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115-649: The Sharks, who share their colors with the New York Knicks , are best known outside China for having developed Yao Ming before he entered the National Basketball Association . Yao was the driving force behind their three consecutive appearances in the finals (1999–2000, 2000–01, and 2001–02), facing the Bayi Rockets each time. The Sharks were runners-up the first two years, but won for the first time on their third try, breaking

230-523: A seventh game . But John Havlicek had a badly injured shoulder, playing with a sling and was now shooting left-handed. Because of Havlicek's injury, New York easily handled Boston to complete the series victory, becoming the 1st NBA road team to win Game 7 after leading series 3–1. It was a tough break for Havlicek, who would burn to return the following year, while New York was back in the NBA Finals for

345-552: 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

460-431: 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. In the summer of 1985, the Knicks were entered into the first-ever NBA draft lottery . The Knicks ended up winning the number one pick in that year's NBA draft . They used the pick to select star center Patrick Ewing of Georgetown University . In Ewing's first season with

575-592: A 29–53 record, a regression from their first season under D'Antoni. 1972%E2%80%9373 NBA season The 1972–73 NBA season was the 27th season of the National Basketball Association . The season ended with the New York Knicks winning the NBA Championship, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals . This would be Wilt Chamberlain 's final season playing in

690-555: A 39–43 record in the 1979–80 season , the Knicks posted a 50–32 record in the 1980–81 season . In the playoffs , the Chicago Bulls swept New York in two games. Holzman retired the following season as one of the winningest coaches in NBA history. The team's record 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

805-489: A 4–2 series win that wasn't really very close. Game Six ended 100–86. Milwaukee's Robertson saw a solid series fall short. Meanwhile, Los Angeles was resting, having used three 20-point scorers and Chamberlain's dominance inside to brush off Golden State 4–1. Al Attles' Warriors may still have been celebrating their win over Milwaukee. Game Three was a huge 126–70 Laker win in Oakland. The Warriors won Game Four, but all it did

920-404: 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

1035-597: A common occurrence during the Knicks' home games. On November 29, 2007, the Knicks were handed one of their worst defeats in their history by the Boston Celtics , 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. MSG chairman James Dolan hired former Indiana Pacers President Donnie Walsh on April 2, 2008, to take over Isiah Thomas's role as team president. At

1150-575: 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

1265-543: 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

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1380-487: 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

1495-596: A huge presence for his team. Longtime star John Havlicek was still the team's leader, leading the team in scoring, assists and steals. Along with Cowens up front, Boston had tabbed Paul Silas from Phoenix to take the load off of "Hondo" inside. The results included more shots tried and made, more rebounds and more assists than any other NBA team this season. In the East, Boston drew an Atlanta team with 46 wins, led by high scorers Lou Hudson and Pete Maravich, who scored 29.7 and 26.2 points per game respectively. Richie Guerin

1610-520: 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's 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

1725-760: 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 Bulls, defeating them in the second round in seven games. In the Eastern Conference Finals, they faced

1840-541: A playoff match-up against the Baltimore Bullets where they lost the series two games to one. In the 1948 NBA 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,

1955-585: A program that had struggled prior to his arrival. Combined with the selection of point guard Mark Jackson , who won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award and garnered MVP consideration, in the draft and with Ewing's consistently stellar play, the Knicks made the playoffs with a record of 38–44, where they were defeated by the Celtics in the first round. The resurgence continued the following season as

2070-436: A sense of hope to the franchise. 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

2185-479: 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. The Knicks started their 1967–68 season with a 124–122 win over the visiting Warriors. In that game, seven players on

2300-433: A successful coach before joining the Knicks, his offensive-oriented Nellie Ball philosophy failed to mesh with the team, 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. Van Gundy, who restored the team's defense-first style of his mentor Pat Riley, went 13–10

2415-664: A trade with the Memphis Grizzlies in which the Knicks acquired Darko Miličić in exchange for Quentin Richardson . The Knicks got off to their worst 10-game start in franchise history, producing nine losses, with just one win. The Knicks responded by winning nine games and losing six in December. On January 24, 2010, the Knicks suffered their worst home loss in Madison Square Garden history against

