorable plays in recent Knicks history, and served as a bright spot as the team's struggles persisted, during a game against the Charlotte Bobcats. With a tie game and 0.1 seconds left on the game clock in double overtime, Jamal Crawford inbounded from the sideline, near half-court. The ball sailed towards the basket, and with that 0.1 seconds still remaining on the game clock, Lee tipped the ball off of the backboard and into the hoop. Because of the Trent Tucker Rule, a player is allowed solely to tip the ball to score when the ball is put back into play with three-tenths of a second or less remaining. Because of this rule, the rarity of Lee's play increases. The Knicks won, 111–109 in double overtime. The Knicks improved by ten games in the 2006–2007 campaign in spite of injuries that ravaged the team at the end of the year; they ended with a 33–49 record, avoiding a 50-loss season by defeating the Charlotte Bobcats 94–93 on the last day of the season.
During the 2007 off-season, the organization became embroiled in further controversy away from the basketball court. Anucha Browne Sanders, a former Knicks executive, had filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Isiah Thomas and Madison Square Garden. Faced with a trial, the jury returned a verdict finding Thomas and Madison Square Garden liable for sexual harassment. The jury also levied $11.6 million in punitive damages against Madison Square Garden, though this was later reduced to $11.5 million in a settlement between both parties. The ordeal proved embarrassing for the franchise, revealing sordid details about Knicks management and the environment at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks struggled as they opened their 2007 campaign with a 2–9 record leaving many Knicks fans, frustrated with the franchise's lack of progress under Thomas, called for the coach's firing—the chant "Fire Isiah" became a common occurrence during the Knicks' home games. On November 29, 2007, in a nationally televised game, the Knicks were handed one of their worst defeats in their history by the Boston Celtics, losing by 45-points with a final score of 104–59. This matched their third-largest margin of defeat. New York went on to post an eighth consecutive losing season and tied the franchise mark for their worst record ever, at 23–59.
2008–2010: Rebuilding[]
On April 2, 2008, James Dolan signed Indiana Pacers CEO and president Donnie Walsh to take over Isiah Thomas's role as team president. Upon the conclusion of the 2007–08 regular season, Walsh fired Isiah Thomas, and on May 13, 2008, Walsh officially named former Phoenix Suns coach Mike D'Antoni as head coach. D'Antoni signed a four-year, $24 million deal to coach the team.
On May 20, 2008, the Knicks received the 6th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, using it to select Danilo Gallinari. The Knicks also signed veteran guard Chris Duhon using a portion of their salary cap exemption. On November 21, 2008, the Knicks dealt Jamal Crawford to the Golden State Warriors for Al Harrington. Not long after, New York then traded their leading scorer Zach Randolph along with Mardy Collins to the Los Angeles Clippers for Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas, with the intention of freeing cap space for the 2010 offseason, when top-flight players such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and Amar'e Stoudemire may be available. In 2009, the Knicks traded Tim Thomas, Jerome James, and Anthony Roberson to the Chicago Bulls for Larry Hughes, in addition to sending Malik Rose to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Chris Wilcox. Additionally, the long standing controversy with Stephon Marbury ended when the two sides agreed to a buy-out of Marbury's contract, which allowed him to sign with the Boston Celtics when he cleared waivers on February 27. In spite of a volatile roster, the Knicks improved by nine wins from the previous season, coinciding with the emergence of forward/center David Lee, who led the league with 65 double-doubles, and the continued development of guard Nate Robinson and swingman Wilson Chandler.
In the 2009 NBA Draft, the Knicks chose forward Jordan Hill after targets such as Stephen Curry, Jonny Flynn, and Ricky Rubio were off the board; and guard Toney Douglas with the eight and 29th picks, the latter of which was acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers. Shortly afterwards, New York executed a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies in which the Knicks acquired Darko Miličić in exchange for Quentin Richardson.
In the 2009–10 season, the Knicks got off to their worst 10 game start in franchise history, producing 9 losses, with just one win against the New Orleans Hornets. The Knicks responded by winning 9 games and losing 6 in December.
On January 24, 2010, the Knicks suffered their worst home loss in Madison Square Garden history against the Dallas Mavericks in front of a sellout crowd, with the final score being 128–78. The 50-point loss was also the second-worst in Knicks franchise history. The worst was a 62-point loss to the Syracuse Nationals (now the Philadelphia 76ers) on Christmas Day 1960, in which the final score was 162–100.
Nearly a month after their worst home loss in MSG history the Knicks shook up their roster by making some surprising moves. On February 17, the Knicks traded Darko Miličić to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Brian Cardinal and cash considerations. On February 18, the Knicks and Boston Celtics swapped guard Nate Robinson for shooting guard Eddie House. The deal also included forward Marcus Landry going to the Celtics and the Knicks acquiring bench players J. R. Giddens and Bill Walker. The Knicks also acquired All-Star forward Tracy McGrady from the Houston Rockets and point guard Sergio Rodriguez from the Sacramento Kings in a three-way trade. The deal sent the Knicks shooting guard Larry Hughes to Sacramento and forward Jordan Hill and power forward Jared Jeffries to Houston. About 3 weeks after these team-changing trades, the Knicks played the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center and blew them out by a score of 128–94 for the largest win of the season. However, the Knicks were eliminated from playoff contention in late March 2010 and completed their season with a 29–53 record, a regression from their first season under D'Antoni.
2011–2013: Arrival of Carmelo Anthony[]
The Knicks finished fairly well due in part to the improvement of David Lee and rookie Toney Douglas along with other young players. In addition, the Knicks are set to play two preseason games in Europe during the 2010–11 NBA preseason. The Knicks and former Phoenix Suns forward-center Amar'e Stoudemire came to an agreement on July 5, 2010. The sign and trade deal was made official on July 8 as Stoudemire agreed to an approximately $100 million contract over the span of five years. Team president Donnie Walsh stated the signing of Stoudemire as a turning point for the future of a Knicks team that had struggled in recent years.The Knicks then traded David Lee to the Golden State Warriors for Anthony Randolph, Kelenna Azubuike and Ronny Turiaf. Point guard Raymond Felton was picked up during early summer free agency for a 2 year contract reportedly worth $15.8 million. On August 11, 2010, the Knicks signed guard Roger Mason.
