1974–75 New York Knicks season

Season of National Basketball Association team the New York Knicks

NBA professional basketball team season

1974–75 New York Knicks season

Head coach| Red Holzman
General manager| Red Holzman
Arena| Madison Square Garden
Results
Record| 40-42 (.488)
Place| Division: 3rd (Atlantic)
Conference: 5th (Eastern)
Playoff finish| East First Round
(lost to Rockets 1–2)

* * *

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television| WOR-TV
Manhattan Cable Television[1]
Radio| WNEW[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[edit]

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

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2  | 32  | Jesse Dark | G  |  United States | VCU
5  | 86  | Greg Jackson | G  |  United States | Guilford

## Roster[edit]

1974–75 New York Knicks roster

Players  | Coaches
| Pos. | No. | Name | Height | Weight | DOB | From

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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

* Red Holzman

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* (DP) Unsigned draft pick
* (FA) Free agent
* (S) Suspended
* Injured

## Regular season[edit]

### Season standings[edit]

Atlantic Division

* v
* t
* e

|  W  |  L  |  PCT  |  GB  |  Home  |  Road  |  Div

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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

* v
* t
* e

|

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[edit]

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[edit]

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

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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[edit]

* Walt Frazier, All-NBA First Team[8]
* Walt Frazier, NBA All-Defensive First Team[9]

## References[edit]

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.

* v
* t
* e

1974–75 NBA season by team

* 1974 NBA expansion draft
* 1974 NBA draft
* All-Star Game
* Playoffs
* Finals
* Transactions

Eastern|

| Atlantic|

* Boston
* Buffalo
* New York
* Philadelphia

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Central|

* Atlanta
* Cleveland
* Houston
* New Orleans
* Washington

Western|

| Midwest|

* Chicago
* Detroit
* Kansas City-Omaha
* Milwaukee

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Pacific|

* Golden State
* Los Angeles
* Phoenix
* Portland
* Seattle

* v
* t
* e

New York Knicks seasons

* Franchise
* Seasons

1940s|

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  1946–47 |  1947–48 |  1948–49

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1950s|

|  1949–50 |  1950–51 |  1951–52 |  1952–53 |  1953–54 |  1954-55 |  1955–56 |  1956–57 |  1957–58 |  1958–59

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1960s|

|  1959–60 |  1960–61 |  1961–62 |  1962–63 |  1963–64 |  1964–65 |  1965–66 |  1966–67 |  1967–68 |  1968–69

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1970s|

|  1969–70 |  1970–71 |  1971–72 |  1972–73 |  1973–74 |  1974–75 |  1975–76 |  1976–77 |  1977–78 |  1978–79

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1980s|

|  1979–80 |  1980–81 |  1981–82 |  1982–83 |  1983–84 |  1984–85 |  1985–86 |  1986–87 |  1987–88 |  1988–89

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1990s|

|  1989–90 |  1990–91 |  1991–92 |  1992–93 |  1993–94 |  1994–95 |  1995–96 |  1996–97 |  1997–98 |  1998–99

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2000s|

|  1999–00 |  2000–01 |  2001–02 |  2002–03 |  2003–04 |  2004–05 |  2005–06 |  2006–07 |  2007–08 |  2008–09

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2010s|

|  2009–10 |  2010–11 |  2011–12 |  2012–13 |  2013–14 |  2014–15 |  2015–16 |  2016–17 |  2017–18 |  2018–19

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2020s|

|  2019–20 |  2020–21 |  2021–22 |  2022–23 |  2023–24 |  |  |  |  |

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Bold indicates NBA Finals victory
*[Pos.]: Position
*[No.]: Number
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[ W ]: Games won
*[ L ]: Games lost
*[ PCT ]: Winning percentage
*[ GB ]: Games behind
*[ Home ]: Home record
*[ Road ]: Road record
*[ Div ]: Division record