1973–74 New York Knicks season

The 1973–74 New York Knicks season was the 28th season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA).^[3] The Knicks entered the season as the defending NBA champions, having defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1973 NBA Finals in five games to win their second championship.^[4] In the regular season, the Knicks finished in second place in the Atlantic Division with a 49–33 record,^[5] and qualified for the NBA Playoffs for the eighth consecutive year.^[3]

New York opened the 1974 playoffs against the Capital Bullets. With a 4–3 series victory, the Knicks advanced to the Eastern Conference finals, where they faced the Boston Celtics. The Celtics, who later won the NBA Finals, defeated the Knicks in five games,^[6] ending New York's title defense.^[3]

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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.^[7]

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
1	14	Mel Davis	F	United States	St. John's
2	28	Pat McFarland	F/G	United States	Saint Joseph's
3	49	Allie McGuire	F	United States	Marquette
4	66	George Karl	G	United States	North Carolina
5	83	Dennis Bell	F	United States	Drake

Roster

1973–74 New York Knicks roster

Players

Coaches

Pos.	No.	Name	Height	Weight	DOB	From
SF	46	Bell, Dennis	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	1951-06-02	Drake
PG	17	Bibby, Henry	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	1949-11-24	UCLA
SF	24	Bradley, Bill	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	205 lb (93 kg)	1943-07-28	Princeton
PF	31	Davis, Mel	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	220 lb (100 kg)	1950-11-09	St. John's
PF	22	DeBusschere, Dave	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	220 lb (100 kg)	1940-10-16	Detroit Mercy
PG	10	Frazier, Walt	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	200 lb (91 kg)	1945-03-29	Southern Illinois
C	40	Gianelli, John	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)	220 lb (100 kg)	1950-06-10	Pacific
PF	18	Jackson, Phil	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)	220 lb (100 kg)	1945-09-17	North Dakota
F/C	32	Lucas, Jerry	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)	230 lb (104 kg)	1940-03-30	Ohio State
G	7	Meminger, Dean	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	175 lb (79 kg)	1948-05-13	Marquette
G	15	Monroe, Earl	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	1944-11-21	Winston-Salem State
C	19	Reed, Willis	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)	235 lb (107 kg)	1942-06-25	Grambling State
C	6	Riker, Tom	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)	225 lb (102 kg)	1950-02-28	South Carolina
PF	43	Wingo, Harthorne	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	210 lb (95 kg)	1947-09-09	Friendship College

Head coach

Red Holzman

Legend

(C) Team captain
(DP) Unsigned draft pick
(FA) Free agent
(S) Suspended
Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Atlantic Division v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Neutral	Div
y-Boston Celtics	56	26	.683	–	26–6	21–18	9–2	17–5
x-New York Knicks	49	33	.598	7	28–13	21–19	0–1	10–12
x-Buffalo Braves	42	40	.512	14	19–13	17–21	6–6	12–10
Philadelphia 76ers	25	57	.305	31	14–23	9–30	2–4	5–17

#	Eastern Conference v t e
#	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-Boston Celtics	56	26	.683	–
2	x-New York Knicks	49	33	.598	7
3	y-Capital Bullets	47	35	.573	9
4	x-Buffalo Braves	42	40	.512	14

5	Atlanta Hawks	35	47	.427	21
6	Houston Rockets	32	50	.390	24
7	Cleveland Cavaliers	29	53	.354	27
8	Philadelphia 76ers	25	57	.305	31