D'Antoni along with Stoudemire and the core of young players, including Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Mozgov, Wilson Chandler and rookie Landry Fields, piloted the Knicks to a 28–26 record prior to the All-Star break, marking the first time the team had been above the .500 mark at that point of the season since 2000. In spite of the team's mounting success, New York made a push to acquire Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony. After months of speculation, on February 22, 2011, Anthony was traded to New York, with teammates Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter, and former Knick Renaldo Balkman. Denver acquired Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Mozgov, Wilson Chandler, Mozgov, Kosta Koufos, a 2014 first-round draft pick, the Warriors' second-round draft picks for 2013 and 2014 and $3 million in cash. In addition, the Knicks sent Anthony Randolph and Eddy Curry to the Minnesota Timberwolves and in return the Timberwolves' Corey Brewer was sent to the Knicks.
The Knicks clinched their first playoff berth since the 2004 NBA Playoffs in a 123–107 rout of the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 3, 2011. Carmelo Anthony ensured the franchise's first winning season since 2001 on April 10, 2011, against the Indiana Pacers, as Anthony scored the game-winning basket for the Knicks and subsequently blocked Danny Granger's shot in the final seconds of the game. The Knicks were ultimately eliminated from the playoffs in the first round on April 24, 2011 by the Boston Celtics, losing the series 0–4. In spite of Donnie Walsh's successful efforts to help rebuild the franchise, he decided not to return as the team's president, electing to step down at the end of June 2011, citing the uncertainty surrounding his ability to continue to manage the daily operations of the team. Glen Grunwald was elected as interim president and general manager.
Following the conclusion of the 2011 NBA lockout, the Knicks engaged in a sign-and-trade deal with the Dallas Mavericks for center Tyson Chandler on December 10, 2011, with Chandler signing a four-year contract worth approximately $58 million. In return, the Knicks sent Andy Rautins to the Mavericks, generating a trade exception for Dallas. Ronny Turiaf and $3 million in cash considerations were sent to the Washington Wizards to complete the three-way trade. The Knicks also obtained the draft rights to Ahmad Nivins and Georgios Printezis from Dallas. In order to fit Chandler under the salary cap, Chauncey Billups was earlier waived under the amnesty clause of the new collective bargaining agreement. To replace Billups at point guard, the Knicks signed Mike Bibby to a one-year, veteran minimum contract. The Knicks also signed veteran point guard Baron Davis on December 19 to a one-year contract. At the time, Davis had suffered a herniated disk and was not expected to compete for about 6–8 weeks, leaving Toney Douglas as the team's starting point guard. The Knicks struggled early in the season because Douglas and Bibby struggled to facilitate the offense and subsequently, it became stagnated. Subsequently, rookie Iman Shumpert was thrust into the role as the starting point guard after Douglas was relegated to the bench due to his struggles. In addition, head coach D'Antoni also decided to use Carmelo Anthony as a point forward to help generate a more up-tempo offense; however, there were concerns Anthony was holding the ball for too long, thus contributing to the stagnation of the Knicks' offense.
With the Knicks struggling to an 8–15 record, D'Antoni inserted third-string point guard Jeremy Lin into the rotation against the New Jersey Nets on February 4, 2012. Lin, who had been claimed off waivers on December 27 following an injury to Iman Shumpert, scored 25 points and had 7 assists en route to a Knicks win. Lin was praised for his ability to facilitate the offense, something the Knicks had struggled to do for the first 23 games of the season. Lin, exceeding expectations, was named the starter for the Knicks following a game against the Utah Jazz. Lin guided the Knicks to a seven-game winning streak, despite being without Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire for five games due to a groin injury and a death in the family respectively, that brought the team back to a .500 winning percentage. The surge of positive play by the Knicks accompanied by the performance of Lin caused extensive national and worldwide media coverage that was referred to as 'Linsanity'. To bolster their depth and perimeter shooting percentage, the Knicks signed J.R. Smith on February 18, 2012. The team struggled to congeal when Anthony returned from injury and went on to lose seven of eight games before head coach Mike D'Antoni resigned on March 14, 2012. Assistant Mike Woodson was named the interim head coach.
Under Woodson, the Knicks finished 18–6 during the regular season and clinched a playoff spot for the second straight year this time as the seventh seed, making it the first time they have clinched consecutive playoff berths since making 13 straight playoff appearances from 1988 to 2001. Not only did they also clinch consecutive winning seasons for the first time in a decade, but their 36–30 record was the highest winning percentage for the team since the 2000–01 season. The Knicks faced the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs and lost the first three games, breaking the NBA record for longest playoff losing streak at 13 games.The team's struggles were partially attributed to injuries as Jeremy Lin, Baron Davis and Iman Shumpert were all sidelined by knee ailments. The Knicks proceeded to win a close Game 4, which snapped their streak and ensured that they would not be swept out of the first round. However, they failed to keep up with the Heat's up-tempo offense in Game 5 and lost the series 4–1 to the eventual NBA champion. Despite the team's disappointing postseason exit, the Knicks removed Woodson's interim status and he was officially named the full-time head coach on May 25, 2012.
