1981–82 New York Knicks season

The 1981-82 NBA season was the Knicks' 36th season in the NBA.[1] The team finished second-to-last in the Eastern Conference with a 33–49 record.

1981–82 New York Knicks season
Head coachRed Holzman
General managerEddie Donovan
ArenaMadison Square Garden
Results
Record33–49 (.402)
PlaceDivision: 5th (Atlantic)
Conference: 10th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWOR-TV
MSG Network
RadioWNEW
< 1980–81 1982–83 >

Draft picks

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Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
2 40 Greg Cook PF   United States LSU
3 57 Frank Brickowski PF   United States Penn State
3 63 Wayne McKoy PF   United States St. John's
4 86 Alex Bradley SF   United States Villanova

Roster

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1981–82 New York Knicks roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
G 30 Bradley, Alex 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Villanova
C 25 Cartwright, Bill 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 245 lb (111 kg) San Francisco
F 45 Copeland, Hollis 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Rutgers
F 42 Demic, Larry 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Arizona
F 43 Knight, Toby 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Notre Dame
F 23 Lucas, Maurice 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Marquette
G 14 Newlin, Mike 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Utah
PG 20 Richardson, Michael Ray 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 189 lb (86 kg) Montana
SF 21 Russell, Campy 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Michigan
G 9 Smith, Randy 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Buffalo State
C 40 Webster, Marvin 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Morgan State
G 44 Westphal, Paul 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) USC
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  •   Injured

Regular season

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After falling short in the 1981 NBA Playoffs, the Knicks' general manager Eddie Donovan attempted to add some veteran talent with the intention of making a more playoff-ready team. But Donovan's decisions showed he was out of touch with his team, and most importantly, his star player Michael Ray Richardson. First Ray Williams, Richardson's terrific backcourt teammate, was headed to free agency and therefore traded for veteran Maurice Lucas. Another one of Richardson's friends, Mike Glenn was also sent away, rather than being re-signed for a second-round draft pick.

The Knicks were still in a playoff hunt; despite not playing at a high level, they were 19–17 and were ready to make a run for the playoffs, when Donovan signed Paul Westphal; instead, the Knicks lost 16 of the last 21 games and were left out of the playoffs. It was here when Richardson asked what was wrong with the Knicks, he replied "The Ship Be Sinking". After the Season, Holtzman stepped down as Knicks head coach, and Richardson would be shift off to the Golden State Warriors.

Season standings

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W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Boston Celtics 63 19 .768 35–6 28–13 20–4
x-Philadelphia 76ers 58 24 .707 5.0 32–9 26–15 16–8
x-New Jersey Nets 44 38 .537 19.0 25–16 19–22 12–12
x-Washington Bullets 43 39 .524 20.0 22–19 21–20 7–17
New York Knicks 33 49 .402 30.0 19–22 14–27 5–19
#
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Boston Celtics 63 19 .768
2 y-Milwaukee Bucks 55 27 .671 8
3 x-Philadelphia 76ers 58 24 .707 5
4 x-New Jersey Nets 44 38 .537 19
5 x-Washington Bullets 43 39 .524 20
6 x-Atlanta Hawks 42 40 .512 21
7 Detroit Pistons 39 43 .476 24
8 Indiana Pacers 35 47 .427 28
9 Chicago Bulls 34 48 .415 29
10 New York Knicks 33 49 .402 30
11 Cleveland Cavaliers 15 67 .183 48
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

