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1977–78 New York Knicks season

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1977–78 New York Knicks season
Head coachWillis Reed
General managerEddie Donovan
OwnersGulf+Western
ArenaMadison Square Garden
Results
Record43–39 (.524)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Atlantic)
Conference: 5th (Eastern)
Playoff finishEast Semifinals
(lost to 76ers 0–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWOR-TV[1]
RadioWNEW[2]
< 1976–77 1978–79 >

The 1977–78 New York Knicks season was the 32nd season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Knicks finished the regular season in second place in the Atlantic Division with a 43–39 win–loss record and qualified for the NBA playoffs. In the first round of the 1978 Playoffs, New York defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 2–0, to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. There, the Knicks lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in a four-game sweep.[3]

Draft picks

[edit]
Main article: 1977 NBA draft

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.[4]

Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
1 10 Ray Williams G  United States Minnesota
2 26 Glen Gondrezick G/F  United States UNLV
2 32 Toby Knight F  United States Notre Dame
4 76 Steve Hayes C  United States Idaho State

Roster

[edit]
New York Knicks roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
G 9 Beard, Butch 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Louisville
G 14 Burden, Ticky 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Utah
PG 35 Cleamons, Jim 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Ohio State
F 44 Gondrezick, Glen 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 218 lb (99 kg) UNLV
F 42 Haywood, Spencer 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Detroit Mercy
F 18 Jackson, Phil 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) North Dakota
F 43 Knight, Toby 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Notre Dame
F/C 11 McAdoo, Bob 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) North Carolina
F 5 McMillian, Jim 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Columbia
G 15 Monroe, Earl 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Winston-Salem State
F 8 Shelton, Lonnie 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Oregon State
G 13 Williams, Ray 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 188 lb (85 kg) Minnesota
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season

[edit]

Season standings

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Atlantic Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Philadelphia 76ers 55 27 .671 – 37–4 18–23 14–2
x-New York Knicks 43 39 .524 12 29–12 14–27 7–9
Boston Celtics 32 50 .390 23 24–17 8–33 8–8
Buffalo Braves 27 55 .329 28 20–21 7–34 7–9
New Jersey Nets 24 58 .293 31 18–23 6–35 4–12
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Philadelphia 76ers 55 27 .671 –
2 y-San Antonio Spurs 52 30 .634 3
3 x-Washington Bullets 44 38 .537 11
4 x-Cleveland Cavaliers 43 39 .524 12
5 x-New York Knicks 43 39 .524 12
6 x-Atlanta Hawks 41 41 .500 14
7 New Orleans Jazz 39 43 .476 16
8 Boston Celtics 32 50 .390 23
9 Houston Rockets 28 54 .341 27
10 Buffalo Braves 27 55 .329 28
11 New Jersey Nets 24 58 .293 31
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

