What’s new with the New York Knicks? That’s what this page is all about.

The Team Spirit FAST BREAK website begins where the Team Spirit books end.

That’s because basketball never stands still … And I can never squeeze everything I want into 48 pages!

Take a look at some of the Knicks collectibles I have in my home.

Enjoy this site, check back whenever you like, and contact me with any questions or comments.

Would you like to buy this FAST BREAK book?

Updates

2023-24 Season

Season Preview: The longtime tradition in New York basketball has been teamwork. But their two best players—Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson—are spectacular one-on-one players. Where does this leave their four other stars, RJ Barrett, Donte DiVincenzo, Immanuel Quickley, and Josh Hart? That will be for coach Tom Thibodeau to figure out. If he does, the Knicks could be the NBA’s surprise 50-win team.

2022-23 Season

March 20, 2023: Julius Randle scored 57 points in a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. It was the most scored by a Knick since Carmelo Anthony set a team-record with 64 points in 2014.

February 13, 2023: Jalen Brunson torched the Nets for 40 points in a 124–106 victory. It was his second 40-point game of the month.

Season Preview: New York fans expect a lot from their stars and last year they got less than expected from big man Julius Randle—and let him know it. This year, Randle will need to return to his All-Star form, and RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson must continue to grow, for the Knicks to get back to the playoffs. Their new point guard, Jalen Brunson, will be a huge help. If anyone can make these players better, it is Brunson.

2021-22 Season

Season Recap: The Knicks were greatly improved in 2021–22, but missed the playoffs by a single victory. Julius Randle and R.J. Barret were the team’s top scorers, averaging 20 points each, while Mitchell Robinson was a shot-blocking machine and Evan Fournier set a new club record for three-pointers. Coach Tom Thibodeau got a good defensive effort from the Knicks all year and they finished with the sixth-best defense in the league.

December 25, 2021: Kemba Walker had 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists in a win over the Atlanta Hawks. He became just the seventh player in history with a triple-double in the NBA’s traditional Christmas game, which has been played since 1947.

Season Preview: The Knicks come to play every night, winning some and losing some. New York fans believed that the addition of one superstar could transform them into a playoff contender, and now the team has Kemba Walker. Could he be the answer? Along with young star RJ Barrett and veteran Julius Randle, the Knicks probably will be in on any deals during the season that promise to add another big name to their lineup.

2020-21 Season

Season Recap: The Knicks surprised the experts with a 41–31 record despite having no big stars on the roster. Julius Randle had a tremendous year, leading the club in points, rebounds, and assists and winning the NBA’s Most Improved Player award. RJ Barrett showed great leadership in his second season at the age of 20 and another rising star, Mitchell Robinson, played well at center. Tom Thibodeau was named Coach of the Year. New York’s postseason ended quickly with an opening-round loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

May 25, 2021: Julius Randle was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player. He averaged 24.1 points and 6.0 assists per game—by far the best marks in his career—and was voted to the All-Star Game for the first time.

April 16, 2021: Julius Randle scored 44 points in a road win over the Dallas Mavericks. It was his career-high third game in a row with 30 or more points for a total of 110 in the three contests—all New York victories. He was later named Player of the Week.

Season Preview: New York fans have been waiting a long time for a winning team. They may not get one in 2021, but the puzzle pieces seem to be falling into place. RJ Barrett should develop into a valuable team leader, while guards Kevin Knox and Frank Ntilikina have tons of potential. Center Julius Randle will lead an improving front line.

2019-20 Season

Season Recap: New York’s season ended early as the team finished 21–45 and did not qualify for the NBA’s summer restart. Power forward Julius Randle was the Knicks’ leading scorer and rebounder, while rookie RJ Barret had a solid year, averaging over 14 points a game. Reserve center Mitchell Robinson—the “Block Ness Monster”—showed he may be ready to become a full-time NBA starter.

Season Preview: The Knicks were hoping to get the #1 pick in the draft, but the ping-pong ball didn’t bounce their way. Instead, they drafted RJ Barrett, and he will get every opportunity to shoot, score, and become the club’s young leader as a rookie. He will be surrounded powerful Mitchell Robinson and newcomers Julius Randle and Marcus Morris. If the Knicks get close to 40 wins, and get better as a team, the fans wll be happy.

2018-19 Season

Season Recap: New York finished they year with 17 wins, the fewest in the NBA. The team was able to develop a handful of players for the future, including Noah Vonleh, Emmanuel Mudiay, and Kevin Knox. A big trade with Dallas saw Kristaps Porzingis leave New York, but left the Knicks with room to sign two superstars next year.

January 2, 2019: Kevin Knox was named NBA Rookie of the Month after scoring 20-plus points six times in December.

November 11, 2018: Center Mitchell Robinson set a team record for rookies with 9 blocked shots in a game against the Magic.

Season Preview: With superstar Kristaps Porzingis out for most or all of the year with a knee injury, the Knicks have time to learn how to win without him. That could work out well in the future, but in 2018–19 it is unlikely to produce many victories. The team hopes its young guards, Frank Ntilikina and Kevin Knox, can seize starting roles. In the meantime, New York fans should enjoy watching Time Hardaway Jr. fill it up!

2017-18 Season

Season Recap: The Knicks had the makings of a good team heading into the second half of the season, but a knee injury to their star, Kristaps Porzingis, was a knockout blow. Early in the year, the Knicks had one of the league’s best home records, but won just three times in Madison Square Garden after Porzingis went down. Center Enes Kanter was the only Knicks to score 1,000 points.

Season Preview: The team traded All-Star Carmelo Anthony, which means their primetime player is now Kristaps Porzingis. He leads a team of good, young players into battle. It will be up to coach Jeff Hornacek to get them to play solid defense—a huge problem last season.

2016-17 Season

Season Recap: New York fans were excited to have two ex-Chicago Bulls stars—Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah—to go with Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis. The quartet produced just 31 wins, which left the Knicks on the outside of the playoffs looking in.

2015-16 Season

Season Preview: After a dreadful season, the Knicks have begun moving forward again. Team president Phil Jackson has assembled a group of role players behind shooting star Carmelo Anthony. Jackson hopes that another star or two emerge in 2015–16. The Knicks will surely improve on their 17 wins last season.

2014-15 Season

Season Recap: An injury to high-scoring Carmelo Anthony sent the Knicks into a tailspin that landed them at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. Only one player started more than half the team’s games, as coach Derek Fisher searched for the winning formula.

Season Preview: New coach Derek Fisher has a big star, Carmelo Anthony, and a lot of question marks, including old-timers Amar’e Stoudemire and Jose Calderon, and rising stars Iman Shumpert and Shane Larkin—the son of baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin. He came to the Knicks along with Samuel Dalembert in a trade with the Mavericks.

2013-14 Season

Recap: After a promising 2012–13 season, the Knicks missed won only 37 games and missed the playoffs. Carmelo Anthony had another good year, but other New York veterans failed to deliver when needed. On the bright side, young guards Iman Shumpert and Tim Hardaway Jr. played well. The disappointing season cost coach Mike Woodson his job.

More Go-To Guys

Dick Barnett kicked his heels up when he shot. I tried to copy him when I was a kid and almost broke both my ankles. (Topps, Inc.)

As this Portland ticket shows, Bill Cartwright was a major star for the Knicks. (Portland Trailblazers)

  • Dick Barnett — 6′ 4″ Guard
    Born: 10/2/1936
    Played for Team: 1965–66 to 1973–74
    The young Knicks needed a veteran leader in the 1960s and Dick Barnett filled that role. A deadly scorer with a strange left-handed shot, Barnett played more of a support role as Walt Frazier and Willis Reed led the team to championships in the early 1970s.

