It’s the dog days of the NBA offseason, so while we wait for the real games to start we ranked the best New York Knicks teams of all-time.
The New York Knicks are an original member of the NBA. Over the past 70 years those fiercely loyal New York fans have watched many stars play on many good teams, despite the lack of championships. We decided to rate the five best teams in franchise history.
In Jan. 2016, Forbes rated the Knicks the NBA’s most valuable team at $3 billion. Regardless of their level of success the fans always pack the stands.
They haven’t won a championship in over 40 years, but still garner as much national media attention as any other professional sports franchise.
They’ve had their struggles — like going 10 seasons without winning a playoff game from 2000-01 to 2010-11 — which has led to them being the constant butt of the joke.
The Knicks may not be one of the more winningest franchises in league history in terms of championships, but they are one of the proudest.
It’s not easy for players to succeed in New York with their fiercely loyal fanbase that’s famous for their hot and cold treatment of athletes, but these teams did it.
Since the Knicks only have two championships in the history of their franchise, it was difficult to rank the entire list.
It’s impossible to grade measure a modern-day team against one from the 70s, so for that tall task we borrowed from Bleacher Report’s system. They use adjusted offensive rating (ORtng+) and adjusted defensive rating (DRtng+) to be able to fairly grade the teams against each other.
Notables
- 1991-92, 51-31, Lost NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals (3-4) versus Chicago Bulls
- 1996-97, 57-25, Lost NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals (3-4) versus Miami Heat
- 1999-00, 50-32, Lost NBA Eastern Conference Finals (2-4) versus Indiana Pacers
- 2012-13, 54-28, Lost NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals (2-4) versus Indiana Pacers
The 1991-92 team increased their win total by 13 games from the previous season after hiring legendary head coach Pat Riley. They went from a good defense to a dominant one. More on these guys later.
1996-97 was the first full season under beloved former head coach and former Riley assistant Jeff Van Gundy. JVG continued the tradition of Riley’s teams, hard-nosed defense led by Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley, and Larry Johnson. It was the first of four straight seasons of legendary playoff matchups between the Knicks and the Miami Heat.
1999-00 was another season and another great JVG defense. They had a DRtng+ of 96.9 and ranked fifth in opponent’s effective field goal percentage. They also beat the Heat in the second round of the playoffs before falling to nemesis Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
2012-13 was Carmelo Anthony‘s best season as a Knick. He won the scoring title, and helped the team win their first playoff series in more than ten years. Melo also spent a majority of the season at the power forward position. He thrived next to big man Tyson Chandler, who made the only All-Star appearance of his career that season.
5. 1998-99: An Improbable Finals Run
- Regular season record: 27-23 (Lockout shortened season)
- Head coach: Jeff Van Gundy
- Scoring Leader: Patrick Ewing (17.4 PPG)
- Rebounding Leader: Patrick Ewing (9.9 RPG)
- Assists Leader: Charlie Ward (5.4 APG)
- ORtg+: 96.5, DRtg+: 95.4
The greatest No. 8 seed of all time.
They were carried by their signature ’90s defense, finishing second in opponent’s effective field goal percentage, fifth in defensive rebound percentage, and 12th in turnover percentage.
The Knicks had the challenge of trying to integrate new acquisitions Marcus Camby and Latrell Sprewell in a short season. The pressure was on both of the new guys as they had replaced fan favorites Charles Oakley and John Starks.
The controversial Sprewell led the Knicks in scoring during their incredible playoff run and Camby led in blocks, field goal percentage, and PER. He was awesome.
It was still 36-year-old Patrick Ewing’s team though. The Hall of Famer battled an Achilles injury that eventually knocked him out of action during the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pacers.
They were able to get by Indiana but without their leader were dominated by the Spurs and their big man duo of David Robinson and Tim Duncan.
4. 1992-93: The Michael Jordan Buzzsaw
- Regular season record: 60-22
- Head coach: Pat Riley
- Scoring leader: Patrick Ewing (24.2 PPG)
- Rebounding leader: Patrick Ewing (12.1 RPG)
- Assists leader: Greg Anthony (5.7 APG)
- ORtg+: 98.2, DRtg+: 92.3
The Knicks finished 1st in the East in Pat Riley’s second season as coach and had the best defense in the league. Eight players on the team had a defensive box plus-minus greater than 2.
