After 1972 winning it all, the New York Knicks began a nearly 50 year collapse from a championship winning team to one of the biggest punching bags in the NBA, let’s take a look at where the legacy of failure begins…
1973, return to the playoffs and then lose out to the Boston Celtics in the conference finals.
1974, don’t even make the conference finals and get eliminated in the first round by the Houston Rockets.
1975, in the regular season, the Knicks had a 38–44 win–loss record, finishing in fourth place in the Atlantic Division and failing to qualify for the 1976 NBA Playoffs. Earl Monroe was the leading scorer for the Knicks with 20.7 points per game. Spencer Haywood led New York in rebounding with 11.3 per game, and Walt Frazier averaged a team-best 5.9 assists per game.
In the 1975 NBA Draft, the Knicks had the ninth overall pick and used it to select Gene Short. New York reached an agreement with American Basketball Association forward George McGinnis for a six-year contract, but it was rejected by the NBA because the Philadelphia 76ers held his rights after choosing him in the 1973 NBA Draft. The Knicks were stripped of their first-round pick in the 1976 draft for attempting to sign McGinnis. Attempts to sign retired center Wilt Chamberlain were also unsuccessful.
Early in the season, the Knicks lost five consecutive games in November 1975, and by mid-December they had lost 20 of their first 30 games. At this time the Knicks went on a six-game winning streak, and in January 1976 they had another unbeaten run of six games that left their record at 24–23. This was the only point during the season when New York had a winning percentage above .500; they immediately lost five games in a row and remained under .500 for the rest of the season. A March 30 loss to the Phoenix Suns officially eliminated the Knicks from postseason contention; it was the first season since 1965–66 that the team did not reach the playoffs.
1976, continue your collapse with a 40-42 record, Red Holzman is told to get the fuck out of here as head coach as a new era begins for the Knicks.
1977, former Knicks player Willis Reed gets the head coaching position and actually helps to turn the team around with a 43-39 record and make it back to the playoffs again, you even beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round….before getting your asses handed to you by the 76ers.
1978, turns out Reed’s first season was a fluke, the team cuts him as coach halfway through the season and decide to bring back Red Holzman…it doesn’t save the team from a 31-51 record.
1979, back to the basement once again, 39-43 record, no playoffs once again.
1980, the team rebounds nicely to a 50-32 record and bvack to the playoffs once again….to be eliminated in the first round by the Chicago Bulls, there’s promise though?
1981, and that promise is gone for good, 33-49 record, Holzman gets canned again.
1982, Hubie Brown is your new head coach, celebrate by losing your first seven games of the season.
Rebound to a decent 44-38 record and get back to the playoffs and even beat those New Jersey Nets in the first round. And then get your asses handed to you by the 76ers again.
1983, improve to 47-35 and go back to the playoffs and even beat the Detroit Pistons in round one….before falling to the evenutal champions Boston Celtics in the second round.
1984, fall back into the basement to a dismal 24-58 record. But there is good news though, you’re shitty enough to get a high NBA draft pick next year.
1985…
The Knicks surely didn’t rig it so that they could get the #1 overall pick in Patrick Ewing 😉 This won’t backfire on them at all, sign him to a big 6 year $17 million deal at the time…
and then go to an abysmal 23-59 record, that Patrick Ewing guy is pretty good though, maybe good fortunes will follow…
1986, you got slightly better…24-58, with second-year center Patrick Ewing still struggling with injuries and after starting the season 4-12, head coach Hubie Brown was fired and Bob Hill took over for the rest of the season.
1987, enter Rick Pitino as your new head coach. Despite a 38-44 record, that’s enough to get you back to the playoffs, now it’s time for Ewing and rookie Mark Jackson to shine…and by shine, I mean completely get mopped up by Larry Bird and the Celtics once again, this time in the first round.
1988, the Knicks rebound nicely, winning the Atlantic division at 52-30 and finally getting a big playoff series win in the wild card round to the 76ers….unfortunately, Charles Oakley is still pissed off about being traded and helps Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls handle your asses nicely.
1989, Pitino leaves for a college basketball coaching gig at Kentucky, enter Stu Jackson as your head coach. You get back to the playoffs with a 45-37 record and you finally beat Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics in the first round…only to get manhandled by the Detroit Pistons shortly afterward.
1990, Stu Jackson decides to retire 22 games into the regular season, John McLeod is your head coach now and you still make it back to the playoffs with a 39-43 record…only to have Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls knock you out in the first round on their way to their first championship.