The Knicks began their off-season by selecting Greek forward Kostas Papanikolaou in the 2012 NBA Draft. One week later, the team came to terms with veteran point guard Jason Kidd, who was originally supposed to serve as a backup to Lin. The Knicks also re-acquired Marcus Camby from the Houston Rockets in a sign and trade sending Houston Josh Harrellson, Jerome Jordan, Toney Douglas and 2014 and 2015 two second-round picks and completed a sign-and-trade with the Portland Trail Blazers that brought back Raymond Felton and Kurt Thomas in exchange for Jared Jeffries, Dan Gadzuric, and the draft rights to Papanikolaou and Greek forward Georgios Printezis, whose draft rights had been acquired by the Knicks in December 2011. The Knicks also re-signed free agents J.R. Smith and Steve Novak and added more players to the roster, such as James White, Chris Copeland, and Argentinian point guard Pablo Prigioni. However, the Knicks lost restricted free agents shooting guard, Landry Fields to the Toronto Raptors and point guard, Jeremy Lin to the Houston Rockets, who were both key players during the 2011–12 season. The Knicks decided not to match those teams' offers. Despite these losses, the Knicks continued to add players to the roster, signing former Chicago Bulls guard Ronnie Brewer on July 25, 2012 and signing Chris Smith, the younger brother of J.R. Smith, on August 1, 2012. It was also announced that Rasheed Wallace would come out of retirement to play for the Knicks on October 2, 2012.
Despite playing without an injured Iman Shumpert and Amar'e Stoudemire, the Knicks compiled an 18–5 record to start the 2012–13 season, their best start since 1993. In their first four games, they scored at least 100 points and won by double digits in all of those games. The streak ended after a 10-point loss to Memphis Grizzlies. The following Sunday, in a game against the Indiana Pacers, the Knicks at home went on to win 88–76, assuring them a 7–1 record. After two tough losses to the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets, the Knicks returned home in a game against the Detroit Pistons on November 25, with a 121–100 blowout win, making them one of only three teams undefeated at home along with the Miami Heat and Utah Jazz. The Knicks finished November with an 11–4 record, their best month record since going 11–6 in March 2000. By the All-Star break in mid-February 2013, the Knicks compiled a 32–18 record, good for second in the Eastern Conference. On February 21, on the trade deadline, the team traded Ronnie Brewer for a 2014 second-round draft pick. The Knicks then signed veteran power forward Kenyon Martin to a 10-day contract. In late March, the Knicks went on to compile a four-game losing streak, tying their worst skid of the season. They would go on and face the Utah Jazz on the road, eventually winning the game and starting what would turn out to be a 13-game winning streak, including wins against the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder. This was the third-longest winning streak in franchise history. On April 9, the Knicks beat the Washington Wizards to secure the Atlantic Division title for the first time since the 1993–94 NBA season. The Knicks' 13-game winning streak came to an end on April 11 as they lost to the Chicago Bulls. Despite that, they set the NBA single season record for three-pointers. The Knicks finished the season with a 54–28 record, securing the 2nd seed. On May 3, the Knicks defeated the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA playoffs, 4–2, their first playoff victory since 2000. On May 18, the Knicks were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs, losing the series to the Indiana Pacers 4–2. Point guard Jason Kidd retired following the end of the season—he was named head coach of the Brooklyn Nets a few days later. In the 2013 NBA Draft, the Knicks selected Tim Hardaway Jr. as the 24th pick in the first-round. During the 2013 off-season, The Knicks claimed Los Angeles Lakers forward Metta World Peace off of waivers. They re-signed J.R. Smith] to a 3-year, $18 million deal and traded Quentin Richardson, Steve Novak, Marcus Camby, and three draft picks to acquire Andrea Bargnani from the Toronto Raptors.
2013–2017: The Phil Jackson era[]
The Knicks also saw changes to business operations in late 2013, replacing general manager Glen Grunwald with former MSG president Steve Mills. The Knicks also purchased an NBA D-League team located White Plains, which began operations at the start of the 2014–15 NBDL season. The Knicks then appointed former coach Phil Jackson as president of basketball operations, with Mills remaining as general manager, with the duo working directly under MSG chairman James Dolan. Following the 2013–14 season, coach Mike Woodson and his entire staff were fired, and was replaced by Derek Fisher. Fisher played under Jackson with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five (5) NBA championships with the Lakers. The Knicks finished the season with a disappointing 37–45 record and finished ninth in the Eastern Conference, but was the season Carmelo Anthony established his career high, the Knicks' franchise record, and the Madison Square Garden record for single-game scoring. Anthony recorded 62 points and 13 rebounds in a victory against the Charlotte Bobcats.
Forbes magazine released its franchise value rankings for NBA teams, and listed the Knicks as the world's most valuable basketball organization at $1.4 billion in 2014, edging out the Los Angeles Lakers by $50 million. The Knicks were valued at 40% more than the third-place Chicago Bulls valuation of $1 billion, and were valued nearly twice as highly as their crosstown rivals, the Brooklyn Nets, who came in at $780 million.
On June 25, 2014, the Knicks traded controversial guard Raymond Felton along with former NBA defensive player of the year Tyson Chandler to the Dallas Mavericks. In return the Knicks received Shane Larkin, José Calderón, Samuel Dalembert, and Wayne Ellington along with two picks for the following day's draft. The trade was the first one that Phil Jackson ever executed as a front office executive. On June 26, as part of the 2014 NBA Draft, the Knicks selected Cleanthony Early as the 34th overall pick and Thanasis Antetokounmpo as the 51st overall pick, using the draft picks received in the trade from the Dallas Mavericks. The Knicks also acquired Louis Labeyrie, an additional second round draft pick, after he was traded by the Pacers.
On January 7, 2015, the Knicks set a franchise record with its 13th consecutive loss. The Knicks fell 101–91 to the Washington Wizards, giving New York its longest losing streak in the franchise's 69 season history. This record was extended to 16th consecutive losses, after the NBA Global Games loss against the Milwaukee Bucks in London. On February 15, 2015, the Knicks bought out Amar'e Stoudemire's contract. The Knicks finished their 2014–15 season with a win-loss record of 17–65, which is the worst record in franchise history.
