1946–47 New York Knicks season

Season of the Basketball Association of America (NBA) New York Knicks team March 2026 August 2023 New York Knicks BAA 1947 33 27 Eastern 3 Neil Cohalan Ned Irish Ned Irish Madison Square Garden WCBS-TV/WNBT WHN BAA Semifinals(lost to Warriors 0–2) 1 The 1946–47 New York Knickerbockers season was the first ever season of the franchise in the Basketball Association of America (BAA), now known as the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Knickerbockers, or Knicks in shorthand term, named for Father Knickerbocker (a popular symbol of New York), are one of only two teams of the original National Basketball Association still located in its original city (the other being the Boston Celtics), as well as are one of only three teams from the original BAA/NBA to still exist in the present day, with the Golden State Warriors being the third and final team still existing in the present era after previously being known as the Philadelphia Warriors. The Knickerbockers' first head coach was Neil Cohalan (who was considered the team's second choice for head coach behind former Original Celtics player and current (at the time) St. John's University men's basketball coach Joe Lapchick), with Ned Irish (who was well-known for being a stubborn, bossy micromanager) being their first general manager and owner for good measure.Rosen Charley The First Tip-Off: The Incredible Story of the Birth of the NBA 2008 McGraw Hill 9780071487856, pp. 163–164 During their first season in the BAA/NBA, the Knickerbockers finished the season with a 33–27 record, being five games ahead of the Providence Steamrollers for the last playoff spot in their division. After defeating the Cleveland Rebels in the quarterfinal round, they would eventually get swept 2–0 in the semifinal round to the eventual inaugural champions of the league, the Philadelphia Warriors. Greater details on their first season would be explored in Charley Rosen's book called "The First Tip-Off: The Incredible Story of the Birth of the NBA", with an entire chapter dedicated to the Knickerbockers' first season in the BAA/NBA alongside the various highs and lows (mostly highs from this specific season) that would eventually lead to them becoming the franchise that they are today.Rosen Charley The First Tip-Off: The Incredible Story of the Birth of the NBA 2008 McGraw Hill 9780071487856, pp. 163–178 Roster Due to this being the first season in the franchise's history, the BAA didn't utilize a draft system like they would in future seasons of the BAA/NBA and instead relied upon some combination of the head coach and the general manager of the team finding and signing players in time to start out their training camp period for the season.Rosen Charley The First Tip-Off: The Incredible Story of the Birth of the NBA 2008 McGraw Hill 9780071487856, p. 40 For the Knickerbockers, team owner and general manager Ned Irish personally thought he knew better than either Joe Lapchick or head coach Neil Cohalan for players to add onto the opening season roster (primarily when it came to the notion of having local talents being included onto the team's inaugural roster), meaning he would overrule both of them on the final composition to start out the regular season.Rosen Charley The First Tip-Off: The Incredible Story of the Birth of the NBA 2008 McGraw Hill 9780071487856, p. 165 In this case, Ned Irish would see to it that Sonny Hertzberg from the City College of New York, Leo Gottlieb from DeWitt Clinton High School (and also supposedly attended the City College of New York as wellRosen Charley The First Tip-Off: The Incredible Story of the Birth of the NBA 2008 