Knicks History Online Information and NBA Betting Odds at WagerWeb Sportsbook

NBA New York Knicks History betting odds at WagerWeb Sportsbook

NBA New York Knicks History History The Patrick Ewing era In the 1996–97 season, the Knicks, with the additions of such players as Larry Johnson and Allan Houston, registered a 57–25 record. In the playoffs, the Knicks swept the Charlotte Hornets in the first round before facing the Miami Heat (coached by Riley) in the second round. The Knicks took a 3–1 lead in the series before a brawl near the end of Game 5 resulted in suspensions of key players.

Many of the suspended Knicks players, Ewing in particular, were disciplined not for participating in the altercation itself, but for violating an NBA rule stipulating that a benched player may not leave the bench during a fight (the rule was subsequently amended, making it illegal to leave the "bench area"). With Ewing and Houston suspended for Game 6, Johnson and Starks suspended for Game 7, and Charlie Ward suspended for both, the Knicks lost the series.

The 1997–98 season was marred by a wrist injury to Ewing on December 20, which forced him to miss the rest of the season and much of the playoffs. The team, which had a 43–39 record that season, still managed to defeat the Heat in the first round of the playoffs before having another meeting with the Pacers in the second round. This time, the Pacers easily won the series in five games, as Reggie Miller once again broke the hearts of Knicks fans by hitting a three-pointer in the final seconds of regulation in Game 4, en route to a Pacers victory. For the fourth straight year, the Knicks were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.

Prior to the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season, the Knicks traded Starks in a package to the Golden State Warriors for 1994's 1st team all league shooting guard Latrell Sprewell (whose contract was voided by the Warriors after choking Warriors' head coach P. J. Carlesimo during the previous season), while also trading Charles Oakley for Marcus Camby. After barely getting into the playoffs with a 27–23 record, the Knicks started an improbable postseason run. It started with the Knicks eliminating the #1 seeded Heat in the first round after Allan Houston bounced in a running one-hander off the front of the rim, high off the backboard, and in with 0.8 seconds left in the deciding 5th game. This remarkable upset marked only the second time in NBA history that an 8-seed had defeated the 1-seed in the NBA playoffs. After defeating the Atlanta Hawks in the second round four games to none, they faced the Pacers yet again in the Eastern Conference Finals. Despite losing Ewing to injury for the rest of the playoffs prior to Game 3, the Knicks won the series (aided in part to a four-point play by Larry Johnson in the final seconds of Game 3) to become the first eighth-seeded playoff team to make it to the NBA Finals. However, in the Finals, the San Antonio Spurs, with superstars David Robinson and Tim Duncan, proved too much for the injury-laden Knicks, who lost in five games. The remarkable fifth game of this Finals is remembered for its 2nd half scoring duel between the Spurs' Tim Duncan and the Knicks' Latrell Sprewell.

The 1999–2000 season would prove to be the last one in New York for Ewing, as the Knicks, who had a 50–32 record that season, lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Pacers. After the season, Ewing was traded on September 20, 2000 to the Seattle SuperSonics, and the Ewing era, which produced many successful playoff appearances but no NBA championship titles, came to an end.

Post-Patrick Ewing era decline

Despite the loss of Ewing, the Knicks remained successful in the regular season, as they posted a 48–34 record. In the NBA playoffs, however, they fell in five games to the Toronto Raptors, failing to get past the first round of the playoffs for the first time in a decade.

Soon, the Knicks began suffering through a steep decline. After starting the season 10–9, the team was stunned on December 8, 2001 by the sudden resignation of Van Gundy. The team, which named longtime assistant Don Chaney as their new head coach, ended up with a 30–52 record, and for the first time since the 1986–87 season, they did not qualify for the playoffs.

The Knicks attempted to improve during the 2001–02 season by initiating a number of trades and free agent signings. Among these included acquiring guards Shandon Anderson and Howard Eisley, both of which carried expensive, long-term contracts. These moves were criticized by many analysts and Knicks fans, as it was considered that not only were these players overpaid in light of their recent performances, but also because the contracts took up valuable salary-cap space. Such trades heavily contributed to the Knicks sky-rocketing payroll, which would burden them in the years to come. The Knicks improved slightly in 2002–03 but still delivered a disappointing season, posting a 37–45 record and failing to qualify for the playoffs for the second straight season.

Arrival of Isiah Thomas and Stephon Marbury

After a 15–24 start to the 2003–04 season, the Knicks underwent a massive overhaul. Isiah Thomas was named the Knicks' president on December 22, 2003 after the firing of Scott Layden, and eventually replaced Don Chaney with Lenny Wilkens behind the bench. At the same time, Thomas orchestrated several trades, including one that brought star point guard Stephon Marbury to the team. The team qualified for the playoffs that year with a 39–43 record, but were swept by the New Jersey Nets in the first round.