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2530-517: The Atlanta Hawks in the second round four games to none, they faced the 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

2645-532: The Baltimore Bullets in four games, before falling to the 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 a 60–22 record, which was the best regular season record in the franchise's history to that point. After defeating the Bullets in the Eastern Division semifinals and the Milwaukee Bucks in

2760-541: 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

2875-500: The Dallas Mavericks in front of a sellout crowd. The 50-point loss was also the second-worst in Knicks franchise history. On February 17, the Knicks shook up the roster, trading Miličić to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Brian Cardinal and cash considerations. A day later, the Knicks and Celtics swapped guard Nate Robinson for shooting guard Eddie House . The deal also included forward Marcus Landry going to

2990-602: The Indiana Pacers , who at one point held a three games-to-two 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

3105-857: 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 , an arena they share with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). They are one of two NBA teams located in New York City;

3220-759: 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

3335-614: The Toronto Raptors for Marcus Camby while also trading John Starks in a package to the Golden State Warriors for 1994's 1st team all-league shooting guard Latrell Sprewell (whose contract was voided by the Warriors after choking Warriors' head coach P. J. Carlesimo during the previous season). After barely getting into the playoffs with a 27–23 record, the Knicks started a Cinderella run. It started with

3450-421: The 1970s was Phil Jackson . Jackson went on to coach the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers to 11 NBA championships, surpassing Red Auerbach for the most in NBA history. Jackson cited Holzman as a significant influence on his career in the NBA. Hubie Brown replaced Holzman as head coach and in his first season, the team went 44–38 and made it to the second round of the playoffs, where they were swept by

3565-572: 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 NBA Finals appearances in 1994 and 1999 . However, they were unable to win an NBA championship during this era. Since 2000,

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3680-464: 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 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

3795-530: 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

3910-411: The Bullets, winning the series 4–1. The Knicks, with three key big men well past age 30, were supporting All-NBA guard Walt Frazier this year in hopes of one last shot at the top themselves. They again had the league's top defense. Now another hotly debated Boston-New York matchup loomed in the East final. Boston was again the favorite over New York, though many still remembered New York's underdog romp

4025-503: The Bulls, losing the series 4–3 in seven games. The 1992–93 season proved to be even more successful, as the Knicks won the Atlantic Division with a 60–22 record. 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 Charlotte Hornets in

4140-491: 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 Rodríguez from the Sacramento Kings in a three-way trade. The deal sent Knicks shooting guard Larry Hughes to Sacramento and forward Jordan Hill and power forward Jared Jeffries to Houston. The trades, orchestrated to give

4255-608: 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

4370-427: 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. Willis 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 went on to win the game, rallying from a 16-point deficit. Without their injured captain the Knicks lost Game 6, setting up one of

4485-525: 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 fifth game of this 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

4600-411: 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

4715-492: The Knicks eliminating the #1 seeded 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, and also the first time it happened in the Eastern Conference. After defeating

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4830-454: 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 Celtics. It was after this season that Willis Reed announced his retirement, and

4945-463: The Knicks had brief successes but went on to lose seventeen of their twenty-one final games of the season to finish 20–46 under Hill and 24–58 on the season. Hill was dismissed at season's end. The team immediately turned around in the 1987–88 season with the hiring of Rick Pitino as head coach, who, only months prior to his hiring, led Providence College to the Final Four , turning around

5060-431: 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 had failed to make the playoffs for eight years until 2020–21 when they were led by forward Julius Randle and sophomore RJ Barrett , who

5175-487: 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

5290-423: 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

5405-471: The Knicks more cap space for the summer of 2010, netted the Knicks $ 30 million of cap space. About three 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 their largest win of the season. However, the Knicks were eliminated from playoff contention in late March 2010 and completed their season with

