The 1967–68 New York Knicks season was the 22nd season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In the regular season, the Knicks finished in third place in the Eastern Division with a 43–39 record, qualifying for the NBA playoffs for the second consecutive season.[1] New York lost its opening round series to the Philadelphia 76ers, four games to two.[2] Willis Reed scored 20.6 points per game and had 13.2 rebounds per game, leading the Knicks in both categories; Frazier had a team-high 4.1 assists per game.[3]
Walt Frazier joined the Knicks' roster in time for the 1967–68 season, having been selected by the team in the first round of the 1967 NBA draft. Bill Bradley also made his Knicks debut in 1967.[4] New York had an early season six-game losing streak and stood at 15–22 on December 27.[5] The Knicks then replaced their head coach, hiring Red Holzman to fill the position.[6] To begin 1968, they won six consecutive games and reached 33–33 by mid-February.[5] With a 28–17 record in Holzman's 45 games as coach, the Knicks reached the playoffs.[7] The Knicks and 76ers split the first four games of their playoff series, before Philadelphia won games five and six to end New York's season.[2]
The season was also significant for the Knicks' move to the new Madison Square Garden. Their final game in the previous Garden was on February 10, a 115–97 win against the 76ers. They would then host their first game at the new Garden on February 14, a 114–102 win against the expansion San Diego Rockets.[8]
See main article: article and 1967 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.[9]
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Walt Frazier | G | Southern Illinois | ||
| 2 | 17 | F/C | North Dakota | |||
| 3 | 24 | Gary Gregor | F/C | South Carolina | ||
| 12 | 128 | Mike Riordan | F | Providence |
| 1967-68 NBA Records | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | BAL | BOS | CHI | CIN | DET | LAL | NYK | PHI | SDR | SFW | SEA | STL |
| — | 3–5 | 2–5 | 5–3 | 4–4 | 3–4 | 3–5 | 0–8 | 7–0 | 2–5 | 5–2 | 2–5 | ||
| 5–3 | — | 5–2 | 3–5 | 6–2 | 4–3 | 6–2 | 4–4 | 7–0 | 4–3 | 6–1 | 4–3 | ||
| 5–2 | 2–5 | — | 5–2 | 3–4 | 1–7 | 2–5 | 1–6 | 4–4 | 2–6 | 3–5 | 1–7 | ||
| 3–5 | 5–3 | 2–5 | — | 4–4 | 1–6 | 3–5 | 3–5 | 7–0 | 4–3 | 6–1 | 1–6 | ||
| 4–4 | 2–6 | 4–3 | 4–4 | — | 2–5 | 4–4 | 1–7 | 5–2 | 4–3 | 6–1 | 4–3 | ||
| 4–3 | 3–4 | 7–1 | 6–1 | 5–2 | — | 4–3 | 2–5 | 7–1 | 4–4 | 4–4 | 6–2 | ||
| New York | 5–3 | 2–6 | 5–2 | 5–3 | 4–4 | 3–4 | — | 3–5 | 6–1 | 5–2 | 4–3 | 1–6 | |
| 8–0 | 4–4 | 6–1 | 5–3 | 7–1 | 5–2 | 5–3 | — | 6–1 | 4–3 | 7–0 | 5–2 | ||
| 0–7 | 0–7 | 4–4 | 0–7 | 2–5 | 1–7 | 1–6 | 1–6 | — | 2–6 | 3–5 | 1–7 | ||
| 5–2 | 3–4 | 6–2 | 3–4 | 3–4 | 4–4 | 2–5 | 3–4 | 6–2 | — | 7–1 | 1–7 | ||
| 2–5 | 1–6 | 5–3 | 1–6 | 1–6 | 4–4 | 3–4 | 0–7 | 5–3 | 1–7 | — | 0–8 | ||
| 5–2 | 3–4 | 7–1 | 6–1 | 3–4 | 2–6 | 6–1 | 2–5 | 7–1 | 7–1 | 8–0 | — | ||
| 1967–68 game log | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | October 17 | 122–124 | Cazzie Russell (23) | 1–0 | ||
| 2 | October 18 | 98–121 | Barnett, Reed (22) | 1–1 | ||
| 3 | October 21 | 114–106 | Willis Reed (30) | 1–2 | ||
| 4 | October 24 | 135–130 (OT) | Willis Reed (32) | 1–3 | ||
| 5 | October 25 | 114–117 | Willis Reed (24) | 1–4 | ||
| 6 | October 28 | 111–98 | Willis Reed (27) | 1–5 | ||
