1974–75 New York Knicks season

The 1974–75 New York Knicks season was the 29th season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In the regular season, the Knicks had a 40–42 win–loss record, finishing in third place in the Atlantic Division and qualifying for the NBA playoffs. New York lost to the Houston Rockets in the best-of-three first round of the playoffs, two games to one.

In the first round of the 1974 NBA draft, the Knicks did not select any players; their first pick was the 32nd overall choice in the second round, which they used to acquire Jesse Dark. The team alternated between wins and losses in their first eight games of the season, and were 6–6 before winning 11 of their next 13 games. They then lost six of the following seven contests, and by February 11 they fell below .500 for the season, at 27–28. New York remained with more losses than wins for the rest of the season, but still reached the postseason.

The Knicks were seeded fifth in the Eastern Conference and faced the fourth-seeded Rockets in the opening round of the playoffs. After a 15-point loss in Houston, the Knicks required a victory at home to extend their season, and defeated the Rockets 106–96 to force a decisive third game in the series. The Rockets won the final game, by a score of 118–86, to end New York's season.

Draft picks

Note: This is not an extensive list; it only covers the first and second rounds, and any other players picked by the franchise that played at least one game in the league.

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Notes

• y – division champions
• x – clinched playoff spot

Season schedule

|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 1 || October 17 || New Orleans || 74–89 || Earl Monroe (20) || John Gianelli (18) || Bill Bradley (8) || Madison Square Garden<br>15,883 || 1–0 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 2 || October 19 || Philadelphia || 99–86 || Henry Bibby (20) || Bill Bradley (7) || Henry Bibby (5) || Madison Square Garden<br>15,682 || 1–1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 3 || October 22 || Houston || 100–110 || Bill Bradley (22) || Phil Jackson (7) || Walt Frazier (8) || Madison Square Garden<br>14,555 || 2–1 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 4 || October 24 || @ Buffalo || 91–111 || Earl Monroe (18) || John Gianelli (8) || Walt Frazier (7) || Maple Leaf Gardens<br>5,981 || 2–2 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 5 || October 26 || Boston || 86–97 || Walt Frazier (26) || Walt Frazier (10) || Frazier, Monroe (5) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,694 || 3–2 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 6 || October 30 || @ Washington || 86–94 || Walt Frazier (24) || Phil Jackson (10) || Walt Frazier (2) || Capital Centre<br>7,842 || 3–3 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 7 || October 31 || Atlanta || 90–93 || Earl Monroe (35) || John Gianelli (13) || Henry Bibby (8) || Madison Square Garden<br>15,413 || 4–3 |-

|- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 8 || November 2 || Chicago || 95–90 || Henry Bibby (27) || Harthorne Wingo (8) || Henry Bibby (6) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,543 || 4–4 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 9 || November 5 || @ Houston || 106–93 || Bill Bradley (30) || Harthorne Wingo (13) || Henry Bibby (8) || Hofheinz Pavilion<br>3,855 || 5–4 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 10 || November 8 || @ Los Angeles || 117–105 || Bill Bradley (32) || Frazier, Wingo (11) || Walt Frazier (10) || The Forum<br>13,304 || 6–4 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 11 || November 9 || @ Golden State || 93–97 || Walt Frazier (23) || John Gianelli (12) || Bill Bradley (5) || Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>9,556 || 6–5 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 12 || November 12 || @ Portland || 103–105 || Earl Monroe (33) || John Gianelli (12) || Walt Frazier (9) || Memorial Coliseum<br>10,791 || 6–6 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 13 || November 14 || Cleveland || 89–94 || Earl Monroe (26) || John Gianelli (12) || Walt Frazier (6) || Madison Square Garden<br>15,337 || 7–6 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 14 || November 16 || Seattle || 94–104 || Earl Monroe (30) || John Gianelli (15) || Bibby, Frazier (6) || Madison Square Garden<br>18,932 || 8–6 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 15 || November 19 || Washington || 85–86 || Earl Monroe (22) || Walt Frazier (16) || Walt Frazier (6) || Madison Square Garden<br>18,444 || 9–6 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 16 || November 20 || @ Philadelphia || 105–95 || Walt Frazier (30) || Howard Porter (15) || Walt Frazier (11) || The Spectrum<br>8,101 || 10–6 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 17 || November 21 || @ Atlanta || 101–95 || Earl Monroe (28) || Harthorne Wingo (13) || Earl Monroe (4) || Omni Coliseum<br>5,885 || 11–6 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 18 || November 23 || Milwaukee || 90–72 || Earl Monroe (17) || John Gianelli (9) || John Gianelli (4) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,694 || 11–7 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 19 || November 26 || Detroit || 99–88 || Walt Frazier (27) || Harthorne Wingo (6) || Bradley, Frazier (3) || Madison Square Garden<br>18,254 || 11–8 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 20 || November 29 || @ Boston || 96–86 || Earl Monroe (27) || Gianelli, Wingo (9) || Walt Frazier (7) || Boston Garden<br>15,320 || 12–8 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 21 || November 30 || Buffalo || 111–118 || Walt Frazier (30) || Mel Davis (12) || Walt Frazier (7) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,694 || 13–8 |-

