1979–80 New York Knicks season
The 1979–80 New York Knicks season was the 34th season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In the regular season, the Knicks finished in a tie for third place in the Atlantic Division with a 39–43 win–loss record, and did not qualify for the 1980 NBA Playoffs. Bill Cartwright led the team in scoring (21.7 points per game) and rebounding, while Micheal Ray Richardson led the NBA in assists (10.2 per game) and steals (3.23 per game).[3]
1979–80 New York Knicks season | |
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Head coach | Red Holzman |
General manager | Eddie Donovan |
Arena | Madison Square Garden |
Results | |
Record | 39–43 (.476) |
Place | Division: 4th (Atlantic) Conference: 7th (Eastern) |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Local media | |
Television | WOR-TV[1] |
Radio | WNEW[2] |
New York had three first-round picks in the 1979 NBA draft, and selected Cartwright, Larry Demic, and Sly Williams.[4] At the end of the season, the Knicks lost five of their last six games; they followed a three-game losing streak with a win against the Cleveland Cavaliers,[5] but then lost to the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.[6][7] In the game against the 76ers, Julius Erving made the winning basket with one second remaining, after the Knicks had committed a turnover on an inbounds pass five seconds earlier with the score tied at 101–101.[7] The Washington Bullets gained the last playoff berth in the Eastern Conference over the Knicks because of a better record against other teams in the conference; the teams' overall win–loss records were identical.[8]
Draft picks
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
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Roster
1979–80 New York Knicks roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Roster |
Regular season
Season standings
W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div | |
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y-Boston Celtics | 61 | 21 | .744 | – | 35–6 | 26–15 | 17–7 |
x-Philadelphia 76ers | 59 | 23 | .720 | 2 | 36–5 | 23–18 | 19–5 |
x-Washington Bullets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 | 24–17 | 15–26 | 9–15 |
New York Knicks | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 | 25–16 | 14–27 | 8–16 |
New Jersey Nets | 34 | 48 | .415 | 27 | 22–19 | 12–29 | 7–17 |
# | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | PCT | GB | |
1 | z-Boston Celtics | 61 | 21 | .744 | – |
2 | y-Atlanta Hawks | 50 | 32 | .610 | 11 |
3 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 59 | 23 | .720 | 2 |
4 | x-Houston Rockets | 41 | 41 | .500 | 20 |
5 | x-San Antonio Spurs | 41 | 41 | .500 | 20 |
6 | x-Washington Bullets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 |
7 | New York Knicks | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 |
8 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 37 | 45 | .451 | 24 |
8 | Indiana Pacers | 37 | 45 | .451 | 24 |
10 | New Jersey Nets | 34 | 48 | .415 | 27 |
11 | Detroit Pistons | 16 | 66 | .195 | 44 |
- z – clinched division title
- y – clinched division title
- x – clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
1979–80 NBA records | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | KCK | LAL | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAS | SDC | SEA | UTA | WAS |
Atlanta | — | 2–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 |
Boston | 4–2 | — | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
Chicago | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 2–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–2 |
Cleveland | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–2 | — | 1–1 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
Denver | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | — | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
Detroit | 0–6 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 1–1 | — | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 |
Golden State | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 0–2 |
Houston | 4–2 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | — | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–4 |
Indiana | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | — | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
Kansas City | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 2–0 |
Los Angeles | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | — | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 1–1 |
Milwaukee | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 3–3 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 1–1 |
New Jersey | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
New York | 2–4 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | — | 0–6 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
Philadelphia | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 6–0 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 |
Phoenix | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — | 6–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–0 |
Portland | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–6 | — | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
San Antonio | 1–5 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
San Diego | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | — | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–1 |
Seattle | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | — | 5–1 | 1–1 |
Utah | 0–2 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–5 | — | 0–2 |
Washington | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — |
Game log
Regular season
1979–80 game log Total: 39–43 (Home: 25–16; Road: 14–27) | |||||||||
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October: 5–5 (home: 4–1; road: 1–4)
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November: 6–8 (home: 4–3; road: 2–5)
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December: 8–8 (home: 5–3; road: 3–5)
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January: 8–7 (home: 4–3; road: 4–4)
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February: 5–5 (home: 4–2; road: 1–3)
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March: 7–10 (home: 4–4; road: 3–6)
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1979–80 schedule |
Player statistics
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 |
Awards and records
- Bill Cartwright, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team[9]
Transactions
References
- The Fourth Estate (PDF). New York Knicks. 2003. p. 331. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
- The Fourth Estate (PDF). New York Knicks. 2003. p. 330. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
- Carter, Craig; Hareas, John (2001). The Sporting News 2001–2002 Official NBA Guide. pp. 517–526. ISBN 0-89204-656-2.
{{cite book}}
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ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - "Complete First Round Results – 1970–79". National Basketball Association. Archived from the original on July 27, 2010. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
- "Knicks Snap Cavs' Winning Streak". The Press-Courier. Associated Press. March 26, 1980. p. 22. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
- "Celtics Nick Knicks' Hopes". The Pittsburgh Press. United Press International. March 27, 1980. p. C-4. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
- "Blown throw-in could cost Knicks". The Leader-Post. Canadian Press. March 28, 1980. p. 18. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
- "Bullets win to gain final playoff spot". St. Petersburg Times. March 31, 1980. p. 5C. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
- "NBA & ABA All-Rookie Teams". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved September 14, 2013.