| 7 | October 31 | @ San Francisco | 103–108 | Dick Barnett (19) | 1–6 | |
| 8 | November 1 | @ Los Angeles | 129–113 | Willis Reed (53) | 2–6 | |
| 9 | November 3 | 134–100 | Willis Reed (24) | 3–6 | ||
| 10 | November 4 | 125–121 | Barnett, Russell (23) | 4–6 | ||
| 11 | November 5 | @ San Diego | 115–107 | Dick Barnett (22) | 5–6 | |
| 12 | November 8 | @ Detroit | 108–110 | Willis Reed (28) | 5–7 | |
| 13 | November 9 | 106–123 | Walt Bellamy (30) | 6–7 | ||
| 14 | November 11 | 105–110 | Cazzie Russell (24) | 7–7 | ||
| 15 | November 14 | San Diego | 109–122 | Willis Reed (27) | 8–7 | |
| 16 | November 15 | N San Diego | 122–108 | Dick Barnett (18) | 8–8 | |
| 17 | November 18 | Baltimore | 101–93 | Cazzie Russell (20) | 8–9 | |
| 18 | November 21 | 123–125 (2OT) | Walt Bellamy (26) | 9–9 | ||
| 19 | November 22 | @ Cincinnati | 122–123 | Cazzie Russell (29) | 9–10 | |
| 20 | November 23 | N Chicago | 96–106 | Dick Barnett (26) | 9–11 | |
| 21 | November 25 | Seattle | 110–111 | Willis Reed (26) | 10–11 | |
| 22 | November 28 | Philadelphia | 110–108 | Dick Barnett (32) | 10–12 | |
| 23 | November 29 | @ Cincinnati | 119–99 | Willis Reed (18) | 11–12 | |
| 24 | December 1 | @ Chicago | 100–102 | Willis Reed (27) | 11–13 | |
| 25 | December 2 | Los Angeles | 122–106 | Willis Reed (23) | 11–14 | |
| 26 | December 5 | Baltimore | 117–148 | Walt Bellamy (28) | 12–14 | |
| 27 | December 6 | @ Boston | 113–115 | Reed, Russell (25) | 12–15 | |
| 28 | December 8 | @ Philadelphia | 109–117 | Dick Barnett (26) | 12–16 | |
| 29 | December 9 | Detroit | 124–121 | Dick Barnett (32) | 12–17 | |
| 30 | December 12 | St. Louis | 145–142 (2OT) | Barnett, Bellamy (25) | 12–18 | |
| 31 | December 13 | @ Detroit | 117–129 | Walt Bellamy (27) | 12–19 | |
| 32 | December 16 | San Diego | 102–126 | Walt Bellamy (31) | 13–19 | |
| 33 | December 19 | Cincinnati | 118–133 | Willis Reed (29) | 14–19 | |
| 34 | December 20 | @ Los Angeles | 138–131 | Willis Reed (33) | 15–19 | |
| 35 | December 22 | @ Seattle | 108–120 | Dick Barnett (20) | 15–20 | |
| 36 | December 25 | Boston | 134–124 | Walt Bellamy (30) | 15–21 | |
| 37 | December 26 | N Seattle | 137–135 | Willis Reed (28) | 15–22 | |
| 38 | December 27 | Philadelphia | 114–105 | Walt Bellamy (27) | 15–23 | |
| 39 | December 29 | Los Angeles | 126–115 | Dick Barnett (23) | 15–24 | |
| 40 | January 2 | Cincinnati | 125–119 | Dick Barnett (30) | 15–25 | |
| 41 | January 3 | @ Philadelphia | 129–115 | Barnett, Bellamy (30) | 16–25 | |
| 42 | January 5 | N Chicago | 121–99 | Dick Van Arsdale (30) | 17–25 | |
| 43 | January 6 | Detroit | 101–118 | Walt Bellamy (32) | 18–25 | |
| 44 | January 8 | @ Seattle | 119–113 | Walt Bellamy (27) | 19–25 | |
| 45 | January 9 | @ San Diego | 118–105 | Willis Reed (24) | 20–25 | |
| 46 | January 10 | @ Los Angeles | 115–101 | Willis Reed (30) | 21–25 | |
| 47 | January 12 | @ San Francisco | 117–127 | Barnett, Reed (30) | 21–26 | |
| 48 | January 15 | N Seattle | 129–113 | Bellamy, Russell (20) | 21–27 | |
| 49 | January 17 | @ Baltimore | 111–109 | Cazzie Russell (30) | 22–27 | |
| 50 | January 19 | @ Boston | 114–120 | Dick Barnett (31) | 22–28 | |
| 51 | January 21 | @ Detroit | 115–103 | Cazzie Russell (42) | 23–28 | |
| 52 | January 25 | @ Chicago | 126–118 | Cazzie Russell (31) | 24–28 | |