  • Bill Bradley — 6′ 5″ Forward
    Born: 7/28/1943
    Played for Team: 1967–68 to 1976–77
    Bill Bradley was a smart, talented scorer who could have averaged 25 points a game with another NBA team. With the Knicks, he focused on defense and passing, and only shot when he was wide open. Bradley was recognized as a Hall of Famer for these contributions.

  • Bill Cartwright — 7′ 1″ Center
    Born: 7/30/1957
    Played for Team: 1979–80 to 1987–88
    Bill Cartwright had size, strength and an accurate shot. He was an All-Star his rookie year and teamed with guard Micheal Ray Richardson to give New York a great one-two punch f
    or several seasons.

  • Mark Jackson — 6′ 1″ Guard
    Born: 4/1/1965
    Played for Team: 1987–88 to 1991–92
    Mark Jackson joined a struggling team that starred big men Patrick Ewing and Bill Cartwright. Jackson took charge of the offense and in his second season took New York to the top of the standings. He was named an All-Star that season.

  • Anthony Mason — 6′ 7″ Forward
    Born: 12/14/1966
    Played for Team: 1991–92 to 1995–96
    Few players had to work harder to prove they belonged in the NBA than Anthony Mason. The Knicks gave him a chance and he rewarded them with his scoring, rebounding, and toughness. Mason was a big reason the team made it to the NBA Finals in 1994.

More Fun Facts

This photo of Vince Boryla shows him right after he retired. He coached the Knicks in the late 1950s and, in 1985, he was the NBA’s Executive of the Year when he ran the Denver Nuggets. (New York Knicks)

  • ALL STARS
    At the first NBA All-Star Game in 1951, there was no shortage of Knicks on the East squad. New York’s Joe Lapchick was the head coach and the roster included forwards Vince Boryla and Harry Gallatin, along with guard Dick McGuire. The East won 111–94.

  • JUMPIN JOHNNY
    One of the Knicks’ greatest players, Johnny Green, never played basketball in high school. He was under six feet tall as a teenager and did not reach his adult height of 6’5″ until his 20s when he was in the army during the Korean War. “Jumpin’ Johnny” grabbed more than 1,000 rebounds one season and was an All-Star three times for New York.

  • AN EYE FOR TALENT
    Phil Jackson missed the 1969–70 season after undergoing spinal surgery. He traveled with the team while recovering and took photos of every game. When the Knicks won the NBA championship that year, he published the photos in a book entitled Take It All.

League Leaders

Like Bernard King had to add 1984 Scoring Champ to this photo. Every New York basketball fan knows he was the first Knick to lead the NBA in scoring. (Author’s Collection)

  • SCORING
    1984–85 — Bernard King — 32.9
    2012–13 — Carmelo Anthony — 28.7

  • REBOUNDING
    1953–54 — Harry Gallatin — 15.3

  • ASSISTS
    1979–80 — Micheal Ray Richardson — 10.2

  • STEALS
    1979–80 — Micheal Ray Richardson — 3.2

    Steals did not become an official statistic until 1973–74

  • BLOCKED SHOTS

    No member of the team has led the league in blocks; blocks did not become an official statistic until 1973–74.

Playing for the Championship

I loved this card when I was a kid. Did Dave DeBusschere get his shot over Wilt Chamberlain? But it turns out that this photo wasn’t even from Game 3. (Topps, Inc.)

KNICKS in the FINALS

SEASON OPPONENT SCORE
1950–51 Rochester Royals Lost 3–4
1951–52 Minneapolis Lakers Lost 3–4
1952–53 Minneapolis Lakers Lost 1–4
1969–70 Los Angeles Lakers Won 4–3
1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers Lost 1–4
1972–73 Los Angeles Lakers Won 4–1
1993–94 Houston Rockets Lost 3–4
1998–99 San Antonio Spurs Lost 1–4

Would you like to buy this FAST BREAK book?