1971–72 New York Knicks season

Season of National Basketball Association team the New York Knicks March 2026 August 2023 New York Knicks yes 1972 48 34 Atlantic 2 3 Red Holzman Red Holzman Madison Square Garden WOR-TVManhattan Cable TelevisionThe Fourth Estate New York Knicks 2003 331 http://www.nba.com/media/mediacentral/mg0304_nyk_10.pdf November 6, 2017 WNBCThe Fourth Estate New York Knicks 2003 330 http://www.nba.com/media/mediacentral/mg0304_nyk_10.pdf November 6, 2017 NBA Finals(lost to Lakers 1–4) NYK The 1971–72 New York Knicks season was the 26th season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Knicks compiled a 48–34 record in the regular season to finish second in the Atlantic Division and earn a berth in the NBA Playoffs for the sixth consecutive year. New York Knickerbockers Franchise Index Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NYK/ May 24, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20090427054633/http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NYK/ April 27, 2009 live New York had acquired Earl Monroe in a trade with the Baltimore Bullets in November 1971.Araton, p. 211. In the first round of the playoffs, New York faced the Baltimore Bullets, 1971–72 New York Knickerbockers Roster and Statistics Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NYK/1972.html May 24, 2009 who had defeated the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals the previous year. 1971 NBA Playoff Summary Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1971.html May 29, 2010 The Knicks won the series in six games and advanced to the conference finals, where they faced the Boston Celtics. With a 4–1 series victory, New York made the NBA Finals for the second time in three seasons. In the Finals, the Knicks were opposed by the Los Angeles Lakers, whom they had beaten in the 1970 NBA Finals. Lakers, Knicks Gain Hoop Final Spokane Daily Chronicle Associated Press April 24, 1972 15 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nkoaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aCcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5357,2322563 May 29, 2010 After winning Game 1 of the Finals 114–92 in Los Angeles, the Knicks lost the next four games and the series.Araton, pp. 251–252. Willis Reed only played 11 games in the regular season and missed the entirety of the playoffs with a knee injury. Nelson John Road to Recovery Is Familiar to Willis Reed Schenectady Gazette Associated Press March 26, 1974 24 https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1917&dat=19740326&id=o2ctAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HIkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1927,2318455 June 14, 2013 Carry Peter Where There's A Willis Sports Illustrated May 21, 1973 https://www.si.com/vault/1973/05/21/618334/where-theres-a-willis September 15, 2019 Draft picks Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club team 1 16 Dean Meminger G United States Marquette 2 34 Gregg Northington F United States Alabama State 3 50 Kenny Mayfield G United States Tuskegee 1971 NBA Draft Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1971.html June 16, 2017 Roster New York Knicks 1971–72 12 Dick Barnett SG 6 4 190 Tennessee State 1936-10-02 24 Bill Bradley SF 6 5 205 Princeton 1943-07-28 22 Dave DeBusschere PF 6 6 220 Detroit Mercy 1940-10-16 10 Walt Frazier PG 6 4 200 Southern Illinois 1945-03-29 18 Phil Jackson PF 6 8 220 North Dakota 1945-09-17 32 Jerry Lucas F/C 6 8 230 Ohio State 1940-03-30 7 Dean Meminger G 6 0 175 Marquette 1948-05-13 42 Eddie Miles G 6 4 195 Seattle 1940-07-05 15 Earl Monroe G 6 3 185 Winston-Salem State 1944-11-21 16 Charlie Paulk F 6 8 219 Northeastern State 1946–06–14 23 Luther Rackley C 6 10 220 Xavier 1946-06-11 19 Willis Reed C 6 9 235 Grambling State 1942-06-25 Red Holzman Regular season Season standings NYK NYK z – clinched division title y – clinched division title x – clinched playoff spot Game log 1971–72 game log # Date Opponent