1975–76 New York Knicks season

1975–76 New York Knicks season
Head coach Red Holzman
General manager Eddie Donovan
Arena Madison Square Garden
Results
Record 38–44 (.463)
Place Division: 4th (Atlantic)
Conference: T-7 (Eastern)
Playoff finish DNQ

Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com

The 1975–76 New York Knicks season was the 30th season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). 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.[1]

In the 1975 NBA Draft, the Knicks had the ninth overall pick and used it to select Gene Short.[2] 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.[3][4] Attempts to sign retired center Wilt Chamberlain were also unsuccessful.[5]

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.[6] 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.[7]

Draft picks

Main article: 1975 NBA Draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College

Regular season

Season standings

Atlantic Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Boston Celtics 54 28 .659 – 31–10 23–18 13–8
x-Buffalo Braves 46 36 .561 8 28–14 18–22 10–11
x-Philadelphia 76ers 46 36 .561 8 34–7 12–29 9–12
New York Knicks 38 44 .463 16 24–17 14–27 10–11
# Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Boston Celtics 54 28 .659 –
2 y-Cleveland Cavaliers 49 33 .598 5
3 x-Washington Bullets 48 34 .585 6
4 x-Buffalo Braves 46 36 .561 8
5 x-Philadelphia 76ers 46 36 .561 8
6 Houston Rockets 40 42 .488 14
7 New York Knicks 38 44 .463 16
8 New Orleans Jazz 38 44 .463 16
9 Atlanta Hawks 29 53 .354 25
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

Player statistics

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

References

  1. ↑ "1975–76 New York Knicks Roster and Statistics". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  2. ↑ "1975 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Basketball Briefs: Kennedy Charges Knicks Fouled In McGinnis Deal". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. June 3, 1975. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  4. ↑ "O'Brien punishes Knicks". The Deseret News. United Press International. June 6, 1975. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Knicks Close Door On Chamberlain". Lakeland Ledger. October 21, 1975. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  6. ↑ "1975–76 New York Knicks Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Westphal, Phoenix Eliminate Knicks". The Pittsburgh Press. United Press International. March 31, 1976. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
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