1951–52 New York Knicks season

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1951–52 New York Knicks season
Head coachJoe Lapchick[1]
General managerNed Irish
ArenaMadison Square Garden[1]
Results
Record37–29 (.561)
PlaceDivision: 3rd (Eastern)
Playoff finishNBA Finals
(lost to Lakers 3–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWPIX
RadioWMGM[2]
< 1950–51 1952–53 >

The 1951–52 New York Knicks season was the sixth season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Knicks finished third in the Eastern Division with a 37–29 record, and advanced to the NBA Playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.[3]

In the first round of the Eastern Division playoffs, the Knicks defeated the Boston Celtics in a best-of-three series, two games to one, to move on to the Eastern Division finals. New York won 3–1 in a best-of-five series with the Syracuse Nationals to reach its second straight NBA Finals.[3][4] In the Finals, the Knicks lost to the Minneapolis Lakers in seven games.[4] The Knicks became the first NBA team to erase a 3–0 deficit in a best-of-seven series and force a deciding game 7.[5]

NBA draft[edit]

Main article: 1951 NBA draft

Note: This is not an extensive list; it only covers the first and second rounds, and any other players picked by the franchise that played at least one game in the league.[6]

Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
1 6 Ed Smith F  United States Harvard
2 15 Roland Minson G  United States Brigham Young
6 55 Al McGuire G/F  United States St. John's

Regular season[edit]

Season standings[edit]

Eastern Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
x-Syracuse Nationals 40 26 .606 – 26–7 12–18 2–1 21–15
x-Boston Celtics 39 27 .591 1 22–7 10–19 7–1 22–14
x-New York Knicks 37 29 .561 3 21–4 12–22 4–3 23–13
x-Philadelphia Warriors 33 33 .500 7 24–7 6–25 3–1 14–22
Baltimore Bullets 20 46 .303 20 17–15 2–22 1–9 10–26
x = clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents[edit]

1951–52 NBA records
Team BAL BOS FWP IND MIL MIN NYK PHI ROC SYR
Baltimore — 1–8 2–4 2–4 4–2 0–6 2–7 4–5 2–4 3–6
Boston 8–1 — 3–3 3–3 5–1 3–3 4–5 6–3 3–3 4–5
Fort Wayne 4–2 3–3 — 5–4 4–5 5–4 3–3 2–4 3–6 0–6
Indianapolis 4–2 3–3 4–5 — 7–2 4–5 3–3 2–4 3–6 4–2
Milwaukee 2–4 1–5 5–4 2–7 — 1–8 2–4 1–5 1–8 2–4
Minneapolis 6–0 3–3 4–5 5–4 8–1 — 4–2 2–4 7–2 1–5
New York 7–2 5–4 3–3 3–3 4–2 2–4 — 6–3 2–4 5–4
Philadelphia 5–4 3–6 4–2 4–2 5–1 4–2 3–6 — 2–4 3–6
Rochester 4–2 3–3 6–3 6–3 8–1 2–7 4–2 4–2 — 4–2
Syracuse 6–3 5–4 6–0 2–4 4–2 5–1 4–5 6–3 2–4 —

Game log[edit]

1951–52 game log
# Date Opponent Score High points Record
1 November 3 @ Milwaukee 68–66 Vince Boryla (25) 1–0
2 November 4 @ Fort Wayne 75–84 Vince Boryla (23) 1–1
3 November 6 @ Indianapolis 83–73 Harry Gallatin (19) 2–1
4 November 10 Minneapolis 89–73 Nathaniel Clifton (15) 2–2
5 November 11 @ Rochester 78–80 Ray Lumpp (22) 2–3
6 November 13 @ Philadelphia 85–82 Max Zaslofsky (19) 3–3
7 November 17 Syracuse 79–72 Ernie Vandeweghe (17) 3–4
8 November 18 @ Boston 93–87 Ernie Vandeweghe (21) 4–4
9 November 20 N Baltimore 88–86 Max Zaslofsky (21) 5–4
10 November 22 Philadelphia 88–102 Nathaniel Clifton (23) 6–4
11 November 24 Boston 70–68 Max Zaslofsky (14) 6–5
12 November 23 @ Syracuse 73–100 Vince Boryla (19) 6–6
13 November 27 @ Philadelphia 81–83 Nathaniel Clifton (22) 6–7
14 November 29 Rochester 78–74 Nathaniel Clifton (17) 6–8
15 December 1 @ Baltimore 82–84 Max Zaslofsky (20) 6–9
16 December 2 Philadelphia 72–86 Vince Boryla (30) 7–9
17 December 7 @ Philadelphia 91–93 Boryla, Gallatin (19) 7–10
18 December 9 @ Boston 94–103 Dick McGuire (20) 7–11
19 December 11 Milwaukee 83–88 Gallatin, Zaslofsky (19) 8–11
20 December 14 @ Indianapolis 79–83 Max Zaslofsky (21) 8–12
21 December 16 @ Fort Wayne 80–71 Max Zaslofsky (16) 9–12
22 December 18 Minneapolis 86–77 Max Zaslofsky (14) 10–12
23 December 22 Syracuse 73–92 Dick McGuire (21) 11–12
24 December 23 @ Syracuse 75–72 Harry Gallatin (19) 12–12
25 December 25 Fort Wayne 65–72 Max Zaslofsky (23) 13–12
26 December 26 N Milwaukee 76–78 Vince Boryla (16) 13–13
27 December 27 @ Rochester 85–98 Connie Simmons (20) 13–14
28 December 30 @ Boston 90–100 Connie Simmons (16) 13–15
29 December 31 Boston 86–87 (OT) Max Zaslofsky (30) 14–15
30 January 1 @ Milwaukee 68–65 Vince Boryla (16) 15–15
31 January 2 N Milwaukee 89–67 Max Zaslofsky (27) 16–15
32 January 4 @ Indianapolis 73–83 Dick McGuire (15) 16–16
33 January 6 @ Minneapolis 92–107 Max Zaslofsky (18) 16–17
34 January 8 Rochester 74–107 Ernie Vandeweghe (18) 17–17
35 January 10 @ Syracuse 96–110 Connie Simmons (15) 17–18
36 January 12 Indianapolis 77–86 Harry Gallatin (23) 18–18
37 January 13 @ Rochester 70–97 Dick McGuire (15) 18–19
38 January 19 Philadelphia 88–94 Vandeweghe, Zaslofsky (20) 19–19
39 January 21 @ Baltimore 99–83 Dick McGuire (22) 20–19
40 January 22 @ Philadelphia 82–78 Simmons, Zaslofsky (17) 21–19
41 January 26 Indianapolis 93–99 Connie Simmons (25) 22–19
42 January 27 @ Fort Wayne 92–100 Max Zaslofsky (25) 22–20
43 January 29 N Indianapolis 72–100 George Kaftan (13) 22–21
44 January 30 @ Minneapolis 65–77 Max Zaslofsky (14) 22–22
45 February 2 Boston 83–91 Dick McGuire (21) 23–22
46 February 3 @ Boston 95–100 Harry Gallatin (23) 23–23
47 February 4 @ Baltimore 81–82 Nathaniel Clifton (16) 23–24
48 February 6 Baltimore 70–73 McGuire, Zaslofsky (14) 24–24
49 February 8 N Baltimore 103–83 Ray Lumpp (23) 25–24
50 February 9 Philadelphia 86–96 Connie Simmons (18) 26–24
51 February 12 Syracuse 69–78 Connie Simmons (15) 27–24
52 February 16 Baltimore 82–102 Max Zaslofsky (26) 28–24
53 February 17 @ Syracuse 61–66 Harry Gallatin (11) 28–25
54 February 19 Minneapolis 96–98 Max Zaslofsky (23) 29–25
55 February 22 @ Philadelphia 95–118 Harry Gallatin (22) 29–26
56 February 23 Fort Wayne 77–82 (OT) Max Zaslofsky (24) 30–26
57 February 25 @ Baltimore 89–84 Dick McGuire (17) 31–26
58 March 1 Boston 84–78 Ernie Vandeweghe (22) 32–26
59 March 2 @ Boston 89–87 Harry Gallatin (21) 33–26
60 March 4 Rochester 90–92 (OT) George Kaftan (30) 34–26
61 March 5 N Baltimore 88–82 Simmons, Zaslofsky (19) 35–26
62 March 8 N Milwaukee 99–103 Max Zaslofsky (24) 35–27
63 March 9 @ Fort Wayne 79–80 Harry Gallatin (25) 35–28
64 March 12 @ Minneapolis 83–85 Harry Gallatin (19) 35–29
65 March 15 Syracuse 90–97 Harry Gallatin (24) 36–29
66 March 16 @ Syracuse 90–84 Ernie Vandeweghe (19) 37–29

Playoffs[edit]

1952 playoff game log
Division semifinals: 2–1 (home: 1–0; road: 1–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High assists Location Series
1 March 19 @ Boston L 94–105 Max Zaslofsky (20) Dick McGuire (7) Boston Garden 0–1
2 March 23 Boston W 101–97 Connie Simmons (22) Dick McGuire (7) Madison Square Garden III 1–1
3 March 26 @ Boston W 88–87 (2OT) Max Zaslofsky (21) Dick McGuire (9) Boston Garden 2–1
Division finals: 3–1 (home: 2–0; road: 1–1)
Game Date Team Score High points Location Series
1 April 2 @ Syracuse W 87–85 Max Zaslofsky (26) Onondaga War Memorial 1–0
2 April 3 @ Syracuse L 92–102 Harry Gallatin (16) Onondaga War Memorial 1–1
3 April 5 Syracuse W 99–92 Max Zaslofsky (20) Madison Square Garden III 2–1
4 April 6 Syracuse W 100–93 Max Zaslofsky (20) Madison Square Garden III 3–1
NBA Finals: 3–4 (home: 2–1; road: 1–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 12 @ Minneapolis L 79–83 (OT) Simmons, McGuire (15) Nat Clifton (12) Dick McGuire (5) St. Paul Auditorium
8,722 		0–1
2 April 13 @ Minneapolis W 80–72 Harry Gallatin (18) Harry Gallatin (11) Dick McGuire (5) St. Paul Auditorium 1–1
3 April 16 Minneapolis L 77–82 Max Zaslofsky (17) Nat Clifton (10) Dick McGuire (10) 69th Regiment Armory
4,500 		1–2
4 April 18 Minneapolis W 90–89 (OT) Connie Simmons (30) Nat Clifton (12) Dick McGuire (6) 69th Regiment Armory
5,200 		2–2
5 April 20 @ Minneapolis L 89–102 Nat Clifton (17) Clifton, Gallatin (8) six players tied (1) St. Paul Auditorium
7,244 		2–3
6 April 23 Minneapolis W 76–68 Max Zaslofsky (23) Harry Gallatin (13) Ernie Vandeweghe (7) 69th Regiment Armory
3,000 		3–3
7 April 25 @ Minneapolis L 65–82 Max Zaslofsky (21) Nat Clifton (10) Nat Clifton (3) Minneapolis Auditorium
8,612 		3–4
1952 schedule

Player statistics[edit]

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game

Awards and records[edit]

Transactions[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "1951–52 New York Knicks Roster and Statistics". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  2. ^ Jaker, Bill; Sulek, Frank; Kanze, Peter (2008). The Airwaves of New York: Illustrated Histories of 156 AM Stations in the Metropolitan Area, 1921–1996. McFarland & Company. p. 194. ISBN 978-0-7864-3872-3. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "New York Knickerbockers Franchise Index". Basketball-Reference. Archived from the original on January 6, 2010. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
  4. ^ a b "1952 NBA Playoff Summary". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
  5. ^ "Celtics–Heat Game 7 by the numbers: Can Boston complete NBA's first 3–0 comeback?". WBZ-TV. May 29, 2023. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  6. ^ "1951 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved September 17, 2011.

External links[edit]

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