1991, in the offseason, the Knicks hired Pat Riley to take over as head coach, while acquiring All-Star forward Xavier McDaniel from the Phoenix Suns, and signing free agent Anthony Mason. Riley, who previously coached the Los Angeles Lakers two years ago had an impact, as the Knicks finished second in the Atlantic Division with a 51–31 record. Patrick Ewing was selected for the 1992 NBA All-Star Game. In the first round of the playoffs, the Knicks eliminated the Detroit Pistons in five games. In the semifinals, the Knicks faced off against the defending champion Chicago Bulls for the second straight year. The Knicks frustrated the Bulls and Michael Jordan with their physical play. The Knicks lost in seven games as the Bulls–Knicks rivalry was born.
1992, 60-22, first in both the conference and the divison, the acquisitions of Charles D. Smith, Doc Rivers and Bo Kimble from the Los Angeles Clippers also include Rolando Blackman from the Dallas Mavericks, Tony Campbell from the Minnesota Timberwolves, and free agent Herb Williams. The Knicks finished the season by winning 24 of their final 28 games, including a nine-game winning streak in March and five straight victories to end the season. The team had the most wins in the Eastern Conference during the regular season; their 60–22 record earned them the conference’s top seed in the 1993 NBA Playoffs. They also posted a 37–4 home record at Madison Square Garden. Head coach Pat Riley was named Coach of The Year, and Patrick Ewing was selected for the 1993 NBA All-Star Game.
In the opening round of the playoffs, the Knicks defeated the Indiana Pacers, three games to one, and advanced to the conference semifinals. The Knicks won their series with the 5th-seeded Charlotte Hornets in five games and gained a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals, where they faced the Chicago Bulls, who had eliminated the Knicks from the playoffs in three of the previous four years. After taking a 2–0 series lead, New York lost the next four games to end its season. Following the season, Kimble was released.
1993, the Knicks retain their dominance and thensome now that Michael Jordan had retired. 57-25, they beat the New Jersey Nets in round one, they FINALLY got past the Chicago Bulls in round two, and beat the Indiana Pacers in round three, the Knicks were finally going to the Finals, Patrick Ewing is finally going to get a chance to win a ring for New York…
…but would lose in seven games to the Houston Rockets after taking a 3–2 series lead. Thank you John Starks. In the 1994 Playoffs, the Knicks set the record for most games allowing under 95 and under 100 points in one playoff run. Opponents were held to under 95 and 100 points in 23 and 24 games, respectively. Following the season, Rolando Blackman was released and then retired.
1994, the Knicks go back to the playoffs with a 55-27 record, the first round was easy beating the Cleveland Cavaliers and then in round two, they lost the semifinals to the Indiana Pacers. Pat Riley says “fuck this shit, I’m out” and goes on to coach the Miami Heat.
1995, After Pat Riley left to coach the Miami Heat, the Knicks hired Don Nelson (their “Plan B” after Chuck Daly rejected their offer) and won ten of their first twelve games. However, the team never seemed to get under Nelson down the stretch, as he was replaced by long time assistant Jeff Van Gundy after 59 games. At midseason, the Knicks traded Charles D. Smith to the San Antonio Spurs for J.R. Reid, and dealt Doug Christie to the expansion Toronto Raptors for Willie Anderson. Under Van Gundy, the Knicks finished the season playing around .500 to post a 47–35 record, second in the Atlantic Division, with Patrick Ewing being selected for the 1996 NBA All-Star Game.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Knicks swept the 4th-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in three straight games. However, they would lose four games to one to the Chicago Bulls in the semifinals. Following the season, Anthony Mason was traded to the Charlotte Hornets, Derek Harper re-signed as a free agent with the Dallas Mavericks, Hubert Davis was traded to the Toronto Raptors, and Reid and Anderson were both released.
For the season, the Knicks added the “New York” script to their logo. They also had new alternate uniforms, which they wore on the road so often, that they would become their primary road jerseys for the 1997–98 season.
1996, the Knicks go back to the playoffs with a 57-25 record with a first round victory over the Charlotte Hornets with their former coach Pat Riley’s Miami Heat next. What would eventually become the first chapter of one of the fiercest NBA rivalries of the period. After jumping to a 3–1 lead in the series, the Knicks were eliminated by the Heat in seven games, after a brawl erupted at the end of Game 5 that led to the suspensions of five key Knicks players: Ewing, Houston, Johnson, Starks and Charlie Ward.
1997, a 43-39 record is still enough to get you in the playoffs, you finally get your revenge on the Miami Heat in the first round but then Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers dismantle your hopes and dreams once again.