On June 24, 2015, the Knicks selected Kristaps Porziņģis with the fourth overall pick in the draft, and traded Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Jerian Grant, the 19th overall pick. Midway through another losing season, Fisher was relieved of his coaching duties, with Kurt Rambis being named as interim head coach as the Knicks finished the season with a record of 32–50. Jeff Hornacek was then hired as their next head coach, which also oversaw Jackson's most notable acts as an executive. On June 22, former NBA MVP Derrick Rose was traded, along with Justin Holiday and a second-round pick from Chicago, to New York in exchange for Robin Lopez, José Calderón and Grant. The Knicks also signed Joakim Noah, Brandon Jennings, and Courtney Lee to contracts worth a combined $127 million, and regressed the following season, causing the franchise to part ways with Jackson after three years as the Knicks' president of basketball operations. Under Jackson's presidency, the Knicks had gone 80–166, suffered three consecutive losing seasons, and missed three consecutive playoffs.
In his last act prior to leaving the Knicks, Jackson selected Frank Ntilikina with the eighth overall pick, Damyean Dotson with the 44th overall pick, and Ognjen Jaramaz with the 58th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
2017–2020: Struggles and further rebuilding[]
Following Jackson's departure, the Knicks appointed Scott Perry as general manager and named Steve Mills president of basketball operations. The Knicks also saw Carmelo Anthony demanding a trade from the team, which posed difficulty for both player and franchise due to a no-trade clause inserted in Anthony's contract given by Jackson in 2013. Originally, the only teams for which he would waive his no trade clause were for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Houston Rockets, with the former eventually removed from trade discussions due to internal conflicts. Anthony intended to join the Houston Rockets, with a three-way trade with the Portland Trail Blazers set up involving Ryan Anderson. Anderson's three-year, $60 million contract was not feasibly able to be absorbed by either franchise, however, causing Perry to cease talks with the Rockets, before agreeing to a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, after Anthony agreed to expand his no-trade clause to include the Thunder. The Knicks received Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott and a 2018 second-round pick in exchange for Anthony on September 25, 2017, while also positioning Kristaps Porziņģis as the new centerpiece of the franchise.
The Knicks also re-signed Tim Hardaway Jr. to a four-year, $71 million contract, while also agreeing to a one-year, minimum contract with Michael Beasley. The franchise also traded for former lottery pick Emmanuel Mudiay from the Denver Nuggets at the trade deadline, who was a point guard the Knicks were rumored to have targeted prior to selecting Porziņģis in 2015. The trade also included the Dallas Mavericks, with Dallas acquiring McDermott from the Knicks, and the Nuggets obtaining Devin Harris from Dallas. However, the season again ended poorly, with 29–53 record to leave the Knicks as the 11th seed in the Eastern Conference. This caused the Knicks to part ways with head coach Jeff Hornacek. Hornacek's two full seasons retained criticism for the team's continued struggle on defense, as well as the inability to implement an efficient, modern offense. He was replaced with former Memphis Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale. Fizdale signed a four-year deal, and was tasked to deliver on player development and improving the team's basketball philosophy.
On May 15, 2018, the Knicks were awarded the ninth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, and selected Kevin Knox from Kentucky. The team also acquired Mitchell Robinson with the 36th overall pick, and signed former lottery pick Mario Hezonja. They further invested in untapped potential by signing another former lottery pick, with Noah Vonleh agreeing to a one year deal. However, following a dismal start to the season, and after a meeting with Porziņģis gave team officials the impression that he wanted to be traded, Porziņģis was traded on January 30, 2019, alongside Trey Burke, Courtney Lee and Tim Hardaway Jr., to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews, Dennis Smith Jr., an unprotected 2021 first-round draft pick, and an additional top-ten protected 2023 first round draft pick. he Knicks finished the 2018–19 season with a league worst 17–65 regular season record, but the season was notable for the emergence of undrafted rookie Allonzo Trier, as well as for the progression of Dotson and Robinson. The Knicks won the third overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, and selected RJ Barrett from Duke. The team also traded for forward Iggy Brazdeikis, who was drafted in the second round from Michigan.
In preparation for the 2019–20 season, and as a result of having a record $74 million in cap space following the Porziņģis trade, the team divided it among five new signings. The Knicks agreed terms with veteran role players Wayne Ellington and Taj Gibson, with forward Bobby Portis also signing. The team then signed former lottery picks Elfrid Payton and Julius Randle. On February 4, 2020, the Knicks fired Steve Mills after seven seasons as president with Scott Perry taking over on an interim basis. On March 2, Leon Rose was named president of the team.
On July 30, 2020, the Knicks hired Tom Thibodeau as their new head coach.
2020–present: Return to relevence[]
Fan attendance in home games was prohibited until February 23, 2021, per an executive order from Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo. The Knicks reopened Madison Square Garden to spectators on February 23, 2021.
On May 3, 2021, with a 118–104 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, the Knicks clinched their first winning season since the 2012–13 season. On May 12, 2021, the Knicks clinched their first playoff appearance since 2013, ending their eight-year playoff drought. At the end of the regular season, Randle was named NBA Most Improved Player, while Thibodeau was named the NBA Coach of the Year, becoming the first Knicks head coach since Pat Riley in 1992–93 to receive the award.
In the playoffs, the Knicks lost to the Atlanta Hawks in five games in the first round.
In the 2021 off-season, the Knicks retained much of their old talent, while bringing in former all-star guard Kemba Walker and forward Evan Fournier. Additionally, after Randle's breakthrough season, the Knicks extended his contract for four years in August 2021.
On January 13, 2022, the Knicks traded former eighth overall pick of the 2018 NBA draft, Kevin Knox and a protected future first round pick in exchange for former 10th overall pick of the 2019 NBA draft, Cam Reddish, Solomon Hill and a 2025 second-round draft pick and cash considerations. During the 2021–22 season, the Knicks struggled regressed finishing 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 37–45 record. Randle took a step back having a down season across the boards and his shooting percentages took a hit that resulted in fans booing Randle and increased trade rumours, and the lack of leadership of Randle was questioned, along with attitude and desire to be a Knick. Head coach Thibodeau was questioned if he was the right coach for the Knicks heading onwards. The signings of guard Kemba Walker and forward Evan Fournier were considered extreme failures that set the Knicks back as well. The third overall pick of the 2019 NBA draft, RJ Barrett in his third season averaged 20.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
The 2022 off-season brought a lot of change to the Knicks' roster. During the 2022 NBA draft, the Knicks traded Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel and Kemba Walker to the Detroit Pistons to clear cap space for the free agency period, as well as trading their 11th overall pick for protected future first round picks. On June 12, 2022, the Knicks signed point guard Jalen Brunson to a four-year contract, with hopes he could bring some much-needed stability to the position.