z – clinched division title

y – clinched division title

x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1973–74 NBA records
Team	ATL	BOS	BUF	CAP	CHI	CLE	DET	GSW	HOU	KCO	LAL	MIL	NYK	PHI	PHO	POR	SEA
Atlanta	—	1–5	2–4	4–4	1–3	4–3	0–4	1–3	5–2	1–3	4–0	1–3	1–5	3–3	1–3	2–2	4–0
Boston	5–1	—	5–2	2–4	2–2	4–2	3–1	3–1	4–2	3–1	2–2	2–2	5–2	7–1	3–1	4–0	2–2
Buffalo	4–2	2–5	—	3–3	1–3	5–1	1–3	1–3	4–2	2–2	0–4	1–3	4–4	6–1	3–1	3–1	2–2
Capital	4–4	4–2	3–3	—	1–3	6–1	2–2	3–1	4–3	3–1	2–2	1–3	3–3	4–2	2–2	3–1	2–2
Chicago	3–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	—	4–0	5–2	4–2	4–0	5–2	1–5	3–3	2–2	3–1	4–2	4–2	4–2
Cleveland	3–4	2–4	1–5	1–6	0–4	—	2–2	0–4	4–4	0–4	3–1	0–4	1–5	5–1	1–3	4–0	2–2
Detroit	4–0	1–3	3–1	2–2	2–5	2–2	—	5–1	3–1	4–2	4–2	3–4	1–3	2–2	6–0	5–1	5–1
Golden State	3–1	1–3	3–1	1–3	2–4	4–0	1–5	—	4–0	3–3	4–2	3–3	1–3	3–1	5–2	3–4	3–3
Houston	2–5	2–4	2–4	3–4	0–4	4–4	1–3	0–4	—	2–2	2–2	0–4	4–2	4–2	2–2	3–1	1–3
Kansas City-Omaha	3–1	1–3	2–2	1–3	2–5	4–0	2–4	3–3	2–2	—	1–5	0–7	1–3	1–3	4–2	4–2	2–4
Los Angeles	0–4	2–2	4–0	2–2	5–1	1–3	2–4	2–4	2–2	5–1	—	4–2	2–2	4–0	4–2	4–3	4–3
Milwaukee	3–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	3–3	4–0	4–3	3–3	4–0	7–0	2–4	—	2–2	4–0	5–1	6–0	4–2
New York	5–1	2–5	4–4	3–3	2–2	5–1	3–1	3–1	2–4	3–1	2–2	2–2	—	4–3	3–1	2–2	4–0
Philadelphia	3–3	1–7	1–6	2–4	1–3	1–5	2–2	1–3	2–4	3–1	0–4	0–4	3–4	—	3–1	2–2	0–4
Phoenix	3–1	1–3	1–3	2–2	2–4	3–1	0–6	2–5	2–2	2–4	2–4	1–5	1–3	1–3	—	3–3	4–3
Portland	2–2	0–4	1–3	1–3	2–4	0–4	1–5	4–3	1–3	2–4	3–4	0–6	2–2	2–2	3–3	—	3–3
Seattle	0–4	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–4	2–2	1–5	3–3	3–1	4–2	3–4	2–4	0–4	4–0	3–4	3–3	—