1998, Michael Jordan is gone for good so that means the Knicks return to the finals despite a lackluster 27-23 record due to the NBA lockout that year.
Despite the mediocre record, the Knicks actually put quite the show together, not only beating the Heat in the first round but then following that up with series wins over the Atlanta Hawks and even the Indiana Pacers. The Knicks made it all the way back to the finals again…and it wasn’t even close, Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs don’t even make it close and they blow you out in a 4-1 series loss.
1999, James Dolan is given a higher level of power inheriting control of the New York Knicks. The Knicks are still a dominant force going 50-32 to another playoff run. They beat the Toronto Raptors in the first round followed by the Miami Heat in the second round, and were back in the conference finals….but Reggie Miller and the Pacers were no match for the Knicks.
2000, the Knicks say goodbye to Patrick Ewing and traded him to the Seattle Supersonics but despite that, the Knicks remained a perennial playoff contender. At midseason, the team traded Chris Childs to the Toronto Raptors for former Knicks guard Mark Jackson and Muggsy Bogues, who never played for the Knicks due to a knee injury. The Knicks finished third in the Atlantic Division with a 48–34 record, earning the #4 seed in the Eastern Conference. Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell were both selected for the 2001 NBA All-Star Game. However, in the playoffs, the Knicks failed to advance to the semifinals for the first time in ten years, as they were beaten by the 5th-seeded Raptors in five games after taking a 2–1 series lead.
It would be Rice’s only season in New York as he was traded to the Houston Rockets following the season. Also following the season, due to lingering injuries, Longley, Bogues and Larry Johnson all retired.
2001, for the first time in 15 years, the Knicks are somewhere they hadn’t been before…the bottom of the basement, Van Gundy is shown the door halfway through the season and the team falls apart to a 30-52 record.
2002, still stuck in the basement, 37-45, no playoffs for you.
2003, three coaches throughout the course of the season was apparently enough to get the team back on track. The Knicks signed All-Star center Dikembe Mutombo in free agency. The Knicks started the season by losing seven of their first nine games as fans at the Garden chanted “Fire Layden”, in reference to general manager Scott Layden. Knicks fans would get their wish as Layden was fired and replaced by former Detroit Pistons star Isiah Thomas.
In January, the Knicks traded Antonio McDyess and Charlie Ward to the Phoenix Suns for All-Star guard Stephon Marbury and Anfernee Hardaway. Ward was released by the Suns, and later signed as a free agent with the San Antonio Spurs. At midseason, Thomas made more moves, trading Keith Van Horn to the Milwaukee Bucks for Tim Thomas. After a 15–24 start, the Knicks fired head coach Don Chaney, and played one game under assistant Herb Williams before signing Lenny Wilkins as their new coach.
With a 39–43 record, which placed them third in the Atlantic Division, the Knicks qualified for the NBA playoffs as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. In the first round, the Knicks were swept in four games by the New Jersey Nets. New York did not return to the playoffs until the 2010–11 season. Following the season, Mutombo was traded to the Chicago Bulls, who then dealt him to the Houston Rockets. Longtime Knicks play-by-play announcer Marv Albert was not retained by the MSG Network, having criticized poor play by the team on-air. He remained an NBA on TNT broadcaster.
2004, the Knicks continue to freefall, 33-49 record, maybe pick a damn head coach instead of playing musical chairs with the last two you hired, guys.
2005, the Knicks finished with a 23–59 record, which left them in last place in the Atlantic Division. They had the fewest wins in the Eastern Conference in the 2005–06 season, and only the Portland Trail Blazers had fewer wins in the NBA. The Knicks’ payroll for the 2005-2006 season was $124 million, putting them $74.5 million above the salary cap, and $62.3 million above the luxury tax line.
Following the season, head coach Larry Brown was fired after spending only one season with the team. Isiah Thomas, the Knicks’ general manager, was named head coach for the 2006–07 season
2006, 33-49 record, no playoffs once again.
2007, 23-59 record, no playoffs once again.
2008, enter Mike D’Antoni as head coach, and watch shit literally not change at all. 32-50 record, no playoffs once again.
2009, 29-53 record, no playoffs once again.
2010, with the respective offseason and midseason acquisitions of Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2004 and achieved their first winning season since 2000–01 at 42-40. However, without fellow midseason acquisition Chauncey Billups for the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury, the Knicks would go on to be swept in four games by the Boston Celtics.