[edit]
1977–78 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS BUF CHI CLE DEN DET GSW HOU IND KCK LAL MIL NJN NOJ NYK PHI PHO POR SAS SEA WAS
Atlanta — 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 2–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–1 1–3
Boston 2–2 — 3–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–1 2–2 1–2 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 0–4 2–2 1–3 0–4 0–4 1–3
Buffalo 1–3 1–3 — 3–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 0–3 3–1 1–3 1–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 0–4 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3
Chicago 3–1 3–1 1–3 — 3–1 2–2 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 0–4 2–2 1–3 1–2 2–2 1–3 3–0 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–1
Cleveland 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–3 — 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–1 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–2 0–4 0–4 3–1 2–2
Denver 3–1 3–1 3–1 2–2 1–3 — 2–2 2–2 3–0 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–2 3–1 2–1 1–3 3–1
Detroit 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 — 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–0 0–4 0–4 2–2 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2
Golden State 3–1 2–2 3–0 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 — 2–1 3–1 3–1 0–4 2–2 3–1 0–4 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1 2–2 2–2
Houston 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 0–3 1–3 1–2 — 3–1 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 0–4 1–3
Indiana 1–3 1–2 3–1 1–3 1–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 — 2–2 1–3 0–4 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3 3–1
Kansas City 1–2 2–2 2–1 4–0 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 2–2 2–2 — 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–2 0–4 1–3 0–4 0–4 0–4 1–3 2–2
Los Angeles 1–3 2–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 2–2 — 3–1 4–0 2–1 3–1 2–2 1–3 0–4 2–2 1–3 2–2
Milwaukee 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 4–0 4–0 1–3 — 3–1 2–1 3–1 1–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1
New Jersey 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–2 0–4 1–3 — 0–4 1–3 0–4 2–2 0–3 0–4 2–2 2–2
New Orleans 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–3 1–3 4–0 3–1 2–2 2–2 1–2 1–2 4–0 — 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1 1–3 2–2 0–4
New York 2–2 2–2 1–3 3–1 1–3 3–1 3–0 2–2 2–2 3–1 4–0 1–3 1–3 3–1 3–1 — 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–1 2–2
Philadelphia 2–2 4–0 3–1 1–3 3–1 3–1 4–0 3–1 2–2 2–2 3–1 2–2 2–1 4–0 2–2 3–1 — 2–1 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–2
Phoenix 1–3 2–2 4–0 2–2 2–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 4–0 3–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 3–1 1–2 — 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–2
Portland 3–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 4–0 1–3 3–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 4–0 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–3 3–0 2–2 3–1 — 2–2 3–1 2–1
San Antonio 3–1 4–0 3–1 2–2 4–0 1–2 2–1 1–3 3–1 3–1 4–0 2–2 2–2 4–0 3–1 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 — 2–2 2–2
Seattle 1–2 4–0 3–1 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–1 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 2–2 — 1–3
Washington 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 4–0 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–2 2–2 3–1 —

Game log

[edit]

Regular season

[edit]
1977–78 game log
Total: 44–38 (home: 22–19; road: 21–20)
October: 3–2 (home: 3–1; road: 0–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
2 October 22, 1977
8:05 p.m. EDT 		Washington W 141–115 Monroe (22) Shelton (9) McAdoo (8) Madison Square Garden
15,261 		2–0
November: 8–7 (home: 6–1; road: 2–6)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
14 November 18, 1977
8:05 p.m. EST 		@ Washington L 103–123 Haywood (20) McAdoo (13) Beard (10) Capital Centre
17,242 		8–6
December: 8–6 (home: 5–3; road: 3–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
January: 7–8 (home: 4–2; road: 3–6)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
February: 6–5 (home: 5–1; road: 1–4)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
All-Star Break
March: 7–10 (home: 5–3; road: 2–7)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
76 March 30, 1978
8:35 p.m. EST 		Washington L 108–123 Williams (26) Knight (8) Williams (9) Madison Square Garden
12,702 		38–38
April: 4–1 (home: 1–1; road: 3–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
78 April 2, 1978
1:45 p.m. EST 		@ Washington W 114–109 McAdoo (25) Knight (11) Monroe (10) Capital Centre
7,193 		40–38
1977–78 schedule

Playoffs

[edit]
1978 playoff game log
First Round: 2–0 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 12 @ Cleveland W 132–114 Bob McAdoo (41) Spencer Haywood (8) Ray Williams (6) Richfield Coliseum
19,739 		1–0
2 April 14 Cleveland W 109–107 McAdoo, Haywood (27) Bob McAdoo (12) Ray Williams (10) Madison Square Garden
18,965 		2–0
Conference semifinals: 0–4 (home: 0–2; road: 0–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 24 @ Philadelphia L 90–130 Ray Williams (24) Bob McAdoo (13) Bob McAdoo (6) Spectrum
13,011 		0–1
2 April 27 @ Philadelphia L 100–119 Ray Williams (24) three players tied (6) Bob McAdoo (6) Spectrum
15,853 		0–2
3 April 30 Philadelphia L 126–137 Bob McAdoo (29) Lonnie Shelton (14) Butch Beard (8) Madison Square Garden
16,307 		0–3
4 May 1 Philadelphia L 107–112 Bob McAdoo (24) Bob McAdoo (14) McAdoo, Williams (4) Madison Square Garden
15,457 		0–4
1978 schedule

References

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  1. ^ The Fourth Estate (PDF). New York Knicks. 2003. p. 331. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  2. ^ The Fourth Estate (PDF). New York Knicks. 2003. p. 330. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  3. ^ "1977–78 New York Knickerbockers Roster and Statistics". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
  4. ^ "1977 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
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