When was the new york knicks established

However, the Knicks were swept by the Philadelphia Warriors in two games in the semifinals. As promised, Lapchick took over in , bringing with him his up-tempo coaching style, which emphasized fast ball movement.

Under Lapchick, the Knicks made nine straight playoff appearances beginning in Braun, who averaged Despite this, the Knicks struggled throughout the year, compiling a 26—22 record. Their finish was good enough to place them second in the Eastern Division and secure a playoff match-up against the Baltimore Bullets where they lost the series two games to one. The Knicks were leery of Schayes' talent, prompting the center to leave to play for the Syracuse Nationals of the struggling National Basketball League.

Despite losing Schayes, the team started the year well going 17—8 before they fell into a slump. They ended the year with a seven-game win streak to finish with a 32—28 record and a third-straight playoff appearance.

The Knicks defeated the Baltimore Bullets in a rematch of their previous encounter in , winning the series 2—1. The team however, struggled against the Washington Capitols and lost the series 1—2.

Despite division realignments, the Knicks remained in the Eastern Division. The team continued its dominance under Lapchick, winning 40 games; however, they lost the Eastern Division finals to the Syracuse Nationals. The following season, the Knicks made history signing Sweetwater Clifton to a contract, thus becoming the first professional basketball team to sign an African American player.

During this same season, the Knicks finished with a 36—30 record. Though they placed third in their division, they secured a playoff spot and began the first of three consecutive trips to the NBA Finals. In spite of their success, the Knicks could not overcome the Rochester Royals despite a valiant comeback after losing the first three games of the Finals. It was during this early period, the Knicks developed their first standout players in Carl Braun who retired as the Knicks leading scorer with 10, points before later being surpassed by the likes of Patrick Ewing , Walt Frazier , and Willis Reed.

Following these back-to-back losses, the Knicks made the playoffs in the subsequent two years with no success. Lapchick resigned as the team's head coach in January citing health-related issues. Vince Boryla made his debut in February as the Knicks' new coach in a win over the St. Louis Hawks. However, after two seasons of poor performances and no playoff appearances, Boryla tendered his resignation from the team in April Looking to regain their former dominance, Andrew Levane was named the head coach and in his first year, the results were significantly better as the team finished with a 40—32 record, securing their playoff spot.

However, the Knicks could not manage to get past the Eastern Division semi-finals. The Levane-led squad fared poorly to begin the —60 season and under mounting pressure Levane resigned and was immediately replaced by Carl Braun, who became the team's first player-coach. The team did not fare much better under Braun and the Knicks hired Eddie Donovan, who helped build up St. Bonaventure's basketball team, in As a testament to their struggles, on March 2, , the Knicks faced the Philadelphia Warriors in Hershey, Pennsylvania, where they infamously allowed Wilt Chamberlain to score an NBA-record points in a — Warriors victory.

In , the franchise's fortunes began to take a steady turn. However, the leaders of the team still remained in flux. In an attempt to reorganize, the Knicks named former standout Harry Gallatin as head coach while reassigning Donovan to general manager position. After a slow start in , Dick McGuire , another former Knick, replaced his former teammate Gallatin midway through the season.

Though he failed to guide the Knicks to the playoffs in , he managed to do so the following season, however, the Knicks lost in the Eastern Division semi-finals. In , right after the Knicks made it to the playoffs for the first time since , the Knicks hired Red Holzman as their head coach. With Holzman at the helm, and young players such as Bill Bradley and Walt "Clyde" Frazier , the Knicks were a playoff team again in The next season, the team acquired Dave DeBusschere from the Detroit Pistons , and the team went 55— In the ensuing playoffs, the team made it past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since , sweeping the Baltimore Bullets in three games, before falling to the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics in the Eastern Division finals.

In the —70 season , the Knicks had a then single-season NBA record 18 straight victories en route to 60—22 record, which was the best regular season record in the team's history. With the series tied at 2—2, the Knicks would be tested in Game 5. Reed tore a muscle in his right leg in the second quarter, and was lost for the rest of the game. Despite his absence, New York would go on to win the game, rallying from a 16—point deficit, and took a 3—2 series lead.

However, without their injured captain, the Knicks would lose Game 6, setting up one of the most famous moments in NBA history. Reed limped onto the court before Game 7, determined to play through his pain. He scored New York's first two baskets before going scoreless for the remainder of the contest.

Although he was not at full strength, Reed's heroics inspired the Knicks, and they won the game by a score of —99, allowing New York to capture the title that had eluded them for so long. The Knicks' success continued for the next few years.