2011, the Knicks finished the regular season with a 36–30 record and a seventh place in the Eastern Conference to reach the 2012 NBA Playoffs where they lost in the first round against the eventual NBA champion Miami Heat in five games. Notable events of the season included coach Mike D’Antoni’s resignation, the surge in popularity of 23-year-old point guard Jeremy Lin during a seven-game winning streak (Linsanity), and the Knicks winning their first playoff game since 2001 against the Miami Heat, snapping an NBA-record 13-game playoff losing streak….and then they lost the next four to the Lebron James led Miami Heat.
2012, Mike Woodson finally turns the team around to get a 54-28 record, 1st in the division and 2nd in the conference. In the playoffs, the Knicks defeated the Boston Celtics in six games in the first round, before falling to the Indiana Pacers in the conference semifinals in six games.
This was the Knicks’ first Atlantic division title since the 1993–94 season, their highest win total since the 1996–97 season, their first 50-win season as well as the first time they advanced past the first round since the 1999–2000 season.
2013, 37-45 records, no playoffs once again, Mike Woodson is shown the guillotine.
2014, Derek Fisher is your new head coach and the Knicks enter the record books…..for all the wrong reasons. On March 28, the Knicks set a new franchise-record 60 losses in a season, finishing at 17- 65. The Knicks missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season, and for the tenth out of fourteen since 2001–02. This particular season has been commonly referred to as the worst season in Knicks history as it was the first time they had lost more than 60 games in franchise history. The Lakers also lost more than 60 games that year, leaving the Utah Jazz as the sole franchise to not have a 60+ losing record.
Midseason, the Knicks were dealt with a major blow as both Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith were traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
2015, the Knicks were hoping to get the first overall pick just like they did 30 years ago….and then they didn’t. The season is notable when Kristaps Porzingis gained national attention when he was booed after being drafted fourth overall in the 2015 NBA Draft. With their sole selection in the 2015 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks selected the originally labelled 7’1″ (later revealed to actually be 7’3″) power forward/center from Latvia named Kristaps Porziņģis. At the time of his selection, the crowd supporting the team had greeted him with boos and jeers against him, with Stephen A. Smith originally expressing doubts and concerns with this selection. However, months after his selection, Porziņģis became an immediate star player for the Knicks, growing a huge crowd of support for himself the further the season went on, with even Stephen A. Smith changing his original stance on his later on in the season. Porziņģis would end the season with winning each Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month Award, as well as earning easy support for an NBA All-Rookie First Team spot. He was also considered the runner-up for the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, falling just short of that draft year’s #1 pick, Karl-Anthony Towns.
Derek Fisher in just his second season as Knicks head coach was fired on February 8, 2016 and assistant coach Kurt Rambis took over for the rest of the season.
2016, enter Jeff Hornacek as their new head coach. The off-season dominated with the acquisitions of former Chicago Bulls players Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah.
Following the season, Phil Jackson left as team president, Derrick Rose signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Carmelo Anthony was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
2017, on June 28, 2017, the Knicks’ president of basketball operations Phil Jackson has mutually agreed to leave the team. On July 14, 2017, the Knicks named Scott Perry to become the team’s general manager after promoting Steve Mills to become the team’s president of basketball operations. However, the Knicks would have to give up a 2019 second round pick and cash considerations to acquire him. Tim Hardaway Jr. was the team’s biggest signing for the season. For the first time since 2011, Carmelo Anthony was not on the roster, as he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the offseason, before training camp began, in exchange for Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott, and a 2018 second round draft pick.
On February 6, 2018 Kristaps Porzingis suffered a torn ACL, ending his season for the Knicks.
On April 12, 2018, the Knicks fired Jeff Hornacek and Kurt Rambis.
2018, the Knicks hired David Fizdale as head coach. The Knicks were eliminated from playoff contention on March 4, 2019 with an abysmal 17-65 record, when they lost to the Sacramento Kings 115–108. The team ended the season with the worst record in the NBA, and tied the franchise-worst record set in the 2014–15 season.
Oh, and Porzingis was traded to the Dallas Mavericks too.
2019, but hey Knicks, there is some good news, you’re shitty enough to potentially draft Zion Williamson, surely nothing will go wrong there…
….ooohhhh, boy, well….at least Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are the big free agency targets this offseason, you can turn this team around if you just grab them…
OOOHHHH BOY!!!!! 20 minutes away from the Knicks, they go. Jesus Christ, the NBA is really making your life hell for fixing 1985 aren’t they?
The Knicks are a terribly run organization, in the 50 years since they hoisted that championship trophy, the Knicks have gone from one of the most beloved teams in the NBA to one of the most horrible run organizations ever and as long as James Dolan is still there and holding control, it ain’t getting better for the Knicks anytime soon.
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