The 1998âÂÂ99 New York Knicks season was the 52nd season for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association. Due to a lockout, the regular season began on February 5, 1999, and was cut from 82 games to 50. Head coach Jeff Van Gundy entered in his third full season coaching the Knicks. To give All-Star center Patrick Ewing more help offensively and defensively, the Knicks acquired controversial All-Star guard Latrell Sprewell from the Golden State Warriors, acquired Marcus Camby from the Toronto Raptors, and signed free agents Kurt Thomas, and three-point specialist Dennis Scott during the off-season. However, Scott was released by the team to free agency after 15 games, and later on signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
With the addition of Sprewell, Camby and Thomas, the Knicks won eight of their first eleven games of the regular season. However, the team dealt with injuries, as Sprewell only played 37 games due to a stress fracture in his right heel, and Ewing only appeared in 38 games due to a knee injury. The Knicks played mediocre basketball around .500 in winning percentage for most of the season, and held a 21âÂÂ21 record as of April 19, 1999. The Knicks won six of their final eight games of the season to finish in fourth place in the Atlantic Division with a 27âÂÂ23 record, earning the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, and qualifying for the NBA playoffs for the twelfth consecutive year.
Ewing averaged 17.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game, while Sprewell played a sixth man role off the bench, averaging 16.4 points per game, and Allan Houston provided the team with 16.3 points per game. In addition, Larry Johnson contributed 12.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, while Thomas provided with 8.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, and Charlie Ward contributed 7.6 points, 5.4 assists and 2.1 steals per game. Off the bench, Camby averaged 7.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, and Chris Childs contributed 6.8 points and 4.0 assists per game. Sprewell also finished tied in tenth place in Most Improved Player voting; despite a stellar season off the bench, he did not receive any votes in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1999 NBA playoffs, and for the third consecutive year, the Knicks faced off against the topâÂÂseeded, and Atlantic Division champion Miami Heat, who were led by All-Star center, and Defensive Player of the Year, Alonzo Mourning, All-Star guard Tim Hardaway, and Jamal Mashburn. The Knicks took a 2âÂÂ1 series lead over the Heat, before losing Game 4 at home at Madison Square Garden, 87âÂÂ72. With the series tied at 2âÂÂ2, the Knicks won Game 5 over the Heat on the road, 78âÂÂ77 at the Miami Arena, in which Houston hit the game-winning buzzer-beater; the Knicks defeated the Heat in a hard-fought five-game series, and became the second 8thâÂÂseeded team in NBA history to defeat the firstâÂÂseeded team.
In the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, the Knicks faced off against the 4thâÂÂseeded Atlanta Hawks, who were led by All-Star center Dikembe Mutombo, All-Star guard Steve Smith and Mookie Blaylock. Despite the Hawks having home-court advantage in the series, the Knicks won the first two games on the road at the Georgia Dome, before winning the next two games at Madison Square Garden, winning Game 4 over the Hawks by a score of 79âÂÂ66 to complete a four-game sweep of the series, and become the first #8 seed in NBA history to do so. After struggling during most of the regular season, Camby emerged as a key player off a deep Knicks bench, particularly with his 11 points and 13 rebounds in Game 2.
In the Eastern Conference Finals, and for the second consecutive year, the Knicks faced off against the 2ndâÂÂseeded, and Central Division champion Indiana Pacers, who were led by All-Star guard Reggie Miller, All-Star center Rik Smits, and sixth man Jalen Rose. The Knicks won Game 1 over the Pacers on the road, 93âÂÂ90 at the Market Square Arena, but then lost Game 2 to the Pacers, 88âÂÂ86. In Game 2, the Knicks lost Ewing to injury for the remainder of the playoffs; Ewing had been battling an Achilles tendon injury, and it was learned that the tendon was partially torn, forcing an end to his season. The Knicks were rescued by Johnson in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden; standing outside the three-point line with 11.9 seconds left, Johnson held the ball, and then began to dribble; he leaned into Pacers defender Antonio Davis before jumping up. The referee called the foul about a half-second before Johnson released the ball, but it was counted as a continuation shooting foul; the three-point basket, and the ensuing free throw gave the Knicks a 92âÂÂ91 victory.
The Pacers evened the series with a 90âÂÂ78 win in Game 4, but the Knicks won Game 5 at Market Square Arena, 101âÂÂ94. At home in Game 6, the Knicks won 90âÂÂ82, despite losing Johnson to a knee injury in the first half. Led by Houston's 32-point performance and defense against Miller, who struggled and only made 3 out of 18 field-goal attempts, the Knicks won the series over the Pacers in six games, and advanced to the NBA Finals for the second time in six seasons. The Knicks' 27âÂÂ23 record was the worst for a team to reach the NBA Finals, since the Houston Rockets did it with a 40âÂÂ42 record in 1981. They also became the first #8 seed to reach the Finals, a feat that has since only been repeated once by the Miami Heat in the 2022âÂÂ23 season.