5520-592: The Knicks remained successful in the regular season, as they posted a 48–34 record under the direction of Houston and Sprewell. In the first round of playoff contention, however, New York fell to the Toronto Raptors in five games, failing to get past the first round of the playoffs for the first time in a decade. After a poor start to the season , the Knicks managed to get above .500 with a 10–9 record. In spite of their recent success, Van Gundy unexpectedly resigned as head coach on December 8, 2001, explaining he had "lost focus" and would no longer be able to properly coach

5635-546: 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

5750-631: The Knicks' roster scored in double figures. However, the Knicks lost their next six games, falling to a 1–6 record. They managed to stop their losing streak on November 1, 1967, when the Knicks won the road game against the Lakers, 129–113. During the game, Willis Reed scored a career-high 53 points on 21-of-29 shooting from the field. On November 3, the Knicks defeated the Seattle SuperSonics 134–100 in Seattle. In that game, nine Knicks' player scored at least 10 points. Head coach Dick McGuire

5865-461: 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 struggled to a 23–59 record in his first season. During Ewing's second season, the team started with a 4–12 record and head coach Hubie Brown was dismissed in favor of assistant Bob Hill . Under Hill,

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5980-457: The Lakers to four NBA titles during the 1980s, implemented a rough and physical style emphasizing defense. Under Riley, the team, led by Ewing and guard John Starks , who scored 24 points per game and 13.9 points per game respectively, improved to a 51–31 record, tying them for first place in the Atlantic Division. After defeating the Pistons in the first round of the playoffs , the team faced

6095-473: The NBA's four divisions. All of the NBA's eight winning teams neatly made the field. Los Angeles would again turn away a solid Dick Motta coached Chicago club. The series went the full seven games, which showed the Lakers had clearly dropped a couple notches. Game one had been an overtime affair, while LA needed their fourth home game to win Game Seven 95–92. Chicago, like Baltimore and Atlanta, had become

6210-541: The NBA. This season began in the wake of the remarkable victory of the Los Angeles Lakers, who ended an agonizing decade of runner-up finishes with their first NBA title on the West Coast. It was also the first Laker title since George Mikan over fifteen years previous. The '71–'72 title had come after a tremendous Western Conference Finals with Milwaukee and their superstar center, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ,

6325-553: The Rockets' streak of six CBA championships in a row. In August 1979, the Sharks played the Washington Bullets , the first NBA team to travel to China, with Yao Zhiyuan - father of Yao Ming - as their center. The team faced serious financial issues in the 2008–09 season, and were in danger of not being able to compete in the following season. On July 16, 2009, Chinese media reported that Yao Ming had stepped in to purchase

6440-412: 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 a team led by Vince Carter , Antonio Davis and a young Tracy McGrady in three games in the first round, defeated the Miami Heat in another dramatic seven-game series in which Ewing's dunk with over a minute remaining in game 7, provided

6555-402: 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

6670-574: The beginning of the 1949–50 season , the BAA merged with the National Basketball League to form the National Basketball Association which comprised 17 teams. 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 ,

6785-550: 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

6900-589: 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 before facing the Pacers again in the second round. The tone for the Knicks–Pacers series

7015-508: The eventual champion Philadelphia 76ers . The next season, the team, aided by new acquisition Bernard King , improved to 47–35 and returned to the playoffs. The team defeated the Detroit Pistons in the first round with an overtime win in the fifth and deciding game, before losing in the second round in seven games to the Celtics. The team's struggles continued into the 1984–85 season , as they lost their last 12 games to finish with

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7130-410: The firing of Scott Layden . Thomas continued to restructure the team, firing Chaney after an unproductive tenure and hiring Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens to coach the team. Additionally, Thomas orchestrated multiple trades, including one that brought point guard Stephon Marbury to the team. The team qualified for the playoffs that year with a 39–43 record, but were swept by the New Jersey Nets in

7245-589: The first round by the eventual NBA champion, Chicago Bulls. After the conclusion of the season, MacLeod left the team to become the head coach at the University of Notre Dame . President David Checketts reached out to Pat Riley , who was working as a commentator for the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), to see if he was interested in returning to coaching. Riley accepted the Knicks proposition on May 31, 1991. Riley, who coached