|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 22 || December 3 || Los Angeles || 95–100 || Phil Jackson (22) || Harthorne Wingo (11) || Earl Monroe (7) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,011 || 14–8 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 23 || December 6 || @ Philadelphia || 96–88 || Walt Frazier (26) || Walt Frazier (9) || Bradley, Frazier (4) || The Spectrum<br>7,104 || 15–8 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 24 || December 7 || Portland || 112–120 || Walt Frazier (24) || Harthorne Wingo (9) || Walt Frazier (7) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,694 || 16–8 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 25 || December 10 || Kansas City–Omaha || 102–106 || Walt Frazier (34) || Phil Jackson (9) || Walt Frazier (4) || Madison Square Garden<br>16,366 || 17–8 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 26 || December 13 || @ Buffalo || 104–108 || Walt Frazier (22) || Mel Davis (16) || Walt Frazier (8) || Buffalo Memorial Auditorium<br>12,774 || 17–9 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 27 || December 14 || Buffalo || 118–102 || Walt Frazier (26) || Frazier, Jackson, Wingo (8) || Walt Frazier (6) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,694 || 17–10 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 28 || December 17 || Golden State || 126–108 || Earl Monroe (28) || Phil Jackson (10) || Walt Frazier (9) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,694 || 17–11 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 29 || December 19 || @ Kansas City–Omaha || 117–113 || Bradley, Frazier (27) || Harthorne Wingo (12) || Bill Bradley (6) || Kemper Arena<br>6,622 || 18–11 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 30 || December 21 || Boston || 109–91 || Walt Frazier (25) || John Gianelli (11) || Bill Bradley (5) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,694 || 18–12 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 31 || December 25 || Philadelphia || 104–97 || Earl Monroe (29) || Mel Davis (7) || Walt Frazier (7) || Madison Square Garden<br>18,766 || 18–13 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 32 || December 26 || @ Detroit || 83–84 || Earl Monroe (24) || John Gianelli (12) || Walt Frazier (6) || Cobo Arena<br>11,265 || 18–14 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 33 || December 28 || New Orleans || 94–101 || Phil Jackson (18) || Phil Jackson (10) || Bradley, Frazier, Gianelli (4) || Madison Square Garden<br>18,555 || 19–14 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 34 || December 29 || @ Milwaukee || 89–115 || Harthorne Wingo (16) || Phil Jackson (11) || Earl Monroe (6) || MECCA Arena<br>10,938 || 19–15 |-