In the 2022–23 season, the Knicks would return to the playoffs after a one-year absence, clinching a playoff berth on April 2, 2023. They finished the regular season with a 47–35 record, clinching the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. In the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs, they faced the No. 4 seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, winning the series in five games. The Knicks had both won their first playoff series and advanced to the conference semifinals for the first time since the 2012–13 season. In the second round, the Knicks faced their rival, the No. 8 seeded Miami Heat, who had just previously upset the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the first round in five games. The two teams previously met in the first round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs, where the Heat, led by their Big Three, defeated the Knicks in five games. The Knicks would go on to lose to the Heat in six games.
Prior to the 2023–24 season, the team was given the nickname of the Nova Knicks due to having four former members of the 2016 Villanova Wildcats national championship team on the roster in Ryan Arcidiacono (prior to his trade midseason), Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, and Josh Hart.
On December 30, the Knicks traded RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and a second-round pick to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, and Malachi Flynn. Anunoby made an immediate impact with the Knicks, recording an NBA-record plus-minus of 170 in his first ten games with the team and propelling the Knicks to a 14–2 record in January, which included winning streaks of six and nine games.
On January 27, 2024, star forward Julius Randle dislocated his right shoulder late in the 4th quarter in a game against the Miami Heat. The injury sidelined Randle for weeks, with many around the Knicks organization hoping he would be able to heal in time before the playoffs. On April 4, the team announced Randle would undergo season-ending surgery on his shoulder.
On April 11, the Knicks got their 48th win of the season against the top–seeded Boston Celtics, meaning the Knicks will have improved over last season's 47–35 record by at least 1 game. Their final 120–119 overtime win over the Chicago Bulls also gave New York their first 50 win season since 2013 and allowed them to finish the regular season as the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
In the playoffs, the Knicks faced the 7th-seeded Philadelphia 76ers. The two teams previously met in the first round of the 1989 NBA Playoffs, in which the Knicks swept the 76ers 3–0. The Knicks would go on to defeat the 76ers in six games, winning back-to-back playoff series for the first time since 1999 and 2000. The Knicks advanced to the conference semifinals, where they faced the 6th-seeded Indiana Pacers. The two teams previously met in the conference semifinals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs, where the Pacers defeated the Knicks in six games. The Knicks would go on to lose to the Pacers again in seven games.
Season-by-season records[]
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, % = Percentage
Season | W | L | % | Playoffs | Results |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York Knicks | |||||
1946-47 | 33 | 27 | .550 | Won Quarterfinals Lost Semifinals |
New York 2, Cleveland 1 Philadelphia 2, New York 0 |
1947-48 | 26 | 22 | .542 | Lost Quarterfinals | Baltimore 2, New York 1 |
1948-49 | 32 | 28 | .533 | Won Division Semifinals Lost Division Finals |
New York 2, Baltimore 1 Washington 2, New York 1 |
1949-50 | 40 | 28 | .588 | Won Division Semifinals Lost Division Finals |
New York 2, Washington 0 Syracuse 2, New York 1 |
1950-51 | 36 | 30 | .545 | Won Division Semifinals Won Division Finals Lost NBA Finals |
New York 2, Boston 0 New York 3, Syracuse 2 Rochester 4, New York 3 |
1951-52 | 37 | 29 | .561 | Won Division Semifinals Won Division Finals Lost NBA Finals |
New York 2, Boston 1 New York 3, Syracuse 1 Minneapolis 4, New York 3 |
1952-53 | 47 | 23 | .671 | Won Division Semifinals Won Division Finals Lost NBA Finals |
New York 2, Baltimore 0 New York 3, Boston 1 Minneapolis 4, New York 1 |
1953-54 | 44 | 28 | .611 | Lost round-robin | Boston 4, New York 0 Syracuse 4, New York 0 |
1954-55 | 38 | 34 | .528 | Lost Division Semifinals | Boston 2, New York 1 |
1955-56 | 35 | 37 | .486 | Lost Division third-place tiebreaker | Syracuse 1, New York 0 |
1956-57 | 36 | 36 | .500 | ||
1957-58 | 35 | 37 | .486 | ||
1958-59 | 40 | 32 | .556 | Lost Division Semifinals | Syracuse 2, New York 0 |
1959-60 | 27 | 48 | .360 | ||
1960-61 | 21 | 58 | .266 | ||
1961-62 | 29 | 51 | .363 | ||
1962-63 | 21 | 59 | .263 | ||
1963-64 | 22 | 58 | .275 | ||
1964-65 | 31 | 49 | .388 | ||
1965-66 | 30 | 50 | .375 | ||
1966-67 | 36 | 45 | .444 | Lost Division Semifinals | Boston 3, New York 1 |
1967-68 | 43 | 39 | .524 | Lost Division Semifinals | Philadelphia 4, New York 2 |
1968-69 | 54 | 28 | .659 | Won Division Semifinals Lost Division Finals |
New York 4, Baltimore 0 Boston 4, New York 2 |
1969-70 | 60 | 22 | .732 | Won Division Semifinals Won Division Finals Won NBA Finals |
New York 4, Baltimore 3 New York 4, Milwaukee 1 New York 4, Los Angeles 3 |
1970-71 | 52 | 30 | .634 | Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
New York 4, Atlanta 1 Baltimore 4, New York 3 |