2004-05

The Knicks fared worse in the 2004–05 season, as they ended up with a 33–49 record. Wilkens resigned during the season, and Herb Williams served as interim coach for the rest of the season. During the off-season, the team signed Larry Brown to a five-year contract worth about $50 million, hoping he would lead the Knicks back to the NBA playoffs

2005-06

The Knicks' payroll was the highest in the league at over $130 million, but the team was among the worst in the NBA, having finished the 2005-06 season with a dismal 23-59 record and capped off with the resignation and $18.5 million buy-out of unpopular coach Larry Brown.

Over the last two years, Thomas' trades have been highly critiqued, bringing in expensive players, such as Stephon Marbury, Jamal Crawford, Jerome James (signed as a free agent), Malik Rose, Jalen Rose, and Steve Francis. Moreover, Thomas has also accepted many bad contracts to make these trades, such as those of Penny Hardaway, Jerome Williams or Maurice Taylor, and given up draft picks. To Thomas' credit, his draft picks of David Lee, Channing Frye (later traded by Thomas), Trevor Ariza (later traded by Thomas) and Nate Robinson are considered wise, as was his signing free agent center Jackie Butler who later signed with the Spurs. Conversely, many considered his 2006 first-round draft pick of Renaldo Balkman very foolish, although Balkman's better-than-expected play has led many to reverse this early sentiment.

Numerous anti-Knick websites have sprung up, most notably SellTheKnicks.com, who organized a march on Madison Square Garden, the home of the Draft, to protest Dolan's "abysmal" management of the Knicks' players and coaching staff.

The New York Knicks today

2006-2007

On December 16, 2006, the Knicks and the Denver Nuggets broke into a brawl during their game in Madison Square Garden. (See Knicks-Nuggets brawl)

On December 20, 2006, with many players still serving the suspension above, David Lee created one of the most memorable plays in recent Knicks history during a game against the Charlotte Bobcats. With a tie game and 0.1 seconds left on the game clock in double overtime, Jamal Crawford inbounded from the sideline, near half-court. The ball sailed towards the basket, and with that 0.1 seconds still remaining on the game clock, Lee tipped the ball off of the backboard and into the hoop. Because of a rule instituted in 1994, a player is allowed solely to tip the ball to score. A "catch and shoot" play is disabled with less than 0.3 seconds remaining. Because of this rule, the rarity of Lee's play increases. The Knicks won, 111-109 in double overtime.

The Knicks improved by 10 games in the 2006-2007 campaign, and were only eliminated from playoff contention in the last week of the season. Injuries ravaged the team at the end of the year, and they ended with a 33-49 (.402) record, avoiding a 50-loss season by defeating the Charlotte Bobcats 94-93 in a thriller on the last day of the season.

For the 2007-2008 season, New York Knicks President and General Manager Isiah Thomas traded Channing Frye and Steve Francis to the Portland Trail Blazers for Zach Randolph, Fred Jones, and Dan Dickau. This move was made during the 2007 NBA Draft, which also featured the Knicks selecting Wilson Chandler with the 23rd pick and later acquiring the rights to Demetris Nichols - the 53rd pick in the draft - from the Blazers. Varying opinions have been had about the trade, with some claiming Randolph as the Knicks' savior, and others pointing at Randolph's very public weaknesses--on-court and otherwise.

Season-by-season records

Season	W	L	%	Playoffs	Results
New York Knicks
1990–91	39	43	.476	Lost First Round	Chicago 3, New York 0
1991–92	51	31	.622	Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals	New York 3, Detroit 2 Chicago 4, New York 3
1992–93	60	22	.732	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals	New York 3, Indiana 1 New York 4, Charlotte 1 Chicago 4, New York 2
1993–94	57	25	.695	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals	New York 3, New Jersey 1 New York 4, Chicago 3 New York 4, Indiana 3 Houston 4, New York 3
1994–95	55	27	.671	Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals	New York 3, Cleveland 1 Indiana 4, New York 3
1995–96	47	35	.573	Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals	New York 3, Cleveland 0 Chicago 4, New York 1
1996–97	57	25	.695	Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals	New York 3, Charlotte 0 Miami 4, New York 3
1997–98	43	39	.524	Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals	New York 3, Miami 2 Indiana 4, New York 1
1998–99†	27	23	.540	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals	New York 3, Miami 2 New York 4, Atlanta 0 New York 4, Indiana 2 San Antonio 4, New York 1
1999–2000	50	32	.610	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals	New York 3, Toronto 0 New York 4, Miami 3 Indiana 4, New York 2
2000–01	48	34	.585	Lost First Round	Toronto 3, New York 2
2001–02	30	52	.366
2002–03	37	45	.451
2003–04	39	43	.476	Lost First Round	New Jersey 4, New York 0
2004–05	33	49	.402
2005–06	23	59	.280
2006-07	33	49	.402
Totals	2399	2354	.505
Playoffs	179	171	.511	2 NBA Championships

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