1981–82 New York Knicks season

Season of National Basketball Association team the New York Knicks March 2026 August 2023 New York Knicks 1982 33 49 Atlantic 5 10 Red Holzman Eddie Donovan Madison Square Garden WOR-TVMSG Network WNEW Did not qualify NYK The 1981–82 New York Knicks season was the Knicks' 36th season in the NBA.1981–82 New York Knicks The team finished second-to-last in the Eastern Conference with a 33–49 record. Draft picks 1981 NBA draft Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 2 40 Greg Cook PF LSU 3 57 Frank Brickowski PF Penn State 3 63 Wayne McKoy PF St. John's 4 86 Alex Bradley SF Villanova Roster New York Knicks 1981–82 #031E41 white #9F2135 white 30 Alex Bradley basketball G 6 6 215 Villanova 25 Bill Cartwright C 7 1 245 San Francisco 45 Hollis Copeland F 6 6 180 Rutgers 42 Larry Demic F 6 9 225 Arizona 43 Toby Knight F 6 9 210 Notre Dame 23 Maurice Lucas F 6 9 215 Marquette 14 Mike Newlin G 6 4 200 Utah 20 Michael Ray Richardson PG 6 5 189 Montana 21 Campy Russell SF 6 8 215 Michigan 9 Randy Smith basketball G 6 3 185 Buffalo State 40 Marvin Webster C 7 1 225 Morgan State 44 Paul Westphal G 6 4 195 USC Red Holzman Butch Beard Hal Fischer Regular season After falling short in the 1981 NBA Playoffs, the Knicks' general manager Eddie Donovan attempted to add some veteran talent with the intention of making a more playoff-ready team. But Donovan's decisions showed he was out of touch with his team, and most importantly, his star player Michael Ray Richardson. First Ray Williams, Richardson's terrific backcourt teammate, was headed to free agency and therefore traded for veteran Maurice Lucas. Another one of Richardson's friends, Mike Glenn was also sent away, rather than being re-signed for a second-round draft pick. The Knicks were still in a playoff hunt; despite not playing at a high level, they were 19–17 and were ready to make a run for the playoffs, when Donovan signed Paul Westphal; instead, the Knicks lost 16 of the last 21 games and were left out of the playoffs. It was here when Richardson asked what was wrong with the Knicks, he replied "The Ship Be Sinking". After the Season, Holtzman stepped down as Knicks head coach, and Richardson would be shipped off to the Golden State Warriors. Season standings NYK NYK z – clinched division title y – clinched division title x – clinched playoff spot Game log Regular season New York Knicks 1982 #800000 #191970 Total: 33–49 (Home: 19–22; Road: 14–27) New York Knicks October yes #191970 #800000 0 1 1 0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | October 30 | @ New Jersey | W 103–99 | | | | Brendan Byrne Arena | 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 New York Knicks November #191970 #800000 3 3 2 4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 6 | November 10 | New Jersey | W 111–99 | | | | Madison Square Garden | 3–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 8 | November 14 | Philadelphia |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 14 New York Knicks December #191970 #800000 4 4 5 3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 21 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 22 | December 16 | @ Philadelphia |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 25 | December 22 | Philadelphia |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 26 | December 23 | @ New Jersey | L 99–115 | | | | Brendan Byrne Arena | 12–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 27 | December 25 | New Jersey | L 95–96 | | | | Madison Square Garden | 12–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 28 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 29 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 30 New York Knicks January #191970 #800000 2 4 3 5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 31 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 32 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 33 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 34 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 35 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 36 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 37 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 39 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 40 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 41 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 42 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 43 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 44 New York Knicks February #191970 #800000 4 3 2 6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 45 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 46 | February 3 | @ Los Angeles | W 98–94 | | | | The Forum | 21–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 47 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 48 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 49 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 50 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 51 | February 13 | Philadelphia |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 52 | February 14 | @ Philadelphia |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 53 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 54 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 55 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 56 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 57 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 58 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 59 New York Knicks March #191970 #800000 5 4 0 4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 60 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 61 | March 4 | Los Angeles | W 129–119 (OT) | | | | Madison Square Garden | 28–33 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 62 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 63 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 64 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 65 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 66 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 67 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 68 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 69 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 70 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 71 | March 28 | @ New Jersey | L 106–113 | | | | Brendan Byrne Arena | 30–41 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 72 New York Knicks April #191970 #800000 1 3 1 5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 73 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 74 | April 4 | @ Philadelphia |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 75 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 76 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 77 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 78 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 79 | April 13 | New Jersey | L 102–104 | | | | Madison Square Garden | 33–36 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 80 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 81 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 82 NYK 1982 References See also 1981-82 NBA season Category:New York Knicks seasons New New York Knicks New York Knicks Category:1980s in Manhattan