1996–97 New York Knicks season

The 1996–97 New York Knicks season was the 51st season for the Knicks in the National Basketball Association (NBA).[1] In the regular season, the Knicks finished in second place in the Atlantic Division with a 57–25 record,[2] and made the NBA Playoffs for the 10th consecutive year.[1]

1996–97 New York Knicks season
Head coachJeff Van Gundy
General managerErnie Grunfeld
OwnersITT
Cablevision
ArenaMadison Square Garden
Results
Record57–25 (.695)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Atlantic)
Conference: 3rd (Eastern)
Playoff finishEast Conference Semifinals
(Lost to Heat 3–4)
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionMSG Network
RadioWFAN

During the offseason, the Knicks acquired All-Star forward Larry Johnson from the Charlotte Hornets,[3] while signing free agents Allan Houston, Chris Childs[4] and Buck Williams.[5] The Knicks enjoyed a successful season, with their 57 wins tied for the third-most in franchise history;[1] they finished second in the Atlantic Division and third in the Eastern Conference. John Starks was named the Sixth Man of the Year,[6] and Patrick Ewing was selected to the 1997 NBA All-Star Game (he did not play due to a groin injury),[7] earned All-NBA Second Team honors,[6] and was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.[8] In the last game of the season, at the United Center, the Knicks defeated the then-69–12 Chicago Bulls, preventing them from posting two consecutive 70-win seasons in a row, and tying the best home record (40–1 set by the 1985–86 Boston Celtics).[9]

In the playoffs, New York defeated the Charlotte Hornets in a three-game sweep in the first round and advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals,[2] where they faced the Miami Heat in what would eventually become the first chapter of one of the fiercest NBA rivalries of the period.[10] After jumping to a 3–1 lead in the series, the Knicks were eliminated by the Heat in seven games,[6] after a brawl erupted at the end of Game 5 that led to the suspensions of five key Knicks players: Ewing, Houston, Johnson, Starks and Charlie Ward.[11] Following the season, John Wallace was traded to the Toronto Raptors,[12] and Walter McCarty was dealt to the Boston Celtics.[13]

NBA Draft
Main article: 1996 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
1 18 John Wallace SF  United States Syracuse
1 19 Walter McCarty SF  United States Kentucky
1 21 Dontae' Jones SF  United States Mississippi State

Roster
Roster listing
New York Knicks roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
PG 4 Brooks, Scott 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 165 lb (75 kg) UC Irvine
PG 1 Childs, Chris 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Boise State
C 33 Ewing, Patrick 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Georgetown
SG 20 Houston, Allan 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Tennessee
SF 7 Jent, Chris 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Ohio State
SF 2 Johnson, Larry 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 250 lb (113 kg) UNLV
SF 5 Jones, Dontae'  (IN) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Mississippi State
SF 40 McCarty, Walter 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Kentucky
PF 34 Oakley, Charles 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Virginia Union
SG 3 Starks, John 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Oklahoma State
SF 44 Wallace, John 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Syracuse
PG 21 Ward, Charlie 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Florida State
PF 52 Williams, Buck 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Maryland
C 32 Williams, Herb 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 242 lb (110 kg) Ohio State
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster

Roster notes

Regular season

Season standings
Atlantic Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Miami Heat 6121.744–29–1232–916–8
x-New York Knicks 5725.695431–1026–1519–6
x-Orlando Magic 4537.5491626–1519–2213–11
x-Washington Bullets 4438.5371725–1619–2214–10
New Jersey Nets 2656.3173516–2510–3111–13
Philadelphia 76ers 2260.2683911–3011–3011–14
Boston Celtics 1567.1834611–304–371–23
1996–97 NBA East standings
# Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Chicago Bulls6913.841–
2 y-Miami Heat6121.7448
3 x-New York Knicks5725.69512
4 x-Atlanta Hawks5626.68313
5 x-Detroit Pistons5428.65915
6 x-Charlotte Hornets5428.65915
7 x-Orlando Magic4537.54924
8 x-Washington Bullets4438.53725
9 Cleveland Cavaliers4240.51227
10 Indiana Pacers3943.47630
11 Milwaukee Bucks3349.40236
12 Toronto Raptors3052.36639
13 New Jersey Nets2656.31743
14 Philadelphia 76ers2260.26847
15 Boston Celtics1567.18354
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents
1996–97 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHA CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MIA MIL MIN NJN NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA TOR UTA VAN WAS
Atlanta —3–11–31–33–12–01–11–32–01–13–12–01–11–24–02–03–11–33–14–01–12–02–02–01–14–01–12–02–1
Boston 1–3—0–40–41–21–11–10–41–10–21–20–21–10–41–30–20–40–40–41–31–11–10–21–10–23–10–20–20–4
Charlotte 3–14–0—0–43–11–12–02–22–02–02–21–11–11–22–22–04–03–11–24–01–10–22–02–02–02–20–22–03–1
Chicago 3–14–04–0—3–12–02–03–12–01–14–02–01–12–24–02–03–12–23–04–02–02–02–02–02–03–11–12–02–1
Cleveland 1–32–11–31–3—2–01–12–21–10–23–12–01–10–42–22–04–01–32–23–01–11–12–00–20–23–11–12–01–3
Dallas 0–21–11–10–20–2—3–10–20–40–41–12–20–40–20–21–31–11–11–12–01–31–32–21–31–30–21–33–10–2
Denver 1–11–10–20–21–11–3—0–21–31–30–21–30–40–21–10–41–10–20–21–12–20–42–22–20–41–10–43–11–1
Detroit 3–14–02–21–32–22–02–0—2–01–13–12–01–10–43–12–04–01–22–22–10–21–11–12–01–13–11–12–04–0
Golden State 0–21–10–20–21–14–03–10–2—0–41–11–30–40–21–11–32–00–21–12–00–42–21–34–00–42–00–43–10–2
Houston 1–12–00–21–12–04–03–11–14–0—1–13–13–10–21–14–02–01–10–22–02–22–24–03–13–11–12–23–12–0
Indiana 1–32–12–20–41–31–12–01–31–11–1—2–01–11–32–22–02–21–31–33–01–11–11–11–11–14–00–22–01–3
L.A. Clippers 0–22–01–10–20–22–23–10–23–11–30–2—2–20–22–01–31–10–21–11–12–20–42–24–01–32–01–34–00–2
L.A. Lakers 1–11–11–11–11–14–04–01–14–01–31–12–2—1–12–03–12–01–11–12–04–01–34–02–23–11–11–34–02–0
Miami 2–14–02–12–24–02–02–04–02–02–03–12–01–1—4–01–13–11–32–23–12–01–12–02–00–23–10–22–03–1
Milwaukee 0–43–12–20–42–22–01–11–31–11–12–20–20–20–4—0–22–11–22–23–11–10–20–21–11–13–11–12–01–3
Minnesota 0–22–00–20–20–23–14–00–23–10–40–23–11–31–12–0—2–01–11–11–13–12–20–44–00–41–11–34–01–1
New Jersey 1–34–00–41–30–41–11–10–40–20–22–21–10–21–31–20–2—2–21–32–21–10–21–12–01–10–30–22–01–3
New York 3–14–01–32–23–11–12–02–12–01–13–12–01–13–12–11–12–2—3–13–21–11–12–02–00–23–01–12–04–0
Orlando 1–34–02–10–32–21–12–02–21–12–03–11–11–12–22–21–13–11–3—2–21–12–01–11–11–14–00–21–11–3
Philadelphia 0–43–10–40–40–30–21–11–20–20–20–31–10–21–31–31–12–22–32–2—1–11–10–21–10–21–30–22–01–3
Phoenix 1–11–11–10–21–13–12–22–04–02–21–12–20–40–21–11–31–11–11–11–1—1–34–03–12–20–21–32–21–1
Portland 0–21–12–00–21–13–14–01–12–22–21–14–03–11–12–02–22–01–10–21–13–1—2–24–01–30–22–24–00–2
Sacramento 0–22–00–20–20–22–22–21–13–10–41–12–20–40–22–04–01–10–21–12–00–42–2—3–11–31–10–44–00–2
San Antonio 0–21–10–20–22–03–12–20–20–41–31–10–42–20–21–10–40–20–21–11–11–30–41–3—0–41–11–31–30–2
Seattle 1–12–00–20–22–03–14–01–14–01–31–13–11–32–01–14–01–12–01–12–02–23–13–14–0—2–01–34–02–0
Toronto 0–41–32–21–31–32–01–11–30–21–10–40–21–11–31–31–13–00–30–43–12–02–01–11–10–2—1–11–12–2
Utah 1–12–02–01–11–13–14–01–14–02–22–03–13–12–01–13–12–01–12–02–03–12–24–03–13–11–1—4–02–0
Vancouver 0–22–00–20–20–21–31–30–21–31–30–20–40–40–20–20–40–20–21–10–22–20–40–43–10–41–10–4—1–1
Washington 1–24–01–31–23–12–01–10–42–00–23–12–00–21–33–11–13–10–43–13–11–12–02–02–00–22–20–21–1—