1971-72 | 48 | 34 | .585 | Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals |
New York 4, Baltimore 2 New York 4, Boston 1 Los Angeles 4, New York 1 |
1972-73 | 57 | 25 | .695 | Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals |
New York 4, Baltimore 1 New York 4, Boston 3 New York 4, Los Angeles 1 |
1973-74 | 49 | 33 | .598 | Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
New York 4, Capital 3 Boston 4, New York 1 |
1974-75 | 40 | 42 | .488 | Lost First Round | Houston 2, New York 1 |
1975-76 | 38 | 44 | .463 | ||
1976-77 | 40 | 42 | .488 | ||
1977-78 | 43 | 39 | .524 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
New York 2, Cleveland 0 Philadelphia 4, New York 0 |
1978-79 | 31 | 51 | .378 | ||
1979-80 | 39 | 43 | .476 | ||
1980-81 | 50 | 32 | .610 | Lost First Round | Chicago 2, New York 0 |
1981-82 | 33 | 49 | .402 | ||
1982-83 | 44 | 38 | .537 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
New York 2, New Jersey 0 Philadelphia 4, New York 0 |
1983-84 | 47 | 35 | .573 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
New York 3, Detroit 2 Boston 4, New York 3 |
1984-85 | 24 | 58 | .293 | ||
1985-86 | 23 | 59 | .280 | ||
1986-87 | 24 | 58 | .293 | ||
1987-88 | 38 | 44 | .463 | Lost First Round | Boston 3, New York 1 |
1988-89 | 52 | 30 | .634 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
New York 3, Philadelphia 0 Chicago 4, New York 2 |
1989-90 | 45 | 37 | .549 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
New York 3, Boston 2 Detroit 4, New York 1 |
1990-91 | 39 | 43 | .476 | Lost First Round | Chicago 3, New York 0 |
1991-92 | 51 | 31 | .622 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
New York 3, Detroit 2 Chicago 4, New York 3 |
1992-93 | 60 | 22 | .732 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
New York 3, Indiana 1 New York 4, Charlotte 1 Chicago 4, New York 2 |
1993-94 | 57 | 25 | .695 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals |
New York 3, New Jersey 1 New York 4, Chicago 3 New York 4, Indiana 3 Houston 4, New York 3 |
1994-95 | 55 | 27 | .671 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
New York 3, Cleveland 1 Indiana 4, New York 3 |
1995-96 | 47 | 35 | .573 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
New York 3, Cleveland 0 Chicago 4, New York 1 |
1996-97 | 57 | 25 | .695 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
New York 3, Charlotte 0 Miami 4, New York 3 |
1997-98 | 43 | 39 | .524 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
New York 3, Miami 2 Indiana 4, New York 1 |
1998-99 | 27 | 23 | .540 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals |
New York 3, Miami 2 New York 4, Atlanta 0 New York 4, Indiana 2 San Antonio 4, New York 1 |
1999-00 | 50 | 32 | .610 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
New York 3, Toronto 0 New York 4, Miami 3 Indiana 4, New York 2 |
2000-01 | 48 | 34 | .585 | Lost First Round | Toronto 3, New York 2 |
2001-02 | 30 | 52 | .366 | ||
2002-03 | 37 | 45 | .451 | ||
2003-04 | 39 | 43 | .476 | Lost First Round | New Jersey 4, New York 0 |
2004-05 | 33 | 49 | .402 | ||
2005-06 | 23 | 59 | .280 | ||
2006-07 | 33 | 49 | .402 | ||
2007-08 | 23 | 59 | .280 | ||
2008-09 | 32 | 50 | .390 | ||
2009-10 | 29 | 53 | .354 | ||
2010-11 | 42 | 40 | .512 | Lost First Round | Boston 4, New York 0 |
2011-12 | 36 | 30 | .545 | Lost First Round | Miami 4, New York 1 |
2012-13 | 54 | 28 | .659 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
New York 4, Boston 2 Indiana 4, New York 2 |
2013-14 | 37 | 45 | .451 | ||
2014-15 | 17 | 65 | .207 | ||
2015-16 | 32 | 50 | .390 | ||
2016-17 | 31 | 51 | .378 | ||
2017-18 | 29 | 53 | .354 | ||
2018-19 | 17 | 65 | .207 | ||
2019-20 | 21 | 45 | .318 | ||
2020-21 | 41 | 31 | .569 | Lost First Round | Atlanta 4, New York 1 |
2021-22 | 37 | 45 | .451 | ||
2022-23 | 47 | 35 | .573 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
New York 4, Cleveland 1 Miami 4, New York 2 |
2023-24 | 50 | 32 | .610 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
New York 4, Philadelphia 2 Indiana 4, New York 3 |
Totals | 2799 | 2988 | .484 | ||
Playoffs | 186 | 190 | .495 | 2 Championships |
Logos[]
1946–1964: Father Knickerbocker era[]
The first logo of the New York Knicks is of a character named "Father Knickerbocker" dribbling a basketball, in the iconic blue and orange colors. It was designed by New York World-Telegram cartoonist Willard Mullin. From the beginning, the Knicks home uniforms are in white with blue and orange trim, while the away uniforms are in blue with orange and white trim. The first iterations contain monotone lettering in blue (home) and orange (away) lettering, with the addition of a checkerboard pattern during the mid-1950s.
1964–1992: The Classic roundball era[]
The Knicks would introduce an iconic logo that would endure for the next three decades. Designed by Bud Freeman, the word 'Knicks' superimposed over a brown basketball is known as the 'Classic Roundball Logo', with minor changes throughout its lifespan such as maroon wordmark and orange basketball. An alternate logo featuring the full team name inside an orange basketball was used during the late 1960s and into the 1970s. As the 1960s began, the Knicks updated their uniforms again. This time the lettering is in serifed fonts, and the blue lettering and numbers on the home uniforms are now trimmed in orange, while on the away uniforms it is in monotone white. Side stripes were also added to the uniform. The 'NY' monogram is on the left leg of the shorts.