McGraw Hill 9780071487856, p. 166), Tommy Byrnes from Seton Hall College, Ossie Schectman from Long Island University, Ralph Kaplowitz from New York University, Nat Militzok from Cornell University, Hank Rosenstein from the Boys High School in Brooklyn and the City College of New York, Bob Mullens from Fordham University, Stan Stutz from Rhose Island State University, Bob Cluggish from the University of Kentucky, and former Indianapolis Kautskys center Jake Weber from Purdue University would be a part of his opening roster, with many of them not only representing the state of New York, but also being Jewish as well.Rosen Charley The First Tip-Off: The Incredible Story of the Birth of the NBA 2008 McGraw Hill 9780071487856, pp. 165–168 New York Knicks 1946–47 12 - 15 Aud Brindley F 6 4 180 1923-12-31 Dartmouth 14 Tommy Byrnes F/G 6 3 240 1923-02-19 Seton Hall 3 Bob Cluggish C 6 10 235 1917-09-18 Kentucky 10 Bob Fitzgerald basketball F/C 6 5 190 1923-03-14 Seton Hall 4 Frido Frey F 6 2 195 1921-10-26 LIU Brooklyn 9 Leo Gottlieb G 5 11 180 1920-11-28 DeWitt Clinton HS (NY) 8 Sonny Hertzberg G 5 10 175 1922-07-29 City College of New York 5 - 19 Lee Knorek C 6 7 215 1921-07-15 Detroit Mercy 5 Frank Mangiapane G 5 10 195 1925-08-05 NYU 16 Bud Palmer F/C 6 4 180 1921-07-14 Princeton 6 Ossie Schectman G 6 0 175 1919-03-30 LIU Brooklyn 7 Stan Stutz G/F 5 10 175 1920-04-14 Rhode Island 11 - 17 Butch van Breda Kolff G/F 6 3 185 1922-10-28 NYU Neil Cohalan Regular season The Knickerbockers' (and the BAA's) first ever game as the New York Knickerbockers was played on November 1, 1946, against the Toronto Huskies at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens, where the Knickerbockers won 68–66.Goldaper, Sam. The First Game, National Basketball Association. Accessed 2008-03-25. Season standings NYK Game log background:#1560BE; color:#FF8800 1946–47 game log y background:#FF8800; color:white November Game Date Opponent Score Location High points Record |- | 1 || November 1 || @ Toronto || W 68–66 || Maple Leaf Gardens || Leo Gottlieb (14) || 1–0 |- | 2 || November 2 || @ Chicago || L 47–63 || Chicago Stadium || Leo Gottlieb (12) || 1–1 |- | 3 || November 7 || @ St. Louis || W 68–63 || St. Louis Arena || Hertzberg, Schectman (11) || 2–1 |- | 4 || November 11 || Chicago || L 68–78 (OT) || Madison Square Garden || Sonny Hertzberg (19) || 2–2 |- | 5 || November 16 || Pittsburgh || W 64–62 (OT) || Madison Square Garden || Kaplowitz, Schectman (14) || 3–2 |- | 6 || November 18 || Detroit || W 61–57 || Madison Square Garden || Sonny Hertzberg (14) || 4–2 |- | 7 || November 20 || Chicago || W 72–69 || Madison Square Garden || Sonny Hertzberg (19) || 5–2 |- | 8 || November 23 || Cleveland || W 82–76 (OT) || Madison Square Garden || Sonny Hertzberg (18) || 6–2 |- | 9 || November 25 || @ Pittsburgh || W 62–46 || Duquesne Gardens || Stan Stutz (15) || 7–2 |- | 10 || November 27 || St. Louis || W 67–60 || Madison Square Garden || Tommy Byrnes (17) || 8–2 |- | 11 || November 28 || @ Providence || W 60–58 || Rhode Island Auditorium || Tommy Byrnes (18) || 9–2 |- | 12 || November 30 || Philadelphia || W 64–60 (OT) || Madison Square Garden || Tommy Byrnes (17) || 10–2 |- y background:#FF8800; color:white December Game Date Opponent Score Location High points Record |- | 13 || December 4 || Detroit || W 70–57 || Madison Square Garden || Ralph Kaplowitz (15) || 11–2 |- | 14 || December 5 || @ Philadelphia || L 51–62 || Philadelphia Arena || Ralph Kaplowitz (13) || 11–3 |- | 15 || December 7 || @ Boston || W 90–65 || Boston Garden || Stan Stutz (29) || 12–3 |- | 16 || December 8 || Boston || W 62–44 || Madison Square Garden || Stan Stutz (21) || 13–3 |- | 17 || December 11 || Providence || W 83–68 || Madison Square Garden || Sonny Hertzberg (16) || 14–3 |- | 18 || December 15 || @ Cleveland || L 52–70 || Cleveland Arena || Sonny Hertzberg (16) || 14–4 |- | 19 || December 18 || Cleveland || L 53–56 || Madison Square Garden || Leo Gottlieb (9) || 14–5 |- | 20 || December 20 || @ Toronto || L 70–74 || Maple Leaf Gardens || Sonny Hertzberg (22) || 14–6 |- | 21 || December 21 || @ Providence || L 61–63 || Rhode Island Auditorium || Stan Stutz (17) || 14–7 |- | 22 || December 28 || @ Washington || L 49–70 || Uline Arena || Sonny Hertzberg (12) || 14–8 |- y background:#FF8800; color:white January Game Date Opponent Score Location High points Record |- | 23 || January 4 || @ Detroit || W 62–50 || Detroit Olympia || Leo Gottlieb (22) || 15–8 |- | 24 || January 5 || @ St. Louis || W 59–57 || St. Louis Arena || Leo Gottlieb (21) || 16–8 |- | 25 || January 8 || Toronto || L 63–76 || Madison Square Garden || Leo Gottlieb (16) || 16–9 |- | 26 || January 10 || @ Boston || L 62–66 || Boston Garden || Bob Cluggish (10) || 16–10 |- | 27 || January 13 || @ Pittsburgh || W 53–50 || Duquesne Gardens || Ossie Schectman (19) || 17–10 |- | 28 || January 15 || Washington || L 63–65 || Madison Square Garden || Ossie Schectman (19) || 17–11 |- | 29 || January 18 || Boston || L 45–58 || Madison Square Garden || Sonny Hertzberg (10) || 17–12 |- | 30 || January 19 || @ Cleveland || L 72–79 || Cleveland Arena || Tommy Byrnes (18) || 17–13 |- | 31 || January 22 || Chicago || W 74–64 || Madison Square Garden || Tommy Byrnes (22) || 18–13 |- | 32 || January 25 || Boston || L 46–52 || Madison Square Garden || Bud Palmer (12) || 18–14 |- | 33 || January 29 || Pittsburgh || W 64–60 || Madison Square Garden || Bud Palmer (13) || 19–14 |- | 34 || January 30 || @ Philadelphia || L 58–65 || Philadelphia Arena || Bud Palmer (16) || 19–15 |- y background:#FF8800; color:white February Game Date Opponent Score Location High points Record |- | 35 || February 1 || Philadelphia || L 63–71 || Madison Square Garden || Palmer, Schectman (12) || 19–16 |- | 36 || February 2 || @ Detroit || L 63–65 || Detroit Olympia || Stan Stutz (22) || 19–17 |- | 37 || February 5 || St. Louis || L 46–71 || Madison Square Garden || Stan Stutz (8) || 19–18 |- | 38 || February 6 || @ Boston || L 48–49 || Boston Garden || Leo Gottlieb (8) || 19–19 |- | 39 || February 8 || Toronto || W 69–46 || Madison Square Garden || Bud Palmer (16) || 20–19 |- | 40 || February 12 || Washington || W 76–72 || Madison Square Garden || Lee Knorek (21) || 21–19 |- | 41 || February 15 || Cleveland || L 84–90 || Madison Square Garden || Ossie Schectman (18) || 21–20 |- | 42 || February 16 || @ Detroit || W 66–58 || Detroit Olympia || Palmer, Stutz (14) || 22–20 |- | 43 || February 19 || Providence || L 62–69 || Madison Square Garden || Ossie Schectman (16) || 22–21 |- | 44 || February 21 || Pittsburgh || W 77–49 || Madison Square Garden || Bud Palmer (15) || 23–21 |- | 45 || February 23 || @ Chicago || L 68–82 || Chicago Stadium || Ossie Schectman (18) || 23–22 |- | 46 || February 26 || Washington || L 60–84 || Madison Square Garden || Bud Palmer (13) || 23–23 |- | 47 || February 27 || @ Providence || W 73–65 || Rhode Island Auditorium || Stan Stutz (19) || 24–23 |- y background:#FF8800; color:white March Game Date Opponent Score Location High points Record |- | 48 || March 1 || Toronto || W 63–48 || Madison Square Garden || Bud Palmer (15) || 25–23 |- | 49 || March 6 || @ Philadelphia || W 61–59 || Philadelphia Arena || Ossie Schectman (14) || 26–23 |- | 50 || March 8 || Detroit || W 64–61 || Madison Square Garden || Bud Palmer (11) || 27–23 |- | 51 || March 13 || St. Louis || W 78–74 (2OT) || Madison Square Garden || Knorek, Stutz (20) || 28–23 |- | 52 || March 15 || @ Washington || L 63–78 || Uline Arena || Leo Gottlieb (12) || 28–24 |- | 53 || March 16 || @ Cleveland || W 81–69 || Cleveland Arena || Sonny Hertzberg (21) || 29–24 |- | 54 || March 19 || @ Chicago || W 65–57 || Chicago Stadium || Sonny Hertzberg (16) || 30–24 |- | 55 || March 20 || @ St. Louis || L 49–51 || St. Louis Arena || Bud Palmer (11) || 30–25 |- | 56 || March 22 || @ Washington || W 68–63 || Uline Arena || Sonny Hertzberg (23) || 31–25 |- | 57 || March 24 || @ Pittsburgh || W 65–51 || Duquesne Gardens || Bud Palmer (20) || 32–25 |- | 58 || March 26 || Providence || W 91–84 (2OT) || Madison Square Garden || Tommy Byrnes (22) || 33–25 |- | 59 || March 28 || @ Toronto || L 61–71 || Maple Leaf Gardens || Tommy Byrnes (14) || 33–26 |- | 60 || March 30 || @ Philadelphia || L 72–76 || Philadelphia Arena || Lee Knorek (17) || 33–27 |- |- | 1946–47 Schedule Playoffs New York Knicks 1947 yes New York Knicks First Round yes yes no 2 0 0 1 yes yes |- | 1 | April 2 | @ Cleveland | L 51–77 | Lee Knorek (10) | Cleveland Arena | 0–1 |- | 2 | April 5 | Cleveland | W 86–74 | Stan Stutz (30) | Madison Square Garden III10,321 | 1–1 |- | 3 | April 9 | Cleveland | W 93–71 | Bud Palmer (26) | Madison Square Garden III5,124 | 2–1 |- New York Knicks BAA Semifinals yes no 0 1 0 1 yes yes yes |- | 1 | April 12 | @ Philadelphia | L 70–82 | Lee Knorek (20) | Philadelphia Arena | 0–1 |- | 2 | April 14 | Philadelphia | L 53–72 | Tommy Byrnes (11) | Madison Square Garden III | 0–2 |- NYK 1947 yes Player statistics Transactions List of 1946–47 BAA season transactions Trades January 21, 1947 To New York KnicksBob Fitzgerald"1946-47 New York Knicks Transactions". Basketball Reference. Accessed on June 21, 2017. To Toronto HuskiesBob Mullens Sales PlayerDate soldNew teamJake WeberDecember 2, 1946Providence SteamrollersRalph KaplowitzJanuary 16, 1947Philadelphia WarriorsHank RosensteinJanuary 26, 1947Providence SteamrollersNat Militzok"Nat Militzok Stats". Basketball Reference. Accessed on June 21, 2017.February, 1947Toronto Huskies Season Profits Throughout this season, the New York Knickerbockers only had an average total of 3,406 paid attendees per game, with net receipts totaling up to $204,043 for the season, which led to the New York franchise being the only team out of every single BAA team operating this season to actually earn a profit this season with an estimated total profit margin of around $20,000 at hand for this particular season of play.Rosen Charley The First Tip-Off: The Incredible Story of the Birth of the NBA 2008 McGraw Hill 9780071487856, p. 178 As a result of this surprising profit margin of theirs (at least when compared to every other BAA team operating at a loss for this season) combined with the Knickerbockers' performance throughout the season, New York would be one of six teams to fully confirm their interest in staying on board for another season while playing in the BAA.http://www.apbr.org/baaminutes.html BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA LEAGUE MINUTES 1946-1949 Bradley Robert APBR October 10, 2025 To this day, they join the Boston Celtics as the only inaugural BAA/NBA team to still operate in their original location, with the Golden State Warriors (formerly known as the Philadelphia Warriors) also being the only other BAA/NBA team from this time still existing in the present day. References External links Knicks on Database Basketball Knicks on Basketball Reference Category:New York Knicks seasons New York New York Knicks New York Knicks Category:1940s in Manhattan