Playoffs

East First Round

(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Charlotte Hornets Last Playoff Meeting: 1993 Eastern Conference Semifinals (New York won 4–1)

Game Date Home Score Visitor Score Record

(NYK-CHA)

 Venue Recap Television
1 April 24 New York 109 Charlotte 99 1–0 Madison Square Garden, New York City 1 MSG
2 April 26 New York 100 Charlotte 93 2–0 Madison Square Garden, New York City 2 NBC
3 April 28 Charlotte 95 New York 104 3–0 Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, North Carolina 3 TNT
New York wins series 3–0

East Conference Semifinals

(2) Miami Heat vs. (3) New York Knicks Last Playoff Meeting: Not available (first playoff series)

Game Date Home Score Visitor Score Record

(MIA-NYK)

 Venue Recap Television
1 May 7 Miami 79 New York 88 0–1 Miami Arena, Miami, Florida 1 TNT
2 May 9 Miami 88 New York 84 1–1 Miami Arena, Miami, Florida 2 TNT
3 May 11 New York 77 Miami 73 1–2 Madison Square Garden, New York City 3 NBC
4 May 12 New York 89 Miami 76 1–3 Madison Square Garden, New York City 4 TNT
5 May 14 Miami 96 New York 81 2–3 Miami Arena, Miami, Florida 5 TNT
6 May 16 New York 90 Miami 95 3–3 Madison Square Garden, New York City 6 TNT
7 May 18 Miami 101 New York 90 4–3 Miami Arena, Miami, Florida 7 NBC
Miami wins series 4–3

Player statistics

Awards and records

References
  1. "New York Knickerbockers Franchise Index". Basketball-Reference. Archived from the original on April 24, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  2. "1996–97 New York Knickerbockers Roster and Statistics". Basketball-Reference. Archived from the original on April 25, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  3. Isola, Frank (July 13, 1996). "Larry Loves N.Y.: Knicks, Hornets Work Out Bugs". New York Daily News. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  4. Wise, Mike (July 15, 1996). "Pro Basketball; It's a Blockbuster Day for Knicks". The New York Times. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
  5. "Knicks Ink Veteran Forward Buck Williams". Philadelphia Daily News. July 27, 1996. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  6. "1996–97 NBA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference. Archived from the original on April 12, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  7. Cummings, D. L. (February 6, 1997). "Stars Are Out For Ewing: Groin Injury KOs Patrick". New York Daily News. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  8. "NBA History: The NBA's 50 Greatest Players". National Basketball Association. Archived from the original on April 5, 2010. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  9. Brown, Clifton (April 20, 1997). "When a Knick Victory Is Not Just a Victory". The New York Times. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  10. Sheridan, Chris (May 7, 2000). "Knicks, Heat continue their simmering rivalry". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. p. 9C. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  11. Isola, Frank (May 16, 1997). "NBA – No Brawls Allowed: Ewing Among Five Suspended Knicks". New York Daily News. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  12. Whitehorn, Dave (February 22, 2011). "The 13 biggest Knicks trades in history". Newsday. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
  13. Roberts, Selena (October 23, 1997). "Pro Basketball; Knicks Send Four Players To the Celtics for Mills". The New York Times. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
  14. May, Peter (October 24, 1997). "Jones envisions much better time". The Boston Globe. p. D3.
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