1974–75 New York Knicks season

1974–75 New York Knicks season
Head coachRed Holzman
General managerRed Holzman
ArenaMadison Square Garden
Results
Record40–42 (.488)
PlaceDivision: 3rd (Atlantic)
Conference: 5th (Eastern)
Playoff finishEast First Round
(lost to Rockets 1–2)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWOR-TV
Manhattan Cable Television[1]
RadioWNEW[2]
< 1973–74 1975–76 >

The 1974–75 New York Knicks season was the 29th season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In the regular season, the Knicks had a 40–42 win–loss record, finishing in third place in the Atlantic Division and qualifying for the NBA playoffs. New York lost to the Houston Rockets in the best-of-three first round of the playoffs, two games to one.[3]

In the first round of the 1974 NBA draft, the Knicks did not select any players; their first pick was the 32nd overall choice in the second round, which they used to acquire Jesse Dark.[4] The team alternated between wins and losses in their first eight games of the season, and were 6–6 before winning 11 of their next 13 games. They then lost six of the following seven contests, and by February 11 they fell below .500 for the season, at 27–28. New York remained with more losses than wins for the rest of the season, but still reached the postseason.[5]

The Knicks were seeded fifth in the Eastern Conference and faced the fourth-seeded Rockets in the opening round of the playoffs. After a 15-point loss in Houston, the Knicks required a victory at home to extend their season, and defeated the Rockets 106–96 to force a decisive third game in the series. The Rockets won the final game, by a score of 118–86, to end New York's season.[6]

Draft picks

Main article: 1974 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.[7]

Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
2 32 Jesse Dark G  United States VCU
5 86 Greg Jackson G  United States Guilford

Roster

1974–75 New York Knicks roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
SF 46 Bell, Dennis 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1951-06-02 Drake
SF 24 Bradley, Bill 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1943-07-28 Princeton
G 25 Barnett, Jim 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1944-07-07 Oregon
SG 11 Dark, Jesse 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1951-09-02 VCU
PF 31 Davis, Mel 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1950-11-09 St. John's
PG 10 Frazier, Walt 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1945-03-29 Southern Illinois
C 40 Gianelli, John 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1950-06-10 Pacific
PF 18 Jackson, Phil 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1945-09-17 North Dakota
G 15 Monroe, Earl 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1944-11-21 Winston-Salem State
C 6 Riker, Tom 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1950-02-28 South Carolina
C 41 Walk, Neal 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1948-07-29 Florida
PF 43 Wingo, Harthorne 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1947-09-09 Friendship College
Head coach
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Atlantic Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Boston Celtics 60 22 .732 – 28–13 32–9 17–9
x-Buffalo Braves 49 33 .598 11 30–11 19–22 15–11
x-New York Knicks 40 42 .488 20 23–18 17–24 9–17
Philadelphia 76ers 34 48 .415 26 20–21 14–27 11–15
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Boston Celtics 60 22 .732 –
2 y-Washington Bullets 60 22 .732 –
3 x-Buffalo Braves 49 33 .598 11
4 x-Houston Rockets 41 41 .500 19
5 x-New York Knicks 40 42 .488 20
6 Cleveland Cavaliers 40 42 .488 20
7 Philadelphia 76ers 34 48 .415 26
8 Atlanta Hawks 31 51 .378 29
9 New Orleans Jazz 23 59 .280 37

Notes

  • y – division champions
  • x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1974–75 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS BUF CHI CLE DET GSW HOU KCO LAL MIL NOJ NYK PHI PHO POR SEA WAS
Atlanta — 0–4 1–3 0–4 3–4 2–2 1–3 2–5 2–2 2–2 2–2 3–5 0–4 2–2 4–0 1–3 3–1 3–5
Boston 4–0 — 5–4 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–3 4–0 2–2 4–0 4–0 4–0 7–2 5–3 3–1 4–0 2–2 2–2
Buffalo 3–1 4–5 — 1–3 3–1 2–2 3–1 2–2 1–3 4–0 1–3 4–0 5–3 6–3 3–1 2–2 3–1 2–2
Chicago 4–0 1–3 3–1 — 2–2 4–5 3–1 2–2 4–5 3–1 3–5 4–0 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 4–0 1–3
Cleveland 4–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 — 2–2 2–2 4–4 2–2 2–2 1–3 6–1 1–3 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 3–5
Detroit 2–2 1–3 2–2 5–4 2–2 — 1–3 2–2 2–6 3–1 3–6 4–0 2–2 3–1 2–2 3–1 2–2 1–3
Golden State 3–1 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–2 3–1 — 2–2 2–2 5–2 3–1 2–2 3–1 3–1 5–3 5–3 4–3 1–3
Houston 5–2 0–4 2–2 2–2 4–4 2–2 2–2 — 4–0 2–2 3–1 5–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–5
Kansas City-Omaha 2–2 2–2 3–1 5–4 2–2 6–2 2–2 0–4 — 3–1 6–3 2–2 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 1–3 1–3
Los Angeles 2–2 0–4 0–4 1–3 2–2 1–3 2–5 2–2 1–3 — 4–0 3–1 0–4 3–1 4–4 2–5 2–6 1–3
Milwaukee 2–2 0–4 3–1 5–3 3–1 6–3 1–3 1–3 3–6 0–4 — 3–1 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 1–3 0–4
New Orleans 5–3 0–4 0–4 0–4 1–6 0–4 2–2 3–5 2–2 1–3 1–3 — 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 0–7
New York 4–0 2–7 3–5 1–3 3–1 2–2 1–3 3–1 2–2 4–0 1–3 2–2 — 4–5 3–1 2–2 2–2 1–3
Philadelphia 2–2 3–5 3–6 2–2 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–2 5–4 — 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–3
Phoenix 0–4 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–2 3–5 2–2 1–3 4–4 2–2 3–1 1–3 2–2 — 1–6 4–3 1–3
Portland 3–1 0–4 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–3 3–5 2–2 1–3 5–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 6–1 — 2–6 1–3
Seattle 1–3 2–2 1–3 0–4 2–2 2–2 3–4 3–1 3–1 6–2 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 3–4 6–2 — 1–3
Washington 5–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 5–3 3–1 3–1 5–2 3–1 3–1 4–0 7–0 3–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 —

Playoffs

1975 playoff game log
First Round: 1–2 (home: 1–0; road: 0–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 8 @ Houston W 99–84 Walt Frazier (21) Phil Jackson (13) Walt Frazier (11) Hofheinz Pavilion
10,218 		0–1
2 April 10 Houston L 96–106 Walt Frazier (26) Phil Jackson (10) Harthorne Wingo (7) Madison Square Garden
19,694 		1–1
3 April 12 @ Houston W 118–86 Walt Frazier (24) Harthorne Wingo (10) Walt Frazier (4) Hofheinz Pavilion
10,218 		1–2
1975 schedule

Awards and records

References

  1. ^ The Fourth Estate (PDF). New York Knicks. 2003. p. 331. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  2. ^ The Fourth Estate (PDF). New York Knicks. 2003. p. 330. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  3. ^ "1974–75 New York Knickerbockers Roster and Statistics". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  4. ^ "1974 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  5. ^ "1974–75 New York Knicks Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  6. ^ "1974–75 NBA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  7. ^ "1974 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved March 2, 2013.
  8. ^ "All-NBA & All-ABA Teams". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
  9. ^ "NBA & ABA All-Defensive Teams". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved August 31, 2013.