Score High points Record 1 October 12 Detroit 91–84 Willis Reed (20) 0–1 2 October 16 Los Angeles 119–104 Bill Bradley (17) 0–2 3 October 17 @ Cleveland 121–120 (OT) Willis Reed (28) 1–2 4 October 19 Golden State 84–93 Bill Bradley (23) 2–2 5 October 22 @ Baltimore 110–87 Dean Meminger (25) 3–2 6 October 23 Atlanta 95–89 Willis Reed (25) 3–3 7 October 26 Boston 101–106 DeBusschere, Frazier (22) 4–3 8 October 27 @ Atlanta 96–110 Walt Frazier (20) 4–4 9 October 28 Houston 94–112 Barnett, DeBusschere (26) 5–4 10 October 30 Philadelphia 108–101 Jerry Lucas (28) 5–5 11 November 3 @ Houston 117–98 Walt Frazier (31) 6–5 12 November 5 @ Seattle 97–101 Walt Frazier (28) 6–6 13 November 7 @ Los Angeles 96–103 Jerry Lucas (20) 6–7 14 November 10 @ Cincinnati 85–99 Barnett, Frazier (15) 6–8 15 November 11 Golden State 112–103 Walt Frazier (30) 6–9 16 November 13 Detroit 105–127 Walt Frazier (24) 7–9 17 November 16 Phoenix 111–112 Walt Frazier (39) 8–9 18 November 20 Baltimore 114–125 Dave DeBusschere (35) 9–9 19 November 23 Cincinnati 110–125 Walt Frazier (23) 10–9 20 November 24 @ Baltimore 114–94 Walt Frazier (28) 11–9 21 November 26 @ Boston 104–89 Walt Frazier (25) 12–9 22 November 27 Chicago 99–100 Walt Frazier (27) 13–9 23 November 30 Seattle 110–109 Dave DeBusschere (29) 13–10 24 December 3 @ Chicago 96–122 Walt Frazier (19) 13–11 25 December 4 Buffalo 90–130 Walt Frazier (25) 14–11 26 December 7 Boston 105–97 Walt Frazier (25) 14–12 27 December 11 Portland 102–134 Walt Frazier (29) 15–12 28 December 12 @ Cleveland 103–92 Walt Frazier (30) 16–12 29 December 14 Phoenix 110–100 Dick Barnett (25) 16–13 30 December 17 @ Buffalo 115–95 Walt Frazier (39) 17–13 31 December 18 Cleveland 84–104 Walt Frazier (25) 18–13 32 December 21 @ Golden State 113–87 Walt Frazier (27) 19–13 33 December 22 @ Seattle 120–104 Walt Frazier (28) 20–13 34 December 23 @ Portland 120–117 Walt Frazier (36) 21–13 35 December 25 Golden State 89–114 Walt Frazier (36) 22–13 36 December 28 @ Detroit 119–100 Walt Frazier (30) 23–13 37 December 30 Baltimore 110–102 Frazier, Monroe (21) 23–14 38 January 1 Cincinnati 94–104 Walt Frazier (41) 24–14 39 January 3 Milwaukee 99–101 Walt Frazier (31) 25–14 40 January 4 @ Milwaukee 100–121 Walt Frazier (21) 25–15 41 January 7 @ Philadelphia 113–117 Walt Frazier (32) 25–16 42 January 8 Chicago 113–108 Walt Frazier (30) 25–17 43 January 11 @ Chicago 91–116 Walt Frazier (24) 25–18 44 January 14 N Golden State 111–115 Dick Barnett (26) 25–19 45 January 16 @ Houston 109–108 Walt Frazier (31) 26–19 46 January 20 @ Phoenix 109–130 Walt Frazier (21) 26–20 47 January 21 @ Los Angeles 104–101 Jerry Lucas (26) 27–20 48 January 23 @ Seattle 101–99 Earl Monroe (27) 28–20 49 January 25 Boston 106–109 Walt Frazier (35) 29–20 50 January 28 @ Boston 116–122 (OT) Lucas, Monroe (20) 29–21 51 January 29 Seattle 106–110 Walt Frazier (27) 30–21 52 February 1 Detroit 106–115 Bill Bradley (29) 31–21 53 February 2 @ Cincinnati 105–116 Bill Bradley (27) 31–22 54 February 4 @ Buffalo 103–84 Earl Monroe (21) 32–22 55 February 5 Philadelphia 104–112 Bill Bradley (30) 33–22 56 February 6 @ Philadelphia 109–107 Bill Bradley (28) 34–22 57 February 8 Los Angeles 107–102 Bill Bradley (26) 34–23 58 February 9 @ Detroit 126–102 Walt Frazier (31) 35–23 59 February 11 @ Milwaukee 113–107 Jerry Lucas (29) 36–23 60 February 12 Cleveland 91–106 Bill Bradley (23) 37–23 61 February 16 Houston 100–110 Walt Frazier (28) 38–23 62 February 17 @ Chicago 102–99 (OT) Walt Frazier (22) 39–23 63 February 19 Buffalo 95–100 Jerry Lucas (22) 40–23 64 February 20 @ Cleveland 109–111 Dave DeBusschere (28) 40–24 65 February 22 Portland 105–122 Walt Frazier (29) 41–24 66 February 26 Baltimore 104–97 Walt Frazier (22) 41–25 67 February 27 N Baltimore 97–95 (OT) Earl Monroe (21) 42–25 68 February 29 Los Angeles 114–111 Jerry Lucas (32) 42–26 69 March 3 @ Buffalo 97–105 Frazier, Lucas (19) 42–27 70 March 4 Philadelphia 115–118 (OT) Jerry Lucas (28) 43–27 71 March 5 @ Philadelphia 98–100 Dave