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1981-82 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND KCK LAL MIL NJN NYK PHI PHO POR SAS SDC SEA UTA WAS
Atlanta 1–5 2–3 4–2 1–1 1–1 2–4 0–2 2–0 4–2 1–1 0–2 3–3 3–2 5–1 3–3 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–4
Boston 5–1 4–2 5–0 2–0 1–1 6–0 1–1 1–1 4–1 2–0 1–1 3–3 5–1 5–1 4–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 2–0 6–0
Chicago 3–2 2–4 5–1 1–1 1–1 0–6 0–2 1–1 3–3 1–1 2–0 1–5 2–4 3–2 1–5 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–4
Cleveland 2–4 0–5 1–5 2–0 0–2 1–5 1–1 1–1 1–5 1–1 0–2 0–6 0–6 0–6 0–5 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–5
Dallas 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–5 1–1 0–5 2–4 1–1 4–2 1–4 1–1 2–0 1–1 0–2 2–3 2–3 1–5 2–3 1–4 3–3 1–1
Denver 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 5–1 1–1 3–2 5–1 0–2 4–2 1–4 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–3 2–3 2–4 5–0 2–3 3–3 2–0
Detroit 4–2 0–6 6–0 5–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–4 2–0 0–2 2–4 2–4 3–3 2–3 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–4
Golden State 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 5–0 2–3 0–2 1–4 2–0 3–2 3–3 2–0 1–1 1–1 0–2 4–2 2–4 3–2 5–1 1–5 3–2 1–1
Houston 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–2 1–5 0–2 4–1 2–0 3–3 1–4 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–2 4–1 3–3 4–1 2–3 6–0 2–0
Indiana 2–4 1–5 3–3 5–1 1–1 2–0 4–2 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–6 4–2 3–2 0–6 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–5
Kansas City 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–4 2–4 0–2 2–3 3–3 1–1 1–4 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 2–3 0–5 1–5 4–1 2–3 3–3 0–2
Los Angeles 2–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 4–1 4–1 2–0 3–3 4–1 2–0 4–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 4–2 5–1 2–3 5–1 4–2 5–0 2–0
Milwaukee 3–3 3–3 5–1 6–0 1–1 1–1 4–2 0–2 1–1 6–0 1–1 2–0 4–1 3–3 4–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 0–2 2–0 3–2
New Jersey 2–3 1–5 4–2 6–0 0–2 1–1 4–2 1–1 1–1 2–4 1–1 1–1 1–4 4–2 3–3 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 2–0 4–2
New York 1–5 1–5 2–3 6–0 1–1 1–1 3–3 1–1 1–1 2–3 0–2 2–0 3–3 2–4 1–5 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–0 0–2 2–0 1–5
Philadelphia 3–3 2–4 5–1 5–0 2–0 1–1 3–2 2–0 1–1 6–0 2–0 1–1 2–4 3–3 5–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 2–0 2–0 2–0 6–0
Phoenix 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 3–2 3–2 2–0 2–4 2–3 1–1 3–2 2–4 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 3–3 4–1 4–2 3–3 3–2 1–1
Portland 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–2 3–2 2–0 4–2 1–4 1–1 5–0 1–5 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 3–3 3–2 4–2 3–3 4–1 0–2
San Antonio 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 5–1 4–2 2–0 2–3 3–3 0–2 5–1 3–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–4 2–3 3–2 4–1 3–3 1–1
San Diego 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 3–2 0–5 0–2 1–5 1–4 0–2 1–4 1–5 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–4 2–4 2–3 1–5 1–4 0–2
Seattle 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 4–1 3–2 1–1 5–1 3–2 1–1 3–2 2–4 2–0 2–0 2–0 0–2 3–3 3–3 1–4 5–1 5–0 1–1
Utah 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 3–3 3–3 1–1 2–3 0–6 1–1 3–3 0–5 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–3 1–4 3–3 4–1 0–5 1–1
Washington 4–2 0–6 4–2 5–1 1–1 0–2 4–1 1–1 0–2 5–1 2–0 0–2 2–3 2–4 5–1 0–6 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1

Game log

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Regular season

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1981–82 game log
Total: 33–49 (Home: 19–22; Road: 14–27)
October: 1–1 (home: 0–1; road: 1–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
1 October 30 @ New Jersey W 103–99 Brendan Byrne Arena 1–0
2
November: 5–7 (home: 3–3; road: 2–4)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
3
4
5
6 November 10 New Jersey W 111–99 Madison Square Garden 3–3
7
8 November 14 Philadelphia
9
10
11
12
13
14
December: 9–7 (home: 4–4; road: 5–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22 December 16 @ Philadelphia
23
24
25 December 22 Philadelphia
26 December 23 @ New Jersey L 99–115 Brendan Byrne Arena 12–14
27 December 25 New Jersey L 95–96 Madison Square Garden 12–15
28
29
30
January: 5–9 (home: 2–4; road: 3–5)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
February: 6–9 (home: 4–3; road: 2–6)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
45
46 February 3 @ Los Angeles W 98–94 The Forum 21–25
47
48
49
50
51 February 13 Philadelphia
52 February 14 @ Philadelphia
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
March: 5–8 (home: 5–4; road: 0–4)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
60
61 March 4 Los Angeles W 129–119 (OT) Madison Square Garden 28–33
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71 March 28 @ New Jersey L 106–113 Brendan Byrne Arena 30–41
72
April: 2–8 (home: 1–3; road: 1–5)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
73
74 April 4 @ Philadelphia
75
76
77
78
79 April 13 New Jersey L 102–104 Madison Square Garden 33–36
80
81
82
1981–82 schedule

Player statistics

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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

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Awards and records

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Transactions

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References

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See also

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