This time, the Knicks fell to the Lakers in five games. The next year , the results were reversed, as the Knicks defeated the Lakers in five games to win their second NBA title in four years.

The team had one more impressive season in —74 , as they reached the Eastern Conference finals, where they fell in five games to the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics. It was after this season that Reed announced his retirement, and the team's fortunes took a turn for the worse. In the —75 season , the Knicks posted a 40—42 record, their first losing record in eight seasons.

However, the record still qualified them for a playoff spot, though the Knicks lost to the Houston Rockets in the first round. After two more seasons with losing records, Holzman was replaced behind the bench by Reed.

In Reed's first year coaching the team, they posted a 43—39 record and made it to the Eastern Conference semifinals, where they were swept by the Philadelphia 76ers. The next season, after the team got off to a 6—8 start, Holzman was rehired as the team's coach. The team did not fare any better that season, finishing with a 31—51 record, their worst in thirteen years. After improving to a 39—43 record in the —80 season , the Knicks posted a 50—32 record in the —81 season. In the ensuing playoffs, the Chicago Bulls swept them in two games.

Holzman retired the following season as one of the winningest coaches in NBA history. The team's record for that year was a dismal 33— However, Holzman's legacy would continue through the players he influenced.

One of the Knicks' bench players and defensive specialists during the s was Phil "Action" Jackson. Jackson has cited Red Holzman as the best coach he ever played for and a major influence on his coaching philosophy. Hubie Brown replaced Holzman as coach of the Knicks, and in his first season , the team went 44—38 and make it to the second round of the playoffs, where they were swept by the eventual champion Philadelphia 76ers.

The next season , the team, aided by new acquisition Bernard King , improved to a 47—35 record and returned to the playoffs. The team beat the Detroit Pistons in the first round with an overtime win in the fifth and deciding game, before losing in second round once again, this time in seven games to the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics. The team's fortunes again turned for the worse the next season , as they lost their last twelve games to finish with a 24—58 record.

The first of these losses occurred on March 23, , where King injured his knee and spent the next 24 months in rehabilitation. Some figured that his career would end from this injury, but he proved them wrong and resumed his career near the end of the —87 season.

During the early s, the Knicks drastically changed their uniforms. The home uniforms would feature the team nickname below the number and the base color was maroon instead of the traditional orange.

However, in the season, they would revert back to the championship-era uniforms and the orange color, which would remain virtually unchanged for the next twelve seasons. Ewing led the Knicks to the Finals in and As a result of the Knicks' dismal performance in the —85 season , the team was entered into the first-ever NBA Draft Lottery. The team ended up winning the number one pick in that year's NBA Draft. They selected star center Patrick Ewing of Georgetown University.

In Ewing's first season with the Knicks, he led all rookies in scoring 20 points per game and rebounds 9 rebounds per game , and he won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. The team would not fare as well, though, as they posted a 23—59 record in his first season, and a 24—58 record in his second season. The team's luck changed in the —88 season with the hiring of Rick Pitino as head coach, and selection of point guard Mark Jackson in the draft. Combined with Ewing's consistently stellar play, the Knicks made the playoffs with a record of 38—44, where they lost to the Boston Celtics in the first round.

The team would do even better the next season as the team traded backup center Bill Cartwright for power forward Charles Oakley before the season started and then posted a 52—30 record, which was good enough for their first division title in nearly twenty years.

In the playoffs, they defeated the 76ers in the first round before losing to the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. Before the —90 season began, a couple of major changes occurred. Pitino left the Knicks to coach the University of Kentucky's basketball team and Stu Jackson was named head coach.

The Knicks went 45—37 and defeated the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs, winning the final three games after losing the first two. In the —91 season , the team, which replaced Jackson with John McLeod as head coach early that season, had a 39—43 record and were swept by the eventual NBA champion Bulls. Sensing that the team needed a better coach in order to become a championship contender, new Knicks president Dave Checketts hired Pat Riley prior to the —92 season. Riley, who coached the Los Angeles Lakers to four NBA titles during the s, taught the Knicks hard, physical defense, and immediately gave them a boost.

That season, the team, which now included fan favorite John Starks , posted a 51—31 record, good enough for a first place tie in the Atlantic Division.

After defeating the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the playoffs, the team battled with the Chicago Bulls for seven games, before once again letting the Bulls get the best of them. The —93 season proved to be even more successful, as the Knicks won the Atlantic Division with a 60—22 record, matching their record from the season when they won their first NBA championship. After taking a 2—0 series lead, the Knicks would go on to lose the next four games.