They dominated the defensive side of Dean Oliver’s “Four Factors of Basketball Success”. Another Ewing-anchored squad, they were first in opponent’s effective field goal percentage, first in defensive rebound percentage, and sixth in turnover percentage.
Despite a great season from Patrick Ewing, the offense was subpar.
Starks was the only other Knick who averaged more than 13 points per game, and Rolando Blackman was the only player who shot higher than the league average 35% from downtown.
With momentum after a strong playoff start, the Knicks ran into nemesis Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. They took the first two games at home before Jordan took over and the Bulls swept them in the next four, ending the series in six games.
Ewing was magnificent averaging 41.8 minutes, 25.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 1.7 steals while shooting 53% from the field.
He was still beaten by Jordan. No shame in that.
Despite only shooting 40% for the series, the GOAT did a little bit of everything, averaging 32.2 points, 7.0 assists, 6.2 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks, all while playing 41.5 minutes per game. Remind you of anyone?
3. 1993-94: Jordan’s Playing Baseball
- Regular season record: 57-25
- Head coach: Pat Riley
- Scoring leader: Patrick Ewing (24.5 PPG)
- Rebounding leader: Charles Oakley (11.8 RPG)
- Assists leader: John Starks (5.9 APG)
- ORtg+: 99.4, DRtg+: 92.4
Michael Jordan retired, for one season, to play baseball and the Knicks took advantage, winning the East and going to the finals for the first time since 1972-73.
For the second straight season the Knicks had the league’s best defense. Ewing and Oakley were arguably the two best defensive players in the NBA that season. Both were in the top ten in defensive win shares, DBPM, and DRtg.
Oakley had the best season of his career. He was chosen to participate in the All-Star Game for the first and only time, and he was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team.
Their gritty style of play may not fly in today’s NBA, but back then it was good enough to push Hakeem Olajuwon‘s Houston Rockets to seven games in the finals.
2. 1972-73: The Last Championship Team
- Regular season record: 57-25
- Head coach: Red Holzman
- Scoring leader: Walt Frazier (21.1 PPG)
- Rebounding leader: Dave DeBusschere (10.7 RPG)
- Assists leader: Walt Frazier (5.9 APG)
- ORtg+: 102.2, DRtg+: 95.6
To say the game was different in the ’70s is an incredible understatement.
The Knicks estimated 105.9 possessions per 48 minutes and ranked 16th of 17 teams in Pace factor. In 2015-16, the average number of possessions per 48 minutes was 95.8. The Kings were first in Pace factor, at an even 100.
In Lehman’s terms, everybody played way faster back in the day.
This team was loaded.
The Knicks needed just five games to beat the mighty Lakers in the finals. It was New York’s third finals matchup against the Lakers in four years and their second win.
DeBusschere and Frazier were both All-Star Starters and NBA All-Defensive First Team. The league didn’t start recording steals and blocks until the 73-74 season so before that NBA watchers gauged great defense with the more traditional eye test.
This was a well-rounded squad. They ranked in the top five in offensive and defensive points per 100 possessions, and first in opponent’s field goal percentage.
1. 1969-70: Willis Reed Plays Through The Pain
- Regular season record: 60-22
- Head coach: Red Holzman
- Scoring leader: Willis Reed (21.7 PPG)
- Rebounding leader: Willis Reed (13.9 RPG)
- Assists leader: Walt Frazier (8.2 APG)
- ORtg+: 101.3, DRtg+: 93.3
The 1969-70 Knicks began the season at 23-1, including 18 straight victories between Oct. 24 and Nov. 28.
Like the ’72-’73 team, they ranked in the top five in both offensive and defensive points per 100 possessions. Frazier was named a starter in the All-Star game, and he and DeBusschere were both named first team All-Defense.
However it was the captain Willis Reed who led the squad.
Reed won the Most Valuable Player Award, was named to the All-NBA First Team, and the NBA All-Defensive First Team.
He had the greatest moment in New York Knicks history, when he limped onto the court right before the start of Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Lakers.
Reed won the opening tip from Chamberlain, then scored his team’s first two baskets to set the tone. They’d be the only points Reed scored on that night. He didn’t need any more.
The Knicks went on to win that game behind 36 points and 19 assists from Frazier, but it was Reed’s heroics that inspired his teammates to win the first championship in franchise history.
tough. Probably would put 92-93 over 93-94, but hey, can't argue with it. They were within one good quarter from becoming champs.