1968–1979; 1983–1997: Championship era uniforms[]
The Knicks unveiled a uniform that would stay for three decades. This uniform, with an arched 'NEW YORK' in serif lettering and in orange, would be the uniform worn during their 1970 and 1973 championship seasons; however they were not introduced simultaneously. The home uniforms would debut in 1968, while the away uniforms debuted the following year. One noticeable feature was that the player's name was in a straight block arched lettering, which was meticulously designed by Gerry Cosby and his sporting goods company. The unusual arrangement on the player's name was later adopted by several Major League Baseball teams in the 1970s, and are currently used by the National Hockey League's Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers. On the shorts, there was no logo placed during much of the 1970s, but during the 1978–79 season, the side stripes were eliminated and the interlocking 'NY' logo inside an apple was placed instead. When the uniform was reinstated for the 1983–84 season, it now featured the player's number and the interlocking 'NY' logo, in addition to the return of the side stripes. The shorts number was eliminated in 1987, while variations of the 'Roundball Logo' replaced the 'NY' logo from 1991 to 1997. Since the 1991–92 season various outfitters such as Champion, Puma, Reebok, and Adidas have taken over uniform production from Cosby, while player names reverted to a radial arch and added serifs.
1979–1983: Maroon era uniforms[]
At the beginning of the 1980s the Knicks radically changed their uniforms. Royal blue and orange were replaced by navy and maroon. During this period, the home uniforms featured the team name below the number, both in maroon with navy trim and in a stylized, free-flowing font. Navy away uniforms continue to feature the city name but below the white and maroon number. The interlocking 'NY' logo debuted on the shorts, with the addition of player numbers and side stripes during the 1981–82 season.
The 'Knicks' script from the 'Maroon Era' uniforms was later reused in the uniforms of the Knicks' NBA Development League affiliate Westchester Knicks, with the same team name below the number format.
1992–2012: New look era[]
Before the '1992–93 season, the Knicks updated their 'Roundball Logo' to its present form, with the word 'Knicks' in a futuristic font, again superimposed over a basketball, with a silver triangle accentuating the look. The "New Look" logo was designed by Tom O'Grady. For the 1995–96 season, the city name in a futuristic script was added atop the logo, while an alternate 'Subway Token' logo featuring the acronym 'NYK' was introduced. Black was also introduced as an accent color. The logo was added while the 'Championship Era' uniforms were still in use, but during the 1995–96 season, the Knicks unveiled a blue alternate uniform, this time featuring black side stripes and the aforementioned 'Subway Token' logo on the shorts' beltline. A home white version of this uniform was introduced for the 1997–98 season, effectively retiring the championship era uniforms. In the 2001–02 season, the side stripes were narrowed, while the 'Subway Token' logo was moved to the back of the uniform, and the Knicks primary logo moved from the side to the front of the shorts.
2012–present: Modern era[]
The Knicks updated their 'New Look Logo', this time eliminating the color black from the scheme. They still used the previous uniform during the 2011–12 season, but for the 2012–13 season, the Knicks unveiled new uniforms inspired from their 'Championship Era' uniforms. A more subtle and bolder 'New York' script was introduced, while the uniform piping stopped until the lettering. The phrase Once A Knick, Always A Knick is added on the uniform collar. Gray became the accent color. In addition, an updated version of their 1970s secondary logo, this time featuring only the team name, was introduced.
On October 25, 2013, the Knicks unveiled an alternate orange uniform, which is essentially a mirror image of the blue away uniforms, but with orange as the primary color and blue and white as trim colors. The uniforms debuted on October 31 in a road game against the Chicago Bulls, and were used in the first five weekend home games, but after going 0–6 in the orange uniforms, they were discontinued permanently.
Beginning with the 2017–18 season, Nike will be the NBA's new uniform provider. Under Nike, "home" and "away" uniform designations were eliminated, and in their place were the white "Association" set, primary color "Icon" set, alternate color "Statement" set, and annual "City" set that will be used either at home or away. The Knicks kept their white "Association" and blue "Icon" uniforms almost intact with only a few alterations such as truncated shoulder and shorts striping and the modern roundball logo on the waistband. The Knicks' "Statement" uniform is also white, but with additional white trim in the letters and striping and a darker blue hue.
From 2017 to 2019, the Knicks' "Statement" uniform featured a white base with lettering in orange with white and blue trim. The striping was inspired from the team's 1970s-era uniforms. In the 2019–20 season, the Knicks changed their Statement uniform to a blue base and white lettering with blue and orange trim. The white letters were a nod to the team's 1960s blue uniforms. As with the previous "Statement" uniform, the striping was based on the team's 1970s uniforms.
Special uniforms[]
The Knicks have also worn special edition uniforms every March as part of the NBA's Noche Latina events and during St. Patrick's Day. The uniforms during Noche Latina were originally white with blue and orange trim, first using the 2001–12 uniform from 2008 to 2012, and then the current uniforms from 2012 to 2015, the only exception being Nueva York in front. In the 2015–16 season, the Knicks used a variation of their away blue uniform for Noche Latina. The Saint Patrick's Day uniforms used the road uniform template except for green substituting for the blue base. These uniforms have also been used on Christmas Day from the 2009–10 season, and was worn in particular by Nate Robinson for a "Kryptonate vs. Superman" theme against Dwight Howard in the 2009 Slam Dunk Contest. The St. Patrick's uniforms were shelved after the 2011–12 season.
On Christmas Day 2012, the Knicks wore monochrome uniforms known as 'Big Color'. The uniforms are mostly orange, with blue trimming. The following year, the Knicks wore sleeved orange uniforms known as 'Big Logo', featuring a chrome-treated Knicks logo in front. For the 2014 edition, the Knicks wore a variation of their home uniforms, featuring the team logo in front and the player's first name in a blue nameplate below the number. The 2016 Christmas Day game against the Celtics saw the Knicks wear an all-blue uniform without additional striping, complete with fancy scripted orange lettering and numbers.