| 53 | January 26 | @ St. Louis | 94–103 | Cazzie Russell (31) | 24–29 | |
| 54 | January 28 | San Francisco | 130–133 | Cazzie Russell (26) | 25–29 | |
| 55 | January 30 | Baltimore | 134–131 | Dick Barnett (26) | 25–30 | |
| 56 | January 31 | @ Cincinnati | 128–126 (OT) | Walt Bellamy (23) | 26–30 | |
| 57 | February 1 | N Chicago | 112–103 | Walt Bellamy (25) | 27–30 | |
| 58 | February 3 | Boston | 112–108 | Dick Van Arsdale (23) | 27–31 | |
| 59 | February 4 | @ Boston | 110–108 | Walt Frazier (27) | 28–31 | |
| 60 | February 6 | St. Louis | 100–121 | Barnett, Bellamy (21) | 29–31 | |
| 61 | February 7 | @ Baltimore | 114–111 | Walt Bellamy (32) | 30–31 | |
| 62 | February 9 | @ St. Louis | 111–121 | Walt Bellamy (23) | 30–32 | |
| 63 | February 10 | Philadelphia | 97–115 | Walt Bellamy (24) | 31–32 | |
| 64 | February 14 | San Diego | 102–114 | Dick Barnett (26) | 32–32 | |
| 65 | February 16 | N Cincinnati | 91–125 | Willis Reed (16) | 32–33 | |
| 66 | February 17 | Seattle | 111–134 | Phil Jackson (24) | 33–33 | |
| 67 | February 20 | San Francisco | 112–115 (OT) | Dick Barnett (32) | 34–33 | |
| 68 | February 24 | Chicago | 101–109 | Cazzie Russell (22) | 35–33 | |
| 69 | February 25 | @ Detroit | 124–115 | Cazzie Russell (38) | 36–33 | |
| 70 | February 27 | St. Louis | 108–102 | Dick Barnett (22) | 36–34 | |
| 71 | February 28 | @ Baltimore | 126–122 | Willis Reed (28) | 37–34 | |
| 72 | February 29 | N St. Louis | 105–102 (OT) | Willis Reed (28) | 37–35 | |
| 73 | March 2 | Detroit | 107–133 | Cazzie Russell (30) | 38–35 | |
| 74 | March 5 | Boston | 113–91 | Dick Barnett (20) | 38–36 | |
| 75 | March 6 | @ Boston | 91–103 | Cazzie Russell (24) | 38–37 | |
| 76 | March 10 | Philadelphia | 119–108 | Willis Reed (22) | 38–38 | |
| 77 | March 12 | Baltimore | 104–107 | Willis Reed (30) | 39–38 | |
| 78 | March 13 | @ Philadelphia | 130–120 | Willis Reed (32) | 40–38 | |
| 79 | March 15 | @ Los Angeles | 112–123 | Willis Reed (26) | 40–39 | |
| 80 | March 17 | @ San Francisco | 130–104 | Walt Bellamy (26) | 41–39 | |
| 81 | March 18 | @ San Francisco | 123–118 | Willis Reed (29) | 42–39 | |
| 82 | March 20 | Cincinnati | 106–108 | Howard Komives (21) | 43–39 |
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| March 22| @ Philadelphia| L 110–118| Willis Reed (38)| Willis Reed (23)| Dick Van Arsdale (8)| Spectrum
5,093| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| March 23| Philadelphia| W 128–117| Walt Bellamy (26)| Walt Bellamy (17)| Walt Frazier (7)| Madison Square Garden IV
15,911| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 3| March 27| @ Philadelphia| L 132–138 (2OT)| Cazzie Russell (40)| Walt Bellamy (19)| Walt Frazier (9)| Spectrum
6,951| 1–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 4| March 30| Philadelphia| W 107–98| Walt Bellamy (28)| Walt Bellamy (13)| Howard Komives (8)| Madison Square Garden IV
18,262| 2–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 5| March 31| @ Philadelphia| L 105–123| Cazzie Russell (31)| Walt Bellamy (10)| Howard Komives (5)| Spectrum
6,979| 2–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 6| April 1| Philadelphia| L 97–113| Bellamy, Barnett (19)| Walt Bellamy (22)| Howard Komives (6)| Madison Square Garden IV
18,014| 2–4|-