|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 35 || January 2 || Phoenix || 113–117 (OT) || Walt Frazier (32) || John Gianelli (13) || Earl Monroe (8) || Madison Square Garden<br>16,570 || 20–15 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 36 || January 4 || Cleveland || 102–103 || Walt Frazier (24) || Frazier, Jackson, Monroe, Wingo (7) || Bradley, Frazier, Monroe (4) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,694 || 21–15 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 37 || January 7 || @ Portland || 92–106 || Walt Frazier (23) || John Gianelli (13) || Walt Frazier (6) || Memorial Coliseum<br>9,715 || 21–16 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 38 || January 8 || @ Seattle || 113–102 || Earl Monroe (38) || Phil Jackson (12) || Walt Frazier (8) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>13,203 || 22–16 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 39 || January 9 || @ Golden State || 96–132 || Henry Bibby (23) || John Gianelli (10) || Walt Frazier (6) || Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>12,392 || 22–17 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 40 || January 11 || @ Phoenix || 107–113 || Walt Frazier (43) || John Gianelli (12) || Walt Frazier (5) || Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>7,592 || 22–18 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 41 || January 17 || @ Kansas City–Omaha || 90–107 || Earl Monroe (26) || Mel Davis (14) || Walt Frazier (6) || Kemper Arena<br>10,022 || 22–19 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 42 || January 18 || @ Chicago || 104–91 || Frazier, Monroe (25) || Mel Davis (12) || Earl Monroe (6) || Chicago Stadium<br>17,422 || 23–19 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 43 || January 21 || Chicago || 97–94 || Earl Monroe (26) || John Gianelli (10) || Frazier, Monroe (5) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,694 || 23–20 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 44 || January 23 || @ Cleveland || 100–89 || Phil Jackson (29) || Phil Jackson (13) || Frazier, Gianelli, Jackson (3) || Richfield Coliseum<br>9,251 || 24–20 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 45 || January 24 || @ Buffalo || 99–105 || Walt Frazier (20) || John Gianelli (14) || Walt Frazier (7) || Buffalo Memorial Auditorium<br>18,194 || 24–21 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 46 || January 25 || Kansas City–Omaha || 112–103 || Walt Frazier (29) || Mel Davis (18) || Walt Frazier (7) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,694 || 24–22 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 47 || January 28 || Atlanta || 111–115 || Walt Frazier (39) || Mel Davis (10) || Walt Frazier (10) || Madison Square Garden<br>17,754 || 25–22 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 48 || January 29 || @ Philadelphia || 92–98 || Walt Frazier (29) || Mel Davis (15) || Walt Frazier (5) || The Spectrum<br>9,082 || 25–23 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 49 || January 30 || @ Atlanta || 117–115 || Earl Monroe (30) || John Gianelli (10) || Walt Frazier (5) || Omni Coliseum<br>7,395 || 26–23 |-

|- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 50 || February 1 || Houston || 95–93 || Bill Bradley (23) || John Gianelli (10) || Walt Frazier (8) || Madison Square Garden<br>18,284 || 26–24 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 51 || February 2 || @ New Orleans || 114–118 || Earl Monroe (25) || Phil Jackson (12) || Bradley, Frazier (5) || Loyola Field House<br>6,419 || 26–25 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 52 || February 4 || Los Angeles || 94–109 || Frazier, Monroe (20) || Davis, Gianelli (9) || Walt Frazier (8) || Madison Square Garden<br>18,112 || 27–25 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 53 || February 8 || Boston || 128–102 || Walt Frazier (27) || Davis, Gianelli (6) || Walt Frazier (8) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,694 || 27–26 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 54 || February 9 || @ Boston || 88–105 || Jim Barnett (19) || John Gianelli (10) || Davis, Monroe (4) || Boston Garden<br>15,320 || 27–27 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 55 || February 11 || @ Chicago || 84–101 || Phil Jackson (16) || John Gianelli (11) || Walt Frazier (8) || Chicago Stadium<br>12,317 || 27–28 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 56 || February 15 || Washington || 108–106 (OT) || Mel Davis (24) || Mel Davis (17) || Walt Frazier (9) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,694|| 27–29 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 57 || February 16 || @ Washington || 104–125 || Jim Barnett (22) || John Gianelli (9) || Jim Barnett (5) || Capital Centre<br>19,035 || 27–30 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 58 || February 18 || Golden State || 98–99 || Walt Frazier (34) || Walt Frazier (6) || Walt Frazier (8) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,694 || 28–30 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 59 || February 19 || @ Detroit || 109–94 || Walt Frazier (35) || John Gianelli (12) || John Gianelli (6) || Cobo Arena<br>8,056 || 29–30 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 60 || February 22 || Buffalo || 92–85 || Walt Frazier (24) || John Gianelli (13) || Walt Frazier (6) || Madison Square Garden<br>8,832 || 29–31 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 61 || February 25 || Seattle || 102–101 || Walt Frazier (23) || Mel Davis (10) || Walt Frazier (9) || Madison Square Garden<br>17,096 || 29–32 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 62 || February 26 || @ Boston || 103–121 || Earl Monroe (20) || Mel Davis (12) || Frazier, Monroe (4) || Boston Garden<br>13,169 || 29–33 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 63 || February 28 || @ Buffalo || 114–106 || Walt Frazier (28) || Frazier, Wingo (7) || Walt Frazier (6) || Buffalo Memorial Auditorium<br>15,519 || 30–33 |-

|- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 64 || March 1 || Philadelphia || 100–94 || Bill Bradley (22) || John Gianelli (13) || Earl Monroe (7) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,465 || 30–34 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 65 || March 2 || @ Philadelphia || 87–91 || Walt Frazier (20) || Phil Jackson (10) || Walt Frazier (4) || The Spectrum<br>9,823 || 30–35 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 66 || March 4 || Boston || 126–111 || Dennis Bell (20) || Harthorne Wingo (8) || Walt Frazier (7) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,694 || 30–36 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 67 || March 8 || Detroit || 100–118 || Bill Bradley (32) || John Gianelli (15) || Walt Frazier (7) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,694 || 31–36 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 68 || March 11 || Phoenix || 98–103 || Earl Monroe (31) || Walt Frazier (9) || Walt Frazier (8) || Madison Square Garden<br>17,443 || 32–36 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 69 || March 13 || Portland || 103–116 || Earl Monroe (29) || John Gianelli (13) || Frazier, Gianelli, Monroe (5) || Madison Square Garden<br>17,247 || 33–36 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 70 || March 14 || @ Houston || 103–94 || Earl Monroe (22) || John Gianelli (9) || Walt Frazier (8) || Hofheinz Pavilion<br>9,471 || 34–36 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 71 || March 16 || @ Seattle || 94–97 || Earl Monroe (30) || Phil Jackson (13) || Earl Monroe (8) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,082 || 34–37 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 72 || March 18 || @ Los Angeles || 109–100 || Walt Frazier (27) || Walt Frazier (13) || Walt Frazier (11) || The Forum<br>10,963 || 35–37 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 73 || March 19 || @ Phoenix || 101–96 || Earl Monroe (30) || Harthorne Wingo (16) || Walt Frazier (6) || Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>5,492 || 36–37 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 74 || March 22 || Boston || 90–81 || Walt Frazier (20) || John Gianelli (10) || Walt Frazier (6) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,694 || 36–38 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 75 || March 23 || @ Boston || 86–96 || Earl Monroe (20) || Phil Jackson (16) || Bill Bradley (4) || Boston Garden<br>12,656 || 36–39 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 76 || March 26 || @ Philadelphia || 128–98 || Earl Monroe (26) || Phil Jackson (14) || Walt Frazier (11) || The Spectrum<br>6,730 || 37–39 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 77 || March 28 || @ New Orleans || 102–111 || Earl Monroe (28) || Phil Jackson (15) || Bradley, Monroe (4) || Municipal Auditorium<br>8,002 || 37–40 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 78 || March 30 || Milwaukee || 99–111 || Earl Monroe (24) || Gianelli, Wingo (10) || Walt Frazier (14) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,694 || 38–40 |-

|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 79 || April 1 || Philadelphia || 95–99 || Earl Monroe (26) || Harthorne Wingo (10) || Walt Frazier (7) || Madison Square Garden<br>17,888 || 39–40 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 80 || April 3 || @ Cleveland || 95–100 || Earl Monroe (21) || Phil Jackson (13) || Walt Frazier (6) || Richfield Coliseum<br>20,239 || 39–41 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 81 || April 4 || @ Milwaukee || 101–109 || Walt Frazier (25) || Phil Jackson (12) || Walt Frazier (7) || MECCA Arena<br>10,938 || 39–42 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 82 || April 6 || Buffalo || 93–105 || Walt Frazier (26) || John Gianelli (11) || Walt Frazier (12) || Madison Square Garden<br>19,694 || 40–42 |-

Playoffs

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | April 8 | @ Houston | W 99–84 | Walt Frazier (21) | Phil Jackson (13) | Walt Frazier (11) | Hofheinz Pavilion<br>10,218 | 0–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | April 10 | Houston | L 96–106 | Walt Frazier (26) | Phil Jackson (10) | Harthorne Wingo (7) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,694 | 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | April 12 | @ Houston | W 118–86 | Walt Frazier (24) | Harthorne Wingo (10) | Walt Frazier (4) | Hofheinz Pavilion<br>10,218 | 1–2 |-

Awards and records

• Walt Frazier, All-NBA First Team
• Walt Frazier, NBA All-Defensive First Team

References