As part of its deal with Nike, a special "City" uniform would be used to pay tribute to either local culture or team traditions. The Knicks' 2017–18 "City" uniform, which is navy with orange and grey trim and features an emblem containing the team name, uniform number, a ladder with a silhouette of a firefighter, a fire hydrant, and the abbreviation "N.Y.C." for New York City, pays homage to the city's firefighters and their families. It was designed in collaboration with the Knicks, the NBA, Nike and the Uniformed Firefighters Association.
The Knicks' second "City" uniform is also in navy and features white lettering, a straight aligned "New York" wordmark in front and alternating stripes of blue, navy and orange designed to mimic the New York City skyline. The blue and orange arm striping was inspired from the team's 1950s uniforms. The Knicks initially debuted the uniform in the 2018–19 season, and was retained the following season.
Players[]
Current Roster[]
New York Knicks Current season roster | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
00 Jacob Toppin (TW) • 2 Miles McBride • 3 Josh Hart • 4 Cam Payne • 5 Precious Achiuwa • 8 OG Anunoby • 9 Kevin McCullar Jr. (TW) • 11 Jalen Brunson • 13 Tyler Kolek • 18 Chuma Okeke • 21 Keita Bates–Diop • 23 Mitchell Robinson • 25 Mikal Bridges • 32 Karl-Anthony Towns • 35 Pacôme Dadiet • 45 Jericho Sims • 55 Ariel Hukporti (TW) | ||||
Players who left during the offseason | ||||
13 Shake Milton • 18 Alec Burks • 21 DaQuan Jeffries • 25 Mamadi Diakite • 44 Bojan Bogdanović • 55 Isaiah Hartenstein | ||||
Head coach: Tom Thibodeau | ||||
Regular Season • Playoffs • Finals |
Notable players[]
Retired numbers[]
New York Knicks retired numbers | |||
No. | Player | Position | Tenure |
---|---|---|---|
6 | Bill Russell | N/A | Retired across NBA on August 11, 2022 |
10 | Walt Frazier | G | 1967–1977 |
12 | Dick Barnett | G | 1965–1974 |
15 | Earl Monroe | G | 1972–1980 |
Dick McGuire | G | 1949–1957 | |
19 | Willis Reed | C | 1964–1974 |
22 | Dave DeBusschere | F | 1969–1974 |
24 | Bill Bradley | F | 1967–1977 |
33 | Patrick Ewing | C | 1985–2000 |
613 | Red Holzman | — | 1967–1977 1978–1982 |
Notes[]
- Walt Frazier also served as a broadcaster.
- Dick McGuire also served as head coach (1965–1968) and scouting director.
- Willis Reed also served as head coach (1977–1978).
- Red Holzman, head coach of the Knicks who led the team to 2 NBA championships in 1970 and 1973; the number represents his 613 victories coaching the Knicks.
- The number 15 was retired twice: first for Monroe and six years later for McGuire.
Coaches and management[]
Head coaches[]
Owners[]
|
Notables[]
- Dave Checketts
- Ernie Grunfeld
- Stu Jackson
- Joe Lapchick
- Don Nelson
- Rick Pitino
- Jeff Van Gundy
- Mike Walczewski
- Herb Williams
High points[]
Franchise leaders[]
Statistic | Total | Player |
---|---|---|
Games Played | 1,039 | Patrick Ewing |
Minutes Played | 37,586 | Patrick Ewing |
Field Goals | 9,260 | Patrick Ewing |
Field Goal Attempts | 18,224 | Patrick Ewing |
Field Goal Percentage | .565 | David Lee |
Three-point Field Goals | 982 | John Starks |
Three-point Field Goal Attempts | 2,848 | John Starks |
Three-point Field Goal Percentage | .449 | Hubert Davis |
Free Throws | 5,126 | Patrick Ewing |
Free Throw Attempts | 6,904 | Patrick Ewing |
Free Throw Percentage | .886 | Mike Glenn |
Offensive Rebounds | 2,580 | Charles Oakley |
Defensive Rebounds | 8,191 | Patrick Ewing |
Rebounds | 10,759 | Patrick Ewing |
Assists | 4,791 | Walt Frazier |
Steals | 1,061 | Patrick Ewing |
Blocked Shots | 2,758 | Patrick Ewing |
Turnovers | 3,321 | Patrick Ewing |
Personal Fouls | 3,676 | Patrick Ewing |
Points |
Individual awards[]
NBA MVP of the Year
- Willis Reed – 1970
NBA Finals MVP
- Willis Reed – 1970, 1973
NBA Rookie of the Year
- Willis Reed – 1965
- Patrick Ewing – 1986
- Mark Jackson – 1988
NBA Sixth Man of the Year
- Anthony Mason – 1995
- John Starks – 1997
- J.R Smith - 2013
NBA Coach of the Year
- Red Holzman – 1970
- Pat Riley – 1993
All-NBA First Team
- Harry Gallatin – 1954
- Walt Frazier – 1970, 1972, 1974, 1975
- Willis Reed – 1970
- Bernard King – 1984, 1985
- Patrick Ewing – 1990
All-NBA Second Team
- Carl Braun – 1948, 1954
- Dick McGuire – 1951
- Harry Gallatin – 1955
- Richie Guerin – 1959, 1960, 1962
- Willis Reed – 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971
- Dave DeBusschere – 1969
- Walt Frazier – 1971, 1973
- Patrick Ewing – 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997
NBA All-Defensive First Team
- Dave DeBusschere – 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974
- Walt Frazier – 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975
- Willis Reed – 1970
- Micheal Ray Richardson – 1981
- Charles Oakley – 1994
NBA All-Defensive Second Team
- Patrick Ewing – 1988, 1989, 1992
- John Starks – 1993
- Charles Oakley – 1998
Uniform image gallery[]
Court image gallery[]
External Links[]
Preceded by Boston Celtics 1968 & 1969 |
NBA Champions New York Knicks 1970 |
Succeeded by Milwaukee Bucks 1971 |
Preceded by Los Angeles Lakers 1972 |
NBA Champions New York Knicks 1973 |
Succeeded by Boston Celtics 1974 |
National Basketball Association | ||||
Commissioners | ||||
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