7360-464: The first round. The series included a highly publicized spat between the Knicks' Tim Thomas and Nets' Kenyon Martin , in which Thomas all but challenged Martin to a fight and called him "Fugazy". The following season, the Knicks struggled to a 17–22 record before Wilkens resigned as head coach. Herb Williams , who had previously coached the team in a game against the Orlando Magic prior to

7475-545: 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. (A Knicks win would have made the Garden the first building to host a Cup winner and an NBA champ in the same season.) In Game 6, however,

7590-447: The first two rounds of the playoffs , the Knicks made it to the Eastern Conference finals, where once again they met the Bulls. After taking a 2–0 series lead, the Knicks lost the next four games. After the Bulls' Michael Jordan made what would be his first retirement from basketball 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

7705-416: The former title-winning Lew Alcindor. A Laker and Bucks rematch in the playoffs figured to decide the next championship just as it had the last two. The East, clearly the dominant half of the league for so long, looked to be the weaker half again at the start of this season as they had the last two years. It was the East that provided the season's top record. The Boston Celtics won 68 of 82 NBA games, one of

7820-470: 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 1956 and the team subsequently began to falter. It was not until the late 1960s when Red Holzman became the 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

7935-491: The greatest records in history, two more than Milwaukee two years before, and just one less than Los Angeles the previous year. The new Celtics were a year older, with young star Dave Cowens at center and Jo Jo White as point guard. Cowens was the team's anchor at center, third in the league in both rebounds and minutes played while scoring 20.5 points per game. A physical, active defender as well, Cowens made NBA observers marvel at his energy level and intensity. At 6' 9, he cast

8050-460: The greatness of years past and found some of it gone forever. Earl Monroe eagerly gave Gail Goodrich a better match this time as well. Chamberlain chose not to shoot again, scoring just 10.4 per game in the playoffs for another enigmatic performance that again gave his opponents their opening. Los Angeles edged out a win in Game One at home. After that, the team concept of New York took over to win

8165-490: 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

8280-442: The injured knee necessitated he undergo bone-graft surgery. The Knicks managed only seven wins in their first twenty games, setting the tone for the rest of the season, which they completed with a 37–45 record; it was their second consecutive season without a playoff appearance. 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, upon

8395-547: The intention of freeing cap space for the 2010 off-season, when top-flight players such as LeBron James , Dwyane Wade , Chris Bosh , and Amar'e Stoudemire would be available. In February 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,

8510-425: The introductory press conference, Walsh, while not proclaiming to be a savior, did set goals, which included getting the team under the salary cap and bringing back a competitive environment. Upon the conclusion of the 2007–2008 regular season, Walsh fired Thomas, and on May 13, 2008, officially named former Phoenix Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni as head coach. D'Antoni signed a four-year, $ 24 million deal to coach

8625-448: 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 selected forward Jordan Hill eighth after targets such as Stephen Curry , Jonny Flynn , and Ricky Rubio were off the board. Guard Toney Douglas was then selected with a 29th overall pick, which was acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers . Shortly afterwards, New York executed

8740-562: 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

8855-447: The league. The seven footer also added five assists per game. A balanced cast of Bucks supported Abdul-Jabbar en route to another 60-win campaign, their third straight. But both teams were showing some gray streaks as West, Chamberlain, and Oscar Robertson, all all-time greats, were each clearly approaching the end of remarkable careers. The three 60-win monsters drew most of the attention as playoff time arrived, which again rigidly followed

8970-415: 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 Celtics when he cleared waivers on February 27, 2009. In spite of a volatile roster, the Knicks improved by nine wins from the previous season in D'Antoni's first season, to finish 32–50, coinciding with the emergence of forward-center David Lee , who led

9085-458: The most famous moments in NBA history. Reed limped onto the court before the seventh game, determined to play through the pain of his injury. 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

9200-534: The other team is the Brooklyn Nets . Alongside the Boston Celtics , the Knicks are one of two original NBA teams still located in its original city. 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

9315-457: 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. Jackson and the Knicks struggled to a 7–8 record to begin the 1990–91 season and Jackson was replaced by John MacLeod who led the Knicks to a 32–35 record, ending the season with a 39–43 record overall that was good enough to earn the team another playoff appearance. The Knicks were swept in