After the Bulls' Michael Jordan made what would be his first retirement from basketball to play baseball prior to the —94 season , many saw this as an opportunity for the Knicks to finally make it to the NBA Finals. The team, who acquired Derek Harper in a midseason trade with the Dallas Mavericks , once again won the Atlantic Division with a 57—25 record. In the playoffs, the team played a then NBA-record 25 games the Boston Celtics played 26 games in the Playoffs ; they started by defeating the New Jersey Nets in the first round before finally getting past the Chicago Bulls , defeating them in the second round in seven games.

In the Eastern Conference Finals, they faced the Indiana Pacers , who at one point held a 3—2 series lead. They had this advantage thanks to the exploits of Reggie Miller , who scored 25 fourth quarter points in Game 5 to lead the Pacers to victory. In the Finals, the Knicks would play seven low-scoring, defensive games against the Houston Rockets.

After splitting the first two games in Houston, the Knicks would win two out of three games at Madison Square Garden , which also hosted the New York Rangers' first Stanley Cup celebration in 54 years following their win over the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of their finals during the series. In Game 6, however, a last-second attempt at a game-winning shot by Starks was tipped by Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon , giving the Rockets an 86—84 victory and forcing a Game 7.

The Knicks lost Game 7 90—84, credited in large part to Starks' dismal 2-for shooting performance and Riley's stubborn refusal to bench Starks, despite having bench players who were renowned for their shooting prowess, such as Rolando Blackman and Hubert Davis available. Nevertheless, the Knicks had gotten some inspiration from Mark Messier and the Rangers during the finals. The next year , the Knicks were second place in the Atlantic Division with a 55—27 record. The team defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round before facing the Indiana Pacers again in the second round.

The tone for the Knicks—Pacers series was set in Game 1, as Reggie Miller once again became a clutch nuisance to the Knicks by scoring eight points in the final 8 seconds of the game to give the Pacers a — victory. The series went to a Game 7, and when Patrick Ewing 's last-second finger roll attempt to tie the game missed, the Pacers clinched the 97—95 win. The team captured the citizenry of the world's greatest basketball city, selling out the New Garden 26 times in after recording just six regular season sellouts in 22 seasons at the Old Garden.

Also acquired to shore up the front line was perennial All-Star Jerry Lucas. In , despite the season-long absence of Reed due to injury, the Knicks won the Eastern Conference title with Playoff wins over Baltimore and Boston. They outlasted Boston in a classic Eastern Final series and then beat the Lakers in the Finals, becoming the first team in NBA history to defeat two win teams en route to a title. Holzman and Reed presided as coach as the Knicks made the Playoffs only twice in a seven-year span from to Two dynamic and unforgettable personalities played the central roles as the Knicks' fortunes turned in the early '80s In , Brown guided the Knicks to a memorable first-round playoff victory over Detroit.

It would prove to be a major turning point in the club's history. Ewing authored 15 memorable years in New York, becoming an time All-Star, the all-time club leader in virtually every category and arguably the greatest player to ever wear the orange and blue, a headline performer whose number 33 would be hoisted to the Garden rafters in But a crippling knee injury to King set off a three-year dry spell in which the Knicks would win only 24, 23 and 24 games, missing the Playoffs all three years as Garden attendance plummeted.

But a decade-plus period in which the Knicks would again reign as one of the game's elite began in The next year, with newly-acquired Charles Oakley and Kiki Vandeweghe on board, the Knicks won 52 games including 26 straight at home and the Atlantic Division title. Monroe is a consummate showman, a flashy ball handler, and an imaginative shot maker who popularized the reverse-spin move on the dribble.

However, his initial effect on the team is iffy as he has problems adjusting to the more defensive and pass-orientated Knicks. As the season winds down, the Pearl begins to find his place on the team and they finish in 2nd place with a record. In the playoffs Monroe makes the Bullets pay by beating them in six games. However, the Lakers, who won a then record 69 regular season games, rebound to win the next four games.

In the playoffs the Knicks easily shoot down the Baltimore Bullets in 5 games, setting up an Eastern Conference Finals match up with the Celtics. The Kicks get off to a fast start winning three straight after dropping Game 1 to take a series lead.

However, after a one-point loss in Game 5 and a home loss in Game 6, the Eastern Title appears to be slipping away as the Knicks need to win Game 7 in Boston.

However, the Knicks rise to the occasion, shutting down the Celtics with their tenacious D. In the playoffs the Knicks need seven games to knock off the Capitol Bullets. Following the season Willis Reed stuns the Knicks by announcing his retirement.

