1975–76 New York Knicks season

1975–76 New York Knicks season
Head coach	Red Holzman
General manager	Eddie Donovan
Arena	Madison Square Garden
Results
Record	38–44 (.463)
Place	Division: 4th (Atlantic) Conference: T-7 (Eastern)
Playoff finish	DNQ
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com

The 1975–76 New York Knicks season was the 30th season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In the regular season, the Knicks had a 38–44 win–loss record, finishing in fourth place in the Atlantic Division and failing to qualify for the 1976 NBA Playoffs. Earl Monroe was the leading scorer for the Knicks with 20.7 points per game. Spencer Haywood led New York in rebounding with 11.3 per game, and Walt Frazier averaged a team-best 5.9 assists per game.^[1]

In the 1975 NBA Draft, the Knicks had the ninth overall pick and used it to select Gene Short.^[2] New York reached an agreement with American Basketball Association forward George McGinnis for a six-year contract, but it was rejected by the NBA because the Philadelphia 76ers held his rights after choosing him in the 1973 NBA Draft. The Knicks were stripped of their first-round pick in the 1976 draft for attempting to sign McGinnis.^[3][4] Attempts to sign retired center Wilt Chamberlain were also unsuccessful.^[5]

Early in the season, the Knicks lost five consecutive games in November 1975, and by mid-December they had lost 20 of their first 30 games. At this time the Knicks went on a six-game winning streak, and in January 1976 they had another unbeaten run of six games that left their record at 24–23. This was the only point during the season when New York had a winning percentage above .500; they immediately lost five games in a row and remained under .500 for the rest of the season.^[6] A March 30 loss to the Phoenix Suns officially eliminated the Knicks from postseason contention; it was the first season since 1965–66 that the team did not reach the playoffs.^[7]

Draft picks

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College

Regular season

Season standings

Atlantic Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Boston Celtics	54	28	.659	–	31–10	23–18	13–8
x-Buffalo Braves	46	36	.561	8	28–14	18–22	10–11
x-Philadelphia 76ers	46	36	.561	8	34–7	12–29	9–12
New York Knicks	38	44	.463	16	24–17	14–27	10–11

#	Eastern Conference
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-Boston Celtics	54	28	.659	–
2	y-Cleveland Cavaliers	49	33	.598	5
3	x-Washington Bullets	48	34	.585	6
4	x-Buffalo Braves	46	36	.561	8
5	x-Philadelphia 76ers	46	36	.561	8
6	Houston Rockets	40	42	.488	14
7	New York Knicks	38	44	.463	16
8	New Orleans Jazz	38	44	.463	16
9	Atlanta Hawks	29	53	.354	25

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

Player statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game

References

1. "1975–76 New York Knicks Roster and Statistics". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
2. "1975 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
3. "Basketball Briefs: Kennedy Charges Knicks Fouled In McGinnis Deal". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. June 3, 1975. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
4. "O'Brien punishes Knicks". The Deseret News. United Press International. June 6, 1975. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
5. "Knicks Close Door On Chamberlain". Lakeland Ledger. October 21, 1975. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
6. "1975–76 New York Knicks Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
7. "Westphal, Phoenix Eliminate Knicks". The Pittsburgh Press. United Press International. March 31, 1976. Retrieved December 30, 2011.