9430-403: The playoffs thanks to Jerry Lucas, primarily a center once again. The two had come to be known as 'Willis Lucas' averaging 22 points and 15 rebounds a game combined during the year. Neither were great shot blockers but both were smart, tough and unselfish, a trait also shared by forward Dave DeBusschere, who was still a very key part of the Knicks success. Like Robertson, Jerry West reached for

9545-460: The preceding years. Furthermore, the Knicks were criticized by many analysts as multiple players on the roster were overpaid in light of their poor performances, causing salary cap problems that would persist until Donnie Walsh took over as team president. McDyess injured his knee during the team's third preseason game and was subjected to further operations in April 2003 after a CT scan revealed

9660-491: 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

9775-459: The rest of the way. The Knicks ended up with a 47–35 record that year, and swept the Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs before losing to the eventual champion Bulls (who had an NBA record 72 wins in the regular season) in five games. 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,

9890-493: 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

10005-692: The scorers again, with Jim McMillian the ready third threat. The Lakers lost key rebounder Happy Hairston after 28 games, but brought over rebounding legend Bill Bridges from crumbling Philadelphia. The Lakers eventually won 60 games. Milwaukee got another huge year from Abdul-Jabbar, who looked again to be the NBA's top player. His 30.2 points per game were second in the league, and he was fourth in rebounds. Only one player, Kansas City's Nate Archibald , scored more points. Only two, Archibald and Seattle's Spencer Haywood, tried more shots. But Abdul-Jabbar sank 55% of his shots, tops among high-scoring NBA shooters, and likely again blocked more shots than any big man in

10120-462: The season and much of the playoffs. The team, which had a 43–39 record that season, still managed to defeat the Heat in the first round (a series, which saw another violent bench-clearing brawl at the end of Game 4, this time between Johnson and former Hornets teammate Alonzo Mourning ) of the playoffs before having another meeting with the Pacers in the second round. Ewing returned in time for game two of

10235-411: 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

10350-425: 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 Charles Oakley to

10465-518: The solid second-tier team that could not get past the giants. Milwaukee looked to be that fourth giant as they met the 47-win Golden State Warriors. Nate Thurmond wanted to prove he could defend the league's best center and he surely did, dropping Abdul-Jabbar's scoring by eight points and shooting by 12% in the series. Rick Barry had finally rejoined his NBA team from five years ago also, and Clyde Lee starred as well helping Thurmond to

10580-408: The start of the 1989–90 season , Pitino departed from New York to coach for the University of Kentucky leaving many stunned by his departure. Assistant Stu Jackson was named as Pitino's replacement becoming the team's 14th head coach and the youngest head coach in the NBA, at the time, at the age of 32. Under Jackson's direction, the Knicks went 45–37 and defeated the Celtics in the first round of

10695-758: 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

10810-438: 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

10925-436: 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

11040-469: 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 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

11155-430: The team traded backup center Bill Cartwright to the Bulls 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 18 years and their fifth division title in franchise history. In the playoffs , they defeated the 76ers in the first round before losing to the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. Prior to

11270-422: The team's fortunes began to shift once more. In the 1974–75 season , the Knicks posted a 40–42 record, their first losing record in eight seasons. The team still qualified for a playoff spot, however, but they lost to the Houston Rockets in the first round. After two more seasons with losing records, Holzman was replaced by Willis Reed, who signed a three-year contract. In Reed's first year, New York finished

11385-609: The team's jersey sponsor has been the Chinese sportswear brand Li-Ning . Sharks players who have either set a club record or won an individual award as a professional player or who have played at least one official international match for his senior national team at any time include: This article about a basketball team in China is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers , shortened and more commonly referred to as

11500-718: The team. In the 2021–22 season , under Li Chunjiang , the Sharks experienced a high bested only by the Yao era, reinvigorating their place among China's best basketball teams. Around that time, alongside the CBA as a whole, they became an Internet meme as a future landing spot for high profile NBA stars who underperform in a game or series, particularly in the playoffs. Kyle Kuzma , Ben Simmons , and Dillon Brooks were prominent victims of such jokes. Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA -sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed. As of 2021,

