1971–72 New York Knicks season
1971–72 New York Knicks season | |
---|---|
Head coach | Red Holzman |
General manager | Red Holzman |
Arena | Madison Square Garden |
Results | |
Record | 48–34 (.585) |
Place | Division: 2nd (Atlantic) Conference: 3rd (Eastern) |
Playoff finish | NBA Finals (Lost to Lakers 1–4) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Local media | |
Television | WOR-TV Manhattan Cable Television[1] |
Radio | WNBC[2] |
The 1971–72 New York Knicks season was the 26th season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Knicks compiled a 48–34 record in the regular season to finish second in the Atlantic Division and earn a berth in the NBA Playoffs for the sixth consecutive year.[3] New York had acquired Earl Monroe in a trade with the Baltimore Bullets in November 1971.[4]
In the first round of the playoffs, New York faced the Baltimore Bullets,[5] who had defeated the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals the previous year.[6] The Knicks won the series in six games and advanced to the conference finals, where they faced the Boston Celtics. With a 4–1 series victory,[5] New York made the NBA Finals for the second time in three seasons.[3] In the Finals, the Knicks were opposed by the Los Angeles Lakers, whom they had beaten in the 1970 NBA Finals.[7] After winning Game 1 of the Finals 114–92 in Los Angeles, the Knicks lost the next four games and the series.[8] Willis Reed only played 11 games in the regular season and missed the entirety of the playoffs with a knee injury.[9][10]
Draft picks
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 16 | Dean Meminger | G | United States | Marquette |
2 | 34 | Gregg Northington | F | United States | Alabama State |
3 | 50 | Kenny Mayfield | G | United States | Tuskegee |
Roster
Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Regular season
Season standings
W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
y-Boston Celtics | 56 | 26 | .683 | – | 32–9 | 21–16 | 3–1 | 15–3 |
x-New York Knicks | 48 | 34 | .585 | 8 | 27–14 | 20–19 | 1–1 | 11–7 |
Philadelphia 76ers | 30 | 52 | .366 | 26 | 14–23 | 14–26 | 2–3 | 6–12 |
Buffalo Braves | 22 | 60 | .268 | 34 | 13–27 | 8–31 | 1–2 | 4–14 |
# | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | PCT | |
1 | z-Boston Celtics | 56 | 26 | .683 |
2 | y-Baltimore Bullets | 38 | 44 | .463 |
3 | x-New York Knicks | 48 | 34 | .585 |
4 | x-Atlanta Hawks | 36 | 46 | .439 |
5 | Philadelphia 76ers | 30 | 52 | .366 |
5 | Cincinnati Royals | 30 | 52 | .366 |
7 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 23 | 59 | .280 |
8 | Buffalo Braves | 22 | 60 | .268 |
- z – clinched division title
- y – clinched division title
- x – clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
1971–72 NBA records | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | ATL | BAL | BOS | BUF | CHI | CIN | CLE | DET | GSW | HOU | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SEA |
Atlanta | — | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–5 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–4 |
Baltimore | 4–2 | — | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 2–3 |
Boston | 4–0 | 2–2 | — | 6–0 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 2–3 | 4–0 | 2–3 |
Buffalo | 2–4 | 3–3 | 0–6 | — | 1–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 0–4 | 2–4 | 0–4 |
Chicago | 5–0 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | — | 3–1 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 2–3 |
Cincinnati | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–3 | — | 6–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 0–5 |
Cleveland | 2–4 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 2–6 | — | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–4 |
Detroit | 2–3 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 3–1 | — | 0–5 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 |
Golden State | 2–3 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 5–0 | — | 5–1 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 |
Houston | 4–1 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 4–0 | 1–5 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–5 | — | 1–5 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 |
Los Angeles | 5–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | — | 4–1 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 5–1 |
Milwaukee | 3–2 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 1–4 | — | 2–3 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 6–0 |
New York | 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 3–2 | — | 3–3 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 3–2 |
Philadelphia | 3–3 | 0–4 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 1–4 | 3–3 | — | 1–4 | 2–2 | 4–1 |
Phoenix | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 4–1 | 4–1 | — | 6–0 | 3–2 |
Portland | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–6 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–6 | — | 0–6 |
Seattle | 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 6–0 | — |
Playoffs
East Conference Semifinals
(C1) Baltimore Bullets vs. (A2) New York Knicks: Knicks win series 4–2
- Game 1 @ Baltimore: Baltimore 108, New York 105 (OT)
- Game 2 @ New York: New York 110, Baltimore 88
- Game 3 @ Baltimore: Baltimore 104, New York 103
- Game 4 @ New York: New York 104, Baltimore 98
- Game 5 @ Baltimore: New York 106, Baltimore 82
- Game 6 @ New York: New York 107, Baltimore 101
East Conference Finals
(A1) Boston Celtics vs. (A2) New York Knicks: Knicks win series 4–1
- Game 1 @ Boston: New York 116, Boston 94
- Game 2 @ New York: New York 106, Boston 105
- Game 3 @ Boston: Boston 115, New York 109
- Game 4 @ New York: New York 116, Boston 98
- Game 5 @ Boston: New York 111, Boston 103
NBA Finals
Game | Date | Winner | Score | Site |
---|---|---|---|---|
Game 1 | April 26 (Wed.) | New York Knicks | 114–92 | at Los Angeles |
Game 2 | April 30 (Sun.) | Los Angeles Lakers | 106–92 | at Los Angeles |
Game 3 | May 3 (Wed.) | Los Angeles Lakers | 107–96 | at New York |
Game 4 | May 5 (Fri.) | Los Angeles Lakers | 116–111 | at New York |
Game 5 | May 7 (Sun.) | Los Angeles Lakers | 114–100 | at Los Angeles |
Lakers win series 4–1
Awards and records
- Walt Frazier, All-NBA First Team[13]
- Walt Frazier, NBA All-Defensive First Team[14]
- Dave DeBusschere, NBA All-Defensive First Team[14]
References
- ^ The Fourth Estate (PDF). New York Knicks. 2003. p. 331. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- ^ The Fourth Estate (PDF). New York Knicks. 2003. p. 330. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- ^ a b "New York Knickerbockers Franchise Index". Basketball-Reference. Archived from the original on April 27, 2009. Retrieved May 24, 2009.
- ^ Araton, p. 211.
- ^ a b "1971–72 New York Knickerbockers Roster and Statistics". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved May 24, 2009.
- ^ "1971 NBA Playoff Summary". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved May 29, 2010.
- ^ "Lakers, Knicks Gain Hoop Final". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press. April 24, 1972. p. 15. Retrieved May 29, 2010.
- ^ Araton, pp. 251–252.
- ^ Nelson, John (March 26, 1974). "Road to Recovery Is Familiar to Willis Reed". Schenectady Gazette. Associated Press. p. 24. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
- ^ Carry, Peter (May 21, 1973). "Where There's A Willis". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
- ^ "1971 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
- ^ "Lakers' Legendary Season Leads to Elusive Title". National Basketball Association. Archived from the original on May 9, 2009. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
- ^ "1971–72 NBA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference. Archived from the original on April 21, 2009. Retrieved May 24, 2009.
- ^ a b "NBA & ABA All-Defensive Teams". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
Bibliography
- Araton, Harvey (2011). When the Garden Was Eden: Clyde, the Captain, Dollar Bill, and the Glory Days of the New York Knicks. New York City: HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-195623-2.