DeBusschere (24) 43–28 72 March 7 Milwaukee 101–110 Jerry Lucas (30) 44–28 73 March 11 Phoenix 110–106 Bill Bradley (30) 44–29 74 March 12 @ Boston 109–112 Phil Jackson (28) 44–30 75 March 14 Atlanta 107–115 Barnett, Frazier (22) 45–30 76 March 16 @ Houston 103–102 Bradley, Monroe (20) 46–30 77 March 17 @ Phoenix 106–111 Walt Frazier (25) 46–31 78 March 18 @ Portland 86–133 Frazier, Rackley (15) 46–32 79 March 22 Buffalo 99–123 Bill Bradley (33) 47–32 80 March 24 @ Milwaukee 88–131 Jackson, Monroe (12) 47–33 81 March 25 Cleveland 83–98 Walt Frazier (23) 48–33 82 March 26 @ Atlanta 106–120 Walt Frazier (27) 48–34 Playoffs New York Knicks 1972 yes New York Knicks Conference semifinals yes yes no 3 0 1 2 |- | 1 | March 31 | @ Baltimore | L 105–108 (OT) | Walt Frazier (31) | Jerry Lucas (14) | Walt Frazier (6) | Baltimore Civic Center12,289 | 0–1 |- | 2 | April 2 | Baltimore | W 110–88 | Walt Frazier (30) | Dave DeBusschere (14) | Walt Frazier (9) | Madison Square Garden19,588 | 1–1 |- | 3 | April 4 | @ Baltimore | L 103–104 | Earl Monroe (28) | Jerry Lucas (12) | Bill Bradley (5) | Baltimore Civic Center12,289 | 1–2 |- | 4 | April 6 | Baltimore | W 104–98 | Bill Bradley (25) | Dave DeBusschere (13) | Walt Frazier (8) | Madison Square Garden19,588 | 2–2 |- | 5 | April 9 | @ Baltimore | W 106–82 | Lucas, Monroe (20) | Jerry Lucas (16) | Jerry Lucas (6) | Baltimore Civic Center10,244 | 3–2 |- | 6 | April 11 | Baltimore | W 107–101 | Lucas, Frazier (22) | Jerry Lucas (12) | Frazier, Monroe (5) | Madison Square Garden19,588 | 4–2 |- New York Knicks Conference finals yes no 2 0 2 1 |- | 1 | April 13 | @ Boston | W 116–94 | Walt Frazier (36) | Jerry Lucas (11) | Jerry Lucas (8) | Boston Garden14,292 | 1–0 |- | 2 | April 16 | Boston | W 106–105 | Dave DeBusschere (24) | Dave DeBusschere (17) | three players tied (4) | Madison Square Garden19,588 | 2–0 |- | 3 | April 19 | @ Boston | L 109–115 | Bill Bradley (29) | Dave DeBusschere (12) | Dave DeBusschere (6) | Boston Garden15,315 | 2–1 |- | 4 | April 21 | Boston | W 116–98 | Earl Monroe (26) | Dave DeBusschere (16) | Jerry Lucas (7) | Madison Square Garden19,588 | 3–1 |- | 5 | April 23 | @ Boston | W 111–103 | Dave DeBusschere (24) | Frazier, DeBusschere (11) | Walt Frazier (7) | Boston Garden15,315 | 4–1 |- New York Knicks NBA Finals yes no 0 2 1 2 |- | 1 | April 26 | @ Los Angeles | W 114–92 | Bill Bradley (29) | Dave DeBusschere (18) | Walt Frazier (11) | The Forum17,505 | 1–0 |- | 2 | April 30 | @ Los Angeles | L 92–106 | Walt Frazier (21) | Lucas, Jackson (11) | Walt Frazier (7) | The Forum17,505 | 1–1 |- | 3 | May 3 | Los Angeles | L 96–107 | Walt Frazier (25) | Jerry Lucas (14) | Jerry Lucas (6) | Madison Square Garden19,588 | 1–2 |- | 4 | May 5 | Los Angeles | L 111–116 (OT) | Bill Bradley (26) | Dave DeBusschere (13) | Jerry Lucas (11) | Madison Square Garden19,588 | 1–3 |- | 5 | May 7 | @ Los Angeles | L 100–114 | Walt Frazier (31) | Dave DeBusschere (14) | Walt Frazier (10) | The Forum17,505 | 1–4 |- NYK 1972 yes Awards and records Walt Frazier, All-NBA First Team 1971–72 NBA Season Summary Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1972.html May 24, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20090421061803/http://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1972.html April 21, 2009 live Walt Frazier, NBA All-Defensive First Team NBA & ABA All-Defensive Teams Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/all_defense.html August 17, 2013 Dave DeBusschere, NBA All-Defensive First Team References Bibliography Araton Harvey When the Garden Was Eden: Clyde, the Captain, Dollar Bill, and the Glory Days of the New York Knicks HarperCollins 2011 New York City 978-0-06-195623-2 registration https://archive.org/details/whengardenwasede00arat External links Knicks on Basketball Reference 1972 NBA Playoff Summary New York Category:New York Knicks seasons Category:Eastern Conference (NBA) championship seasons New York Knicks New York Knicks Category:1970s in Manhattan