Despite their first losing record in 8 years, the Knicks make the playoffs as the NBA expand the postseason again. In the playoffs the Knicks lose a three-game series to the Houston Rockets.

However, with the addition of Bob McAdoo, who at In the playoffs the Knicks sweep the Cleveland Cavaliers in two straight before being swept by the Philadelphia 76ers in four.

However, not even Holzman can stop the Knicks skid as they post a record while finishing in 4th place. However, the Knicks miss the playoffs for the 4th time in five years, losing out by a tiebreaker, while finishing in 4th place with a record of However, in the playoffs the Knicks are stunned in two straight by the Chicago Bulls. The Knicks would later retire the number in his honor.

Bill Cartwright establishes himself as a presence in the middle during a season in which the team finishes in 4th place, making the playoffs. In the playoffs the Knicks beat the New Jersey Nets in two straight before being swept by the Philadelphia 7ers in four straight. In the playoffs King averages In the 2nd round, the Knicks give the eventual Champion Boston Celtics all they can handle before falling in seven games. The struggles worsen on March 23rd when Bernard King suffers a devastating knee injury.

The Knicks go on to lose their final 12 games without King, finishing in last place with a record. However, Ewing misses 32 games, while Bernard King is lost for the entire season. The Knicks finish in last place again with a record. Following the season, he is released, and the Knicks draft St.

The move works as the Knicks make a game improvement, finishing in 3rd place with a record, getting them into the playoffs as the 8th seed. However, in the playoffs the young Knicks fall to the Boston Celtics in four games. Led by a game home winning streak the Knicks, win their first Division title in 18 years, posting a solid record of In the playoffs the Knicks make quick work of the Philadelphia 76ers sweeping them in three straight. However, in the 2nd round the Knicks are frustrated by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, falling in six games.

Under his replacement, Stu Jackson, the Knicks finish in 3rd place with a record of In the playoffs the Knicks appear to be heading for a quick exit as they drop their first two games to the Boston Celtics.

However, the Knicks rally and win the next three games to stun the aging Celtics in five. However, in the 2nd round the Knicks are beaten by the Detroit Pistons four games to one. They struggle all season, posting a disappointing record of Despite their sub-. Riley has an instant impact, establishing a strong defensive system. The Knicks finish with a record, only losing the Division by a tiebreaker. In the playoffs the Knicks knock off the Detroit Pistons in five games before facing the Chicago Bulls.

The Knicks frustrate the Bulls and Michael Jordan with their physical play before falling in seven games. However, along the way a new rivalry was born.

In the playoffs the Knicks make quick work of the Indiana Pacers beating them in four games, followed by taking down the Charlotte Hornets in five, setting up their much anticipated Eastern Finals match with the Chicago Bulls. As the Bulls deal with gambling rumors surrounding Michael Jordan, the Knicks get off to a fast start, winning the first two games at the Garden. However, when the series shifts to Chicago, the Bulls rebound to take the next two games.

Needing a win in Game 5, the Knicks, back at the Garden, have multiple chances in the final seconds. Charles Smith is rejected at the basket on four attempts before the ball is swatted down court for a fastbreak, giving the Bulls a win. Needing a win in Chicago to force Game 7, the Knicks are foiled again by Jordan and the Bulls who go on to a 3rd straight Championship. Despite the loss of Doc Rivers to a knee injury in December the Knicks appear to be on track for a championship all season.

They acquire Derek Harper from the Dallas Mavericks to fill the void left by Rivers en route to winning their 2nd straight Division title with a record.

In the playoffs the Knicks make quick work of the New Jersey Nest, beating them in four games, to set up a match up with the Chicago Bulls. Despite the retirement of Jordan, the Knicks need seven hard fought games to barely advance to the Eastern Finals. After splitting the first 2 games in Houston, the Knicks lose Game 3 at home, finding themselves on the verge of a hole should they lose Game Four.

However, the Rangers, who won the Stanley Cup in-between games, come out for inspiration in Game Four, and the Knicks even the series. Even with fans peering up at the scoreboard during Game Five to watch the live O. Many of these settlers found homes in and around New York City, where a cartoon drawing of Father Knickerbocker became a prominent symbol of the city. Team founder Ned Irish reportedly made the decision to call the team the Knickerbockers.

Championship NBA Championships 2 , Who is the greatest New York Knicks? To qualify as a greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team.

If not, we will remove the player. New York Knickerbockers Team Formation. Irish wanted a distinct name for his franchise that was representative of the city of New York.