In the 1999 NBA Finals, the Knicks faced off against the topâÂÂseeded San Antonio Spurs, who were led by All-Star forward Tim Duncan, All-Star center David Robinson, and Sean Elliott. The Knicks lost the first two games to the Spurs on the road at the Alamodome, but managed to win Game 3 at home, 89âÂÂ81 at Madison Square Garden. However, the Knicks lost their next two home games, including a Game 5 loss to the Spurs at Madison Square Garden, 78âÂÂ77, despite Sprewell's double-double performance of 35 points and 10 rebounds, as Spurs guard Avery Johnson hit the game-winning shot. The Knicks lost the series in five games, as the Spurs won their first ever NBA championship in franchise history. In the Finals, Sprewell averaged 26.0 points per game, and Houston provided with 21.6 points per game; the Knicks defense did not allow any opponent to score more than 96 points against them in their 20 playoff games.
The Knicks finished third in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 494,075 at Madison Square Garden during the regular season. Following the season, veteran center Herb Williams retired at age 41. The team's season roster has been featured in the basketball game series NBA 2K since the 19th installment NBA 2K18.
|-style="background:#fcc;" | 1 | February 5 | @ Orlando | | Latrell Sprewell (24) | Patrick Ewing (9) | Charlie Ward (6) | Orlando Arena<br>17,248 | 0âÂÂ1 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 2 | February 7 | Miami | | Patrick Ewing (24) | Patrick Ewing (17) | Charlie Ward (7) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 0âÂÂ2 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 3 | February 10 | Washington | | Larry Johnson (18) | Chris Childs (8) | Chris Childs (9) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 1âÂÂ2 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 4 | February 11 | @ Chicago | | Patrick Ewing (18) | Patrick Ewing (9) | Charlie Ward (6) | United Center<br>22,194 | 2âÂÂ2 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 5 | February 15 | Detroit | | Allan Houston (19) | Patrick Ewing (10) | Charlie Ward (9) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 3âÂÂ2 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 6 | February 16 | Toronto | | Allan Houston (20) | Marcus Camby (12) | Ward, Childs (4) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 4âÂÂ2 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 7 | February 18 | @ Cleveland | | Patrick Ewing (14) | Ewing, Scott (6) | Charlie Ward (6) | Gund Arena<br>13,910 | 4âÂÂ3 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 8 | February 19 | @ Philadelphia | | Allan Houston (25) | Patrick Ewing (8) | Larry Johnson (7) | First Union Center<br>19,681 | 5âÂÂ3 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 9 | February 21 | Chicago | | Allan Houston (26) | Ewing, Camby (6) | Charlie Ward (6) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 6âÂÂ3 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 10 | February 23 | New Jersey | | Patrick Ewing (20) | Ewing, Johnson (11) | Ward, Childs (5) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 7âÂÂ3 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 11 | February 25 | Minnesota | | Allan Houston (26) | Patrick Ewing (11) | Charlie Ward (13) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 8âÂÂ3 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 12 | February 26 | @ Boston | | Allan Houston (20) | Patrick Ewing (12) | Charlie Ward (6) | FleetCenter<br>18,624 | 8âÂÂ4 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 13 | February 28 | @ Detroit | | Allan Houston (13) | Patrick Ewing (8) | Chris Childs (6) | The Palace of Auburn Hills<br>20,896 | 8âÂÂ5
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 14 | March 1 | Cleveland | | Ewing, Johnson (16) | Ewing, Scott (12) | Charlie Ward (9) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 9âÂÂ5 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 15 | March 2 | @ Miami | | Patrick Ewing (31) | Patrick Ewing (16) | Charlie Ward (6) | Miami Arena<br>15,200 | 9âÂÂ6 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 16 | March 5 | @ Milwaukee | | Patrick Ewing (24) | Patrick Ewing (13) | Chris Childs (4) | Bradley Center<br>16,843 | 9âÂÂ7 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 17 | March 7 | New Jersey | | Patrick Ewing (30) | Patrick Ewing (9) | three players tied (5) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 10âÂÂ7 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 18 | March 9 | Milwaukee | | Larry Johnson (19) | Johnson, Thomas (7) | Allan Houston (5) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 10âÂÂ8 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 19 | March 11 | Washington | | Allan Houston (19) | Marcus Camby (12) | Charlie Ward (8) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 11âÂÂ8 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 20 | March 12 | @ Chicago | | Allan Houston (16) | Marcus Camby (9) | Houston, Brunson (3) | United Center<br>23,079 | 11âÂÂ9 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 21 | March 14 | Charlotte | | Allan Houston (20) | Chris Dudley (13) | Sprewell, Childs (4) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 12âÂÂ9 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 22 | March 15 | @ Milwaukee | | Latrell Sprewell (28) | Chris Dudley (11) | Charlie Ward (7) | Bradley Center<br>14,738 | 13âÂÂ9 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 23 | March 16 | L.A. Clippers | | Latrell Sprewell (31) | Kurt Thomas (12) | Charlie Ward (9) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 14âÂÂ9 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 24 | March 18 | Orlando | | Allan Houston (18) | Chris Dudley (10) | Johnson, Ward (5) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 14âÂÂ10 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 25 | March 20 | Boston | | Latrell Sprewell (27) | Marcus Camby (15) | Chris Childs (7) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 15âÂÂ10 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 26 | March 21 | @ Toronto | | Patrick Ewing (21) | Patrick Ewing (15) | Charlie Ward (6) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,266 | 15âÂÂ11 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 27 | March 22 | Atlanta | | Patrick Ewing (23) | Larry Johnson (10) | Charlie Ward (5) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 15âÂÂ12 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 28 | March 24 | @ Sacramento | | Patrick Ewing (23) | Patrick Ewing (14) | Charlie Ward (6) | ARCO Arena<br>17,023 | 15âÂÂ13 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 29 | March 26 | @ Phoenix | | Allan Houston (29) | Marcus Camby (10) | Charlie Ward (5) | America West Arena<br>19,023 | 16âÂÂ13 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 30 | March 28 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Latrell Sprewell (25) | Patrick Ewing (13) | Chris Childs (6) | Great Western Forum<br>17,505 | 16âÂÂ14 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 31 | March 30 | Indiana | | Patrick Ewing (37) | Patrick Ewing (15) | Charlie Ward (7) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 17âÂÂ14
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 32 | April 1 | Cleveland | | Allan Houston (16) | Patrick Ewing (11) | Charlie Ward (7) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 18âÂÂ14 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 33 | April 4 | @ Indiana | | Latrell Sprewell (20) | Patrick Ewing (14) | Chris Childs (5) | Market Square Arena<br>16,731 | 18âÂÂ15 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 34 | April 6 | Orlando | | Patrick Ewing (28) | Patrick Ewing (15) | Charlie Ward (7) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 18âÂÂ16 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 35 | April 7 | @ Charlotte | | Thomas, Ewing (17) | Kurt Thomas (9) | Chris Childs (8) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>19,810 | 18âÂÂ17 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 36 | April 9 | @ Atlanta | | Patrick Ewing (16) | Johnson, Ewing (8) | Chris Childs (5) | Georgia Dome<br>21,673 | 19âÂÂ17 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 37 | April 11 | @ New Jersey | | Larry Johnson (22) | Patrick Ewing (15) | Chris Childs (6) | Continental Airlines Arena<br>20,049 | 20âÂÂ17 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 38 | April 13 | Philadelphia | | Kurt Thomas (18) | Chris Dudley (7) | Charlie Ward (5) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 21âÂÂ17 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 39 | April 14 | @ Washington | | Marcus Camby (18) | Marcus Camby (13) | Chris Childs (10) | MCI Center<br>17,428 | 21âÂÂ18 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 40 | April 16 | @ Detroit | | Allan Houston (23) | Kurt Thomas (11) | Charlie Ward (6) | The Palace of Auburn Hills<br>22,076 | 21âÂÂ19 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 41 | April 17 | Toronto | | Latrell Sprewell (22) | Patrick Ewing (9) | Charlie Ward (6) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 21âÂÂ20 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 42 | April 19 | @ Philadelphia | | Latrell Sprewell (16) | Patrick Ewing (9) | Larry Johnson (5) | First Union Center<br>18,049 | 21âÂÂ21 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 43 | April 23 | Charlotte | | Allan Houston (30) | Marcus Camby (11) | Latrell Sprewell (8) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 22âÂÂ21 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 44 | April 25 | @ Miami | | Larry Johnson (23) | Kurt Thomas (10) | Ward, Childs (6) | Miami Arena<br>15,200 | 23âÂÂ21 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 45 | April 26 | @ Charlotte | | Latrell Sprewell (21) | Chris Dudley (12) | Chris Childs (6) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>19,782 | 24âÂÂ21 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 46 | April 28 | @ Atlanta | | Latrell Sprewell (29) | Kurt Thomas (11) | Chris Childs (5) | Georgia Dome<br>13,474 | 24âÂÂ22 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 47 | April 29 | Philadelphia | | Latrell Sprewell (30) | Larry Johnson (10) | Charlie Ward (6) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 25âÂÂ22