Game log

1973–74 game log
#	Date	Opponent	Score	High points	Record
1	October 9	Detroit	100–101	Walt Frazier (27)	1–0
2	October 13	Houston	86–85	Dave DeBusschere (24)	1–1
3	October 16	Buffalo	91–117	Dave DeBusschere (28)	2–1
4	October 19	@ Cleveland	92–90	Dave DeBusschere (24)	3–1
5	October 20	Chicago	85–69	Walt Frazier (18)	3–2
6	October 23	Capital	101–84	Dave DeBusschere (18)	3–3
7	October 26	@ Boston	101–113	Walt Frazier (21)	3–4
8	October 27	Philadelphia	90–96	Willis Reed (23)	4–4
9	October 31	@ Houston	102–91	Dave DeBusschere (21)	5–4
10	November 2	@ Los Angeles	106–91	Walt Frazier (44)	6–4
11	November 3	@ Portland	100–107	Dave DeBusschere (23)	6–5
12	November 4	@ Seattle	111–106	Walt Frazier (24)	7–5
13	November 8	Boston	94–84	Walt Frazier (18)	7–6
14	November 9	@ Philadelphia	91–94	Walt Frazier (33)	7–7
15	November 10	Cleveland	90–100	Walt Frazier (24)	8–7
16	November 13	Seattle	102–104	Walt Frazier (26)	9–7
17	November 15	Buffalo	86–97	Bradley, Frazier (22)	10–7
18	November 17	Milwaukee	93–100	Dave DeBusschere (26)	11–7
19	November 20	Los Angeles	89–105	Bill Bradley (29)	12–7
20	November 22	@ Milwaukee	91–107	Walt Frazier (30)	12–8
21	November 24	Golden State	107–99	Walt Frazier (34)	12–9
22	November 25	@ Capital	81–109	Willis Reed (16)	12–10
23	November 28	Houston	114–106	Walt Frazier (26)	12–11
24	November 30	@ Chicago	97–115	Frazier, Jackson (15)	12–12
25	December 1	Cleveland	99–119	Phil Jackson (30)	13–12
26	December 4	Portland	100–113	Walt Frazier (27)	14–12
27	December 5	@ Boston	97–119	Walt Frazier (25)	14–13
28	December 7	@ Buffalo	113–108	Dave DeBusschere (41)	15–13
29	December 8	Atlanta	100–117	Walt Frazier (25)	16–13
30	December 11	Phoenix	97–105	Dave DeBusschere (28)	17–13
31	December 15	Kansas City–Omaha	107–116	Dave DeBusschere (25)	18–13
32	December 17	@ Houston	109–97	Walt Frazier (29)	19–13
33	December 19	@ Atlanta	105–107	Bill Bradley (25)	19–14
34	December 21	@ Buffalo	115–117	Walt Frazier (26)	19–15
35	December 22	Detroit	88–99	Dave DeBusschere (25)	20–15
36	December 25	Capital	102–100	Walt Frazier (27)	20–16
37	December 26	@ Detroit	96–91	Dave DeBusschere (23)	21–16
38	December 29	Philadelphia	92–112	Bill Bradley (21)	22–16
39	December 30	@ Kansas City–Omaha	102–85	Dave DeBusschere (34)	23–16
40	January 1	Atlanta	89–99	Phil Jackson (23)	24–16
41	January 2	@ Capital	92–81	Walt Frazier (25)	25–16
42	January 4	@ Philadelphia	75–78	Henry Bibby (14)	25–17
43	January 5	Buffalo	111–110	Bill Bradley (24)	25–18
44	January 8	@ Chicago	108–80	Dave DeBusschere (31)	26–18
45	January 11	@ Seattle	107–98	Bill Bradley (20)	27–18
46	January 12	@ Golden State	96–80	Bill Bradley (20)	28–18
47	January 18	@ Houston	90–96	Walt Frazier (19)	28–19
48	January 19	@ Phoenix	89–112	Dave DeBusschere (25)	28–20
49	January 22	Houston	108–93	Walt Frazier (30)	28–21
50	January 26	Philadelphia	98–122	Walt Frazier (23)	29–21
51	January 27	@ Atlanta	111–89	Walt Frazier (27)	30–21
52	January 29	Boston	83–104	Walt Frazier (23)	31–21
53	January 30	@ Kansas City–Omaha	108–88	Dave DeBusschere (19)	32–21
54	February 1	@ Detroit	91–96	DeBusschere, Monroe (16)	32–22
55	February 2	Cleveland	87–103	Walt Frazier (21)	33–22
56	February 5	Phoenix	90–106	Earl Monroe (23)	34–22
57	February 8	@ Boston	97–125	John Gianelli (15)	34–23
58	February 9	Buffalo	103–100 (OT)	Earl Monroe (24)	34–24
59	February 12	@ Buffalo	100–93	Phil Jackson (24)	35–24
60	February 13	Chicago	80–89	Walt Frazier (24)	36–24
61	February 16	Golden State	107–117	Walt Frazier (31)	37–24
62	February 17	@ Milwaukee	86–97	Earl Monroe (20)	37–25
63	February 19	Portland	116–119 (OT)	Walt Frazier (32)	38–25
64	February 21	N Buffalo	97–119	Walt Frazier (17)	38–26
65	February 22	@ Cleveland	117–110	Walt Frazier (25)	39–26
66	February 23	Atlanta	90–98	Bradley, Frazier (21)	40–26
67	February 26	Capital	71–85	Walt Frazier (21)	41–26
68	March 1	@ Capital	112–103	Dave DeBusschere (28)	42–26
69	March 2	Boston	104–88	Dave DeBusschere (21)	42–27
70	March 3	@ Boston	108–102 (OT)	Dave DeBusschere (26)	43–27
71	March 5	Seattle	106–111	Walt Frazier (25)	44–27
72	March 6	@ Atlanta	96–94	Frazier, Monroe (20)	45–27
73	March 9	Milwaukee	75–88	DeBusschere, Monroe (20)	46–27
74	March 10	@ Philadelphia	108–109	Walt Frazier (25)	46–28
75	March 12	Los Angeles	109–102	Earl Monroe (20)	46–29
76	March 14	@ Golden State	107–95	Dave DeBusschere (30)	47–29
77	March 15	@ Portland	105–107	Phil Jackson (23)	47–30
78	March 17	@ Los Angeles	114–126	John Gianelli (25)	47–31
79	March 20	@ Phoenix	106–104 (OT)	Bill Bradley (31)	48–31
80	March 23	Kansas City–Omaha	107–106	Earl Monroe (20)	48–32
81	March 24	@ Cleveland	92–114	Dave DeBusschere (20)	48–33
82	March 26	Philadelphia	90–117	Henry Bibby (21)	49–33

Playoffs

1974 playoff game log

Conference semifinals: 4–3 (home: 3–1; road: 1–2)

Game	Date	Team	Score	High points	High rebounds	High assists	Location Attendance	Series
1	March 29	Capital	W 102–91	Walt Frazier (20)	Walt Frazier (12)	Dave DeBusschere (7)	Madison Square Garden 19,694	1–0
2	March 31	@ Capital	L 87–99	Dave DeBusschere (20)	Dave DeBusschere (10)	Jerry Lucas (5)	Capital Centre 16,522	1–1
3	April 2	Capital	L 79–88	Walt Frazier (20)	Dave DeBusschere (12)	DeBusschere, Meminger (5)	Madison Square Garden 19,694	1–2
4	April 5	@ Capital	W 101–93 (OT)	Earl Monroe (23)	Walt Frazier (11)	Walt Frazier (6)	Capital Centre 19,035	2–2
5	April 7	Capital	W 106–105	Walt Frazier (38)	Dave DeBusschere (8)	Walt Frazier (4)	Madison Square Garden 19,694	3–2
6	April 10	@ Capital	L 92–109	Walt Frazier (25)	Phil Jackson (8)	Walt Frazier (10)	Capital Centre 19,025	3–3
7	April 12	Capital	W 91–81	Earl Monroe (20)	DeBusschere, Gianelli (15)	Dave DeBusschere (7)	Madison Square Garden 19,694	4–3

Conference finals: 1–4 (home: 0–2; road: 1–2)

Game	Date	Team	Score	High points	High rebounds	High assists	Location Attendance	Series
1	April 14	@ Boston	L 88–113	Walt Frazier (16)	Dave DeBusschere (10)	Meminger, Bibby (3)	Boston Garden 14,101	0–1
2	April 16	Boston	L 99–111	Bill Bradley (20)	Dave DeBusschere (9)	Walt Frazier (4)	Madison Square Garden 19,694	0–2
3	April 19	@ Boston	W 103–100	Walt Frazier (38)	Frazier, Gianelli (10)	Walt Frazier (4)	Boston Garden 15,320	1–2
4	April 21	Boston	L 91–98	Walt Frazier (25)	John Gianelli (9)	Earl Monroe (5)	Madison Square Garden 19,694	1–3
5	April 24	@ Boston	L 94–105	Phil Jackson (27)	Phil Jackson (9)	Walt Frazier (6)	Boston Garden 15,320	1–4

1974 schedule

Player statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game

Season

Playoffs

Awards and records

Walt Frazier, All-NBA First Team^[8]
Walt Frazier, NBA All-Defensive First Team^[9]
Dave DeBusschere, NBA All-Defensive First Team^[9]

References

^ The Fourth Estate (PDF). New York Knicks. 2003. p. 331. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
^ The Fourth Estate (PDF). New York Knicks. 2003. p. 330. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c "New York Knickerbockers Franchise Index". Basketball-Reference. Archived from the original on April 24, 2010. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
^ Hahn, Alan (2012). New York Knicks: The Complete Illustrated History. Voyageur Press. pp. 106–109. ISBN 978-1-61058-684-9.
^ "1973–74 NBA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
^ "1974 NBA Playoff Summary". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
^ "1973 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
^ "All-NBA & All-ABA Teams". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
^ ^a ^b "NBA & ABA All-Defensive Teams". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved August 24, 2013.