11615-400: The team. The Knicks, holding the sixth pick in the 2008 NBA draft , selected Danilo Gallinari on May 20, 2008. On November 21, 2008, the Knicks dealt one of their top scorers, Jamal Crawford , to the Golden State Warriors for Al Harrington . Hours later, New York traded Zach Randolph , along with Mardy Collins , to the Los Angeles Clippers for Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas, with

11730-441: The team. The team, which named longtime assistant Don Chaney as their new head coach, ended the season with a 30–52 record, and for the first time since the 1986–87 season they did not qualify for the playoffs. In October 2002, the team elected to extend Chaney's contract for another year. Rather than rebuilding, the Knicks opted to add veterans to the roster including Antonio McDyess who had been dealing with knee problems in

11845-434: The third time in four years. The Lakers got another rebounding title from Wilt Chamberlain , the eleventh of his colossal career. Wilt also sank an unreal 72.7% of his shots, though he continued to shoot less and less. Chamberlain averaged 13.2 points per game, a far cry from his 50 points per game twelve years before. However, Wilt knew he was part of a team concept that was a proven winner. Jerry West and Gail Goodrich were

11960-583: The winning margin in a 1-point road victory. They would, however, lose in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Reggie Miller -led Indiana Pacers in six games. 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. Despite the loss of Ewing,

12075-631: The year before. Leaving little to chance, Boston pounded them 134–109 at home in Game One. New York repaid the favor in Game Two, 129–96. Then, the Knicks stole one in Boston before a double-overtime contest in Game Four at Madison Square Garden . New York hung on to win that as well. New York was up 3–1, but coach Tom Heinsohn's team rallied to win a one-pointer in Game Five, and then Game Six to force

12190-507: The year with a 43–39 record and returned to the Eastern Conference semi-finals, where they were swept by the Philadelphia 76ers. The next season, after the team began with a 6–8 record, Holzman was rehired as the team's coach after Reed had angered Madison Square Garden president Sonny Werblin . The team did not fare any better under Holzman's direction, finishing with a 31–51 record, their worst in thirteen years. After improving to

12305-485: Was again the head coach with the small rotation of minutes. Boston jumped on them big early on to win the series four games to two. Just under the radar was another tough New York – Baltimore matchup. Both teams had over 50 wins and looked very comparable. Baltimore had added big man Elvin Hayes to help Wes Unseld on the boards and Archie Clark in the scoring column. Yet the Knicks, with 57 wins, did not play around with

12420-411: Was force the series back to Southern California, where the Lakers clinched in Game Five. The NBA had their third New York – Los Angeles matchup in four years, which marked this remarkable period in media attention. Chamberlain was the giant favorite again at age 36, a role which rarely suited him. Meanwhile, New York used a tandem at center. Thick Willis Reed , sore knees and all, had been kept fresh for

12535-643: 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. 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

12650-442: 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

12765-499: Was replaced midway through the 1967–68 season after the team began the season with a 15–22 record. With the Knicks under .500, the team decided to hire coach Red Holzman , whose impact was immediate. Under his direction, the Knicks went 28–17 and finished with a 43–39 record thus salvaging a playoff berth, however, the Knicks were again vanquished in the Eastern Division semi-finals by the Philadelphia 76ers . However their roster

12880-556: 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

12995-537: Was selected third overall in the 2019 NBA draft . In 1946, basketball, particularly college basketball , was a growing and increasingly profitable sport in New York City. 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

13110-437: Was set in Game 1, as 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. While Nelson had been

13225-564: Was slowly coming together piece by piece. Rookies Phil Jackson and Walt Frazier were named to the NBA All-Rookie Team while Dick Barnett and Willis Reed performed in the 1968 NBA All-Star Game . The following season, the team acquired Dave DeBusschere from the Detroit Pistons , and the team went 54–28. In the playoffs, New York made it past the first round of contention for the first time since 1953, sweeping

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