|-style="background:#fcc;" | 48 | May 2 | @ Indiana | | Patrick Ewing (15) | Patrick Ewing (8) | Charlie Ward (4) | Market Square Arena<br>16,730 | 25âÂÂ23 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 49 | May 3 | Boston | | Patrick Ewing (27) | Patrick Ewing (19) | Charlie Ward (10) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 26âÂÂ23 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 50 | May 5 | Miami | | Marcus Camby (22) | Chris Dudley (11) | Rick Brunson (12) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 27âÂÂ23
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | May 8 | @ Miami | | Houston, Sprewell (22) | Patrick Ewing (15) | Charlie Ward (6) | Miami Arena<br />15,036 | 1âÂÂ0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | May 10 | @ Miami | | Patrick Ewing (16) | Patrick Ewing (15) | Charlie Ward (5) | Miami Arena<br />15,200 | 1âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | May 12 | Miami | | Latrell Sprewell (20) | Marcus Camby (9) | Charlie Ward (4) | Madison Square Garden<br />19,763 | 2âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | May 14 | Miami | | Houston, Ward (12) | Larry Johnson (12) | Charlie Ward (4) | Madison Square Garden<br />19,763 | 2âÂÂ2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 5 | May 16 | @ Miami | | Patrick Ewing (22) | Patrick Ewing (11) | three players tied (3) | Miami Arena<br />14,985 | 3âÂÂ2 |-
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | May 18 | @ Atlanta | | Allan Houston (34) | Chris Dudley (9) | Charlie Ward (7) | Georgia Dome<br />18,513 | 1âÂÂ0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | May 20 | @ Atlanta | | Latrell Sprewell (31) | Marcus Camby (13) | Chris Childs (5) | Georgia Dome<br />22,558 | 2âÂÂ0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | May 23 | Atlanta | | Houston, Sprewell (17) | Chris Dudley (12) | Chris Childs (6) | Madison Square Garden<br />19,763 | 3âÂÂ0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | May 24 | Atlanta | | Allan Houston (19) | Patrick Ewing (9) | Charlie Ward (6) | Madison Square Garden<br />19,763 | 4âÂÂ0 |-
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | May 30 | @ Indiana | | Allan Houston (19) | Patrick Ewing (10) | Childs, Ward (5) | Market Square Arena<br />16,575 | 1âÂÂ0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | June 1 | @ Indiana | | Larry Johnson (22) | Marcus Camby (13) | three players tied (3) | Market Square Arena<br />16,586 | 1âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | June 5 | Indiana | | Larry Johnson (26) | Marcus Camby (11) | Chris Childs (10) | Madison Square Garden<br />19,763 | 2âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | June 7 | Indiana | | Marcus Camby (18) | Marcus Camby (14) | Chris Childs (8) | Madison Square Garden<br />19,763 | 2âÂÂ2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 5 | June 9 | @ Indiana | | Latrell Sprewell (29) | Marcus Camby (13) | Chris Childs (7) | Market Square Arena<br />16,541 | 3âÂÂ2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 6 | June 11 | Indiana | | Allan Houston (32) | Marcus Camby (9) | Chris Childs (4) | Madison Square Garden<br />19,763 | 4âÂÂ2 |-
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | June 16 | @ San Antonio | | Houston, Sprewell (19) | Kurt Thomas (16) | three players tied (3) | Alamodome<br />39,514 | 0âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | June 18 | @ San Antonio | | Latrell Sprewell (26) | Marcus Camby (11) | Charlie Ward (3) | Alamodome<br />39,554 | 0âÂÂ2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | June 21 | San Antonio | | Allan Houston (34) | Kurt Thomas (10) | Latrell Sprewell (5) | Madison Square Garden<br />19,763 | 1âÂÂ2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | June 23 | San Antonio | | Latrell Sprewell (26) | Marcus Camby (13) | Charlie Ward (8) | Madison Square Garden<br />19,763 | 1âÂÂ3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | June 25 | San Antonio | | Latrell Sprewell (35) | Latrell Sprewell (10) | Allan Houston (5) | Madison Square Garden<br />19,763 | 1âÂÂ4 |-
Player statistics citation: