1970–71 New York Knicks season

{{short description|Season of National Basketball Association team the New York Knicks}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{NBA season

| team = New York Knicks

| DivisionWin = yes

| end_year = 1971

| wins = 52

| losses = 30

| division = Atlantic

| division_place = 1

| conf_place = 1

| coach = Red Holzman

| gm = Red Holzman

| arena = Madison Square Garden

| television = WOR-TV
Manhattan Cable Television

| radio = WNBC

| playoffs = East Conference finals
(lost to Bullets 3–4)

| bbr_team = NYK

}}

The 1970–71 New York Knicks season was the 25th season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA).{{cite web|title=New York Knickerbockers Franchise Index|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NYK/|accessdate=February 28, 2010}} New York entered the season as the defending NBA champions, having defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1970 NBA Finals in seven games to win the first championship in franchise history.{{cite book|last=Hahn|first=Alan|title=New York Knicks: The Complete Illustrated History|publisher=Voyageur Press|year=2012|pages=90–94|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bEr0AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA94|isbn=978-1-61058-684-9}} In the 1970–71 regular season, the Knicks finished in first place in the Atlantic Division with a 52–30 record, and qualified for the NBA playoffs for the fifth consecutive year.

New York began its NBA title defense with a 4–1 series victory over the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 1971 NBA Playoffs. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Baltimore Bullets defeated the Knicks in seven games, ending the team's chances for a repeat championship.{{cite web|title=1970–71 New York Knickerbockers Roster and Statistics|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NYK/1971.html|accessdate=February 28, 2010}}

Draft picks

{{main|1970 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.{{cite web|title=1970 NBA Draft|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1970.html|accessdate=February 16, 2013}}

class="wikitable sortable sortable"

! style="background:#FF7518;color:#FFFFFF;" width="7%"| Round

! style="background:#FF7518;color:#FFFFFF;" width="7%"| Pick

! style="background:#FF7518;color:#FFFFFF;" width="20%"| Player

! style="background:#FF7518;color:#FFFFFF;" width="15%"| Position

! style="background:#FF7518;color:#FFFFFF;" width="15%"| Nationality

! style="background:#FF7518;color:#FFFFFF;" width="20%"| School/Club Team

1

| 17

| Mike Price

| G

| {{flagu|United States}}

| Illinois

2

| 34

| Howie Wright

| G

| {{flagu|United States}}

| Austin Peay

8

| 136

| Greg Fillmore

| C

| {{flagu|United States}}

| Cheyney State)

Roster

{{NBA roster header|team=New York Knicks|season=1970–71}}

{{player2 | num = 12 | first = Dick | last = Barnett | pos = SG | ft = 6 | in = 4 | lbs = 190 | college = Tennessee State | DOB = 1936-10-02 }}

{{player2 | num = 24 | first = Bill | last = Bradley | pos = SF | ft = 6 | in = 5 | lbs = 205 | college = Princeton | DOB = 1943-07-28 }}

{{player2 | num = 22 | first = Dave | last = DeBusschere | pos = PF | ft = 6 | in = 6 | lbs = 220 | college = Detroit Mercy | DOB = 1940-10-16 }}

{{player2 | num = 34 | first = Greg | last = Fillmore | pos = C | ft = 7 | in = 1 | lbs = 240 | college = Cheyney (PA) | DOB = 1947-03-07 }}

{{player2 | num = 10 | first = Walt | last = Frazier | pos = PG | ft = 6 | in = 4 | lbs = 200 | college = Southern Illinois | DOB = 1945-03-29 }}

{{player2 | num = 18 | first = Phil | last = Jackson | pos = PF | ft = 6 | in = 8 | lbs = 220 | college = North Dakota | DOB = 1945-09-17 }}

{{player2 | num = 26 | first = Eddie | last = Mast | pos = PF | ft = 6 | in = 9 | lbs = 220 | college = Temple | DOB = 1948-10-03}}

{{player2 | num = 5 | first = Mike | last = Price | dab = basketball | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 200 | college = Illinois | DOB = 1948-09-11 }}

{{player2 | num = 19 | first = Willis | last = Reed | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 9 | lbs = 235 | college = Grambling State | DOB = 1942-06-25 }}

{{player2 | num = 6 | first = Mike | last = Riordan | dab = basketball | pos = SG | ft = 6 | in = 4 | lbs = 200 | college = Providence | DOB = 1945-07-09 }}

{{player2 | num = 33 | first = Cazzie | last = Russell | pos = SF | ft = 6 | in = 5 | lbs = 218 | college = Michigan | DOB = 1944-06-07 }}

{{player2 | num = 9 | first = Dave | last = Stallworth | pos = SF | ft = 6 | in = 7 | lbs = 200 | college = Wichita State | DOB = 1941-12-20 }}

{{NBA roster footer

| head_coach =

|ath_train =

  • Danny Whelan

}}

Regular season

=Season standings=

{{1970–71 NBA Atlantic standings|team=NYK}}

{{1970–71 NBA East standings|team=NYK}}

:z – clinched division title

:y – clinched division title

:x – clinched playoff spot

=Record vs. opponents=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center;"
colspan=18|1970–71 NBA Records
width=100|Team

!style="background:#003EA4;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|ATL

!style="background:#E45206;color:#012854;width=35"|BAL

!style="background:#006400;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|BOS

!style="background:#012F6B;color:#D9AA00;width=35"|BUF

!style="background:#BA0C2F;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|CHI

!style="background:#012F6B;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|CIN

!style="background:#FFA402;color:#77222F;width=35"|CLE

!style="background:#012F6B;color:#D40032;width=35"|DET

!style="background:#800080;color:#FFD700;width=35"|LAL

!style="background:#006400;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|MIL

!style="background:#003EA4;color:#FF8C00;width=35"|NYK

!style="background:#C90F2E;color:#022167;width=35"|PHI

!style="background:#800080;color:#FF4500;width=35"|PHO

!style="background:#FF0000;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|POR

!style="background:#00843D;color:#FFCC00;width=35"|SDR

!style="background:#FFC62C;color:#012F6B;width=35"|SFW

!style="background:#173F36;color:#EBAA00;width=35"|SEA

style="text-align:left;" | Atlanta3–32–43–11–42–44–00–53–21–43–34–21–42–22–32–33–2
style="text-align:left;" | Baltimore3–33–33–12–33–34–02–32–31–42–43–33–22–24–12–33–2
style="text-align:left;" | Boston4–23–34–04–14–23–12–33–20–50–64–22–32–23–23–23–2
style="text-align:left;" | Buffalo1–31–30–40–40–45–71–52–20–42–20–41–36–61–31–31–3
style="text-align:left;" | Chicago4–13–21–44–04–04–03–32–41–53–23–23–33–16–04–23–2
style="text-align:left;" | Cincinnati4–23–32–44–00–45–11–41–41–42–41–51–44–01–32–31–4
style="text-align:left;" | Cleveland0–40–41–37–50–41–52–20–40–40–41–30–42–100–41–30–4
style="text-align:left;" | Detroit5–03–23–25–13–34–12–22–31–52–32–32–43–14–21–43–1
style="text-align:left;" | Los Angeles2–33–22–32–24–24–14–03–21–43–23–22–44–03–34–24–2
style="text-align:left;" | Milwaukee4–14–15–04–05–14–14–05–14–11–44–14–23–14–16–05–1
style="text-align:left;" | New York3–34–26–02–22–34–24–03–22–34–12–44–13–14–13–22–3
style="text-align:left;" | Philadelphia2–43–32–44–02–35–13–13–22–31–44–23–24–03–23–23–2
style="text-align:left;" | Phoenix4–12–33–23–13–34–14–04–24–22–41–42–34–02–43–23–2
style="text-align:left;" | Portland2–22–22–26–61–30–410–21–30–41–31–30–40–40–41–32–4
style="text-align:left;" | San Diego3–21–42–33–10–63–14–02–43–31–41–42–34–24–02–45–1
style="text-align:left;" | San Francisco3–23–22–33–12–43–23–14–12–40–62–32–32–33–14–23–3
style="text-align:left;" | Seattle2–32–32–33–12–34–14–01–32–41–53–22–32–34–21–53–3

=Game log=

class="toccolours collapsible" width=50% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center"
colspan=11 style="background:#062A78; color:#FF5F00;" | 1970–71 game log
align="center" bgcolor="#dddddd"

| #

DateOpponentScoreHigh pointsRecord
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 1

October 13Boston107–114Willis Reed (35)1–0
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 2

October 14@ Cincinnati128–104Cazzie Russell (29)2–0
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 3

October 17Chicago99–96Dave DeBusschere (22)2–1
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 4

October 20Los Angeles100–115Willis Reed (29)3–1
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 5

October 22San Francisco92–95Cazzie Russell (20)4–1
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 6

October 23@ Baltimore92–98Willis Reed (25)4–2
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 7

October 24Cincinnati103–115Dave DeBusschere (24)5–2
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 8

October 27Seattle104–117Dave DeBusschere (22)6–2
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 9

October 28@ Boston126–89Willis Reed (22)7–2
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 10

October 29San Diego107–114Dick Barnett (26)8–2
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 11

October 31Detroit89–107Walt Frazier (22)9–2
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 12

November 2@ San Francisco111–99Walt Frazier (27)10–2
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 13

November 4@ San Diego109–100Walt Frazier (25)11–2
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 14

November 6@ Los Angeles104–106Willis Reed (24)11–3
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 15

November 8@ Portland125–113Frazier, Reed (28)12–3
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 16

November 10@ Seattle91–93Willis Reed (32)12–4
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 17

November 12Baltimore110–108Willis Reed (34)12–5
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 18

November 13@ Chicago106–98Dave DeBusschere (24)13–5
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 19

November 14Philadelphia94–126Walt Frazier (23)14–5
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 20

November 17Phoenix100–103Willis Reed (19)15–5
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 21

November 18@ Philadelphia106–113Walt Frazier (24)15–6
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 22

November 19Cincinnati106–98Walt Frazier (28)15–7
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 23

November 21Cleveland94–102Dick Barnett (24)16–7
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 24

November 24Atlanta119–128Walt Frazier (33)17–7
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 25

November 25@ Atlanta114–111Willis Reed (35)18–7
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 26

November 27@ Milwaukee103–94Willis Reed (34)19–7
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 27

November 28Milwaukee99–100Dave DeBusschere (21)20–7
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 28

December 1Seattle109–114Willis Reed (35)21–7
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 29

December 2@ Detroit82–101Willis Reed (17)21–8
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 30

December 4@ Buffalo91–97Willis Reed (31)21–9
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 31

December 5Buffalo93–117Frazier, Reed (23)22–9
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 32

December 8Portland121–139Willis Reed (37)23–9
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 33

December 12Philadelphia101–118Willis Reed (25)24–9
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 34

December 13N San Francisco101–94Walt Frazier (24)24–10
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 35

December 15Cleveland92–110Walt Frazier (25)25–10
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 36

December 16@ Cleveland108–84Walt Frazier (22)26–10
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 37

December 19Chicago87–98Dave Stallworth (22)27–10
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 38

December 20@ Phoenix133–118Walt Frazier (26)28–10
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 39

December 22@ Seattle108–119Dave DeBusschere (27)28–11
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 40

December 25Buffalo102–115Dick Barnett (24)29–11
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 41

December 27Baltimore105–110Walt Frazier (33)30–11
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 42

December 30San Francisco103–111Walt Frazier (29)31–11
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 43

January 2Atlanta112–108Walt Frazier (28)31–12
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 44

January 6@ Cleveland127–94Cazzie Russell (18)32–12
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 45

January 7@ Milwaukee106–116Walt Frazier (23)32–13
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 46

January 9@ Portland96–114Dick Barnett (23)32–14
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 47

January 14@ Phoenix88–107Dave DeBusschere (23)32–15
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 48

January 16@ San Francisco93–102Walt Frazier (21)32–16
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 49

January 19San Diego113–117 (OT)Bill Bradley (27)33–16
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 50

January 20@ Chicago103–109Walt Frazier (30)33–17
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 51

January 23Boston107–128Walt Frazier (32)34–17
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 52

January 24@ Detroit117–105Willis Reed (24)35–17
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 53

January 26Milwaukee98–107Willis Reed (35)36–17
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 54

January 27@ Atlanta116–108Walt Frazier (26)37–17
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 55

January 29@ Boston118–111Willis Reed (29)38–17
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 56

January 30Philadelphia106–105Walt Frazier (28)38–18
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 57

January 31N Baltimore125–95Walt Frazier (29)39–18
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 58

February 2Cincinnati108–115Willis Reed (27)40–18
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 59

February 5@ Detroit99–108Willis Reed (35)40–19
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 60

February 6Chicago109–102Cazzie Russell (25)40–20
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 61

February 7@ Philadelphia99–127Barnett, Reed (20)40–21
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 62

February 9Atlanta114–109Willis Reed (24)40–22
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 63

February 10@ Buffalo99–106Dick Barnett (21)40–23
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 64

February 12@ Atlanta116–125Walt Frazier (33)40–24
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 65

February 13Phoenix97–114Dick Barnett (30)41–24
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 66

February 16@ Los Angeles115–130Willis Reed (23)41–25
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 67

February 18@ San Diego116–115Walt Frazier (36)42–25
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 68

February 20Detroit94–108Bill Bradley (23)43–25
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 69

February 23San Diego126–109Barnett, DeBusschere (24)43–26
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 70

February 24@ Cincinnati125–105Walt Frazier (26)44–26
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 71

February 27Portland102–113Willis Reed (35)45–26
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 72

February 28@ Baltimore110–104Walt Frazier (25)46–26
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 73

March 2Baltimore95–109Willis Reed (21)47–26
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 74

March 5@ Philadelphia116–121Willis Reed (26)47–27
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 75

March 6Boston104–112Walt Frazier (39)48–27
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 76

March 7@ Boston116–110Walt Frazier (34)49–27
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 77

March 9Seattle114–99Walt Frazier (19)49–28
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 78

March 10@ Cincinnati118–120 (OT)Dave DeBusschere (29)49–29
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 79

March 13Milwaukee103–108Dave DeBusschere (33)50–29
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 80

March 16Los Angeles82–115Walt Frazier (22)51–29
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 81

March 18@ Phoenix131–123 (OT)Dick Barnett (30)52–29
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 82

March 21@ Los Angeles98–101Cazzie Russell (16)52–30

Playoffs

{{NBA game log start|New York Knicks|end_year=1971|playoffs=yes}}

{{NBA game log section|New York Knicks|Conference semifinals|first=yes|playoffs=yes|show=no

| home_wins = 2

| home_losses = 1

| road_wins = 2

| road_losses = 0

}}

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 1

| March 25

| Atlanta

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197103250NYK.html W 112–101]

| Bill Bradley (25)

| Willis Reed (22)

| Bill Bradley (4)

| Madison Square Garden
19,500

| 1–0

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"

| 2

| March 27

| Atlanta

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197103270NYK.html L 104–113]

| Walt Frazier (29)

| Dave DeBusschere (15)

| Bill Bradley (4)

| Madison Square Garden
19,500

| 1–1

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 3

| March 28

| @ Atlanta

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197103280ATL.html W 110–95]

| Willis Reed (26)

| Dave DeBusschere (17)

| Walt Frazier (9)

| Alexander Memorial Coliseum
7,192

| 2–1

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 4

| March 30

| @ Atlanta

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197103300ATL.html W 113–107]

| Walt Frazier (26)

| Dave DeBusschere (13)

| Walt Frazier (8)

| Alexander Memorial Coliseum
7,192

| 3–1

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 5

| April 1

| Atlanta

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197104010NYK.html W 111–107]

| Dave DeBusschere (29)

| Dave DeBusschere (22)

| Willis Reed (5)

| Madison Square Garden
19,500

| 4–1

|-

{{NBA game log section|New York Knicks|Conference finals|playoffs=yes|show=no

| home_wins = 3

| home_losses = 1

| road_wins = 0

| road_losses = 3

}}

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 1

| April 6

| Baltimore

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197104060NYK.html W 112–111]

| Walt Frazier (24)

| Dave DeBusschere (17)

| Walt Frazier (7)

| Madison Square Garden
19,500

| 1–0

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 2

| April 9

| Baltimore

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197104090NYK.html W 107–88]

| Dick Barnett (14)

| Dave DeBusschere (14)

| Walt Frazier (5)

| Madison Square Garden
19,500

| 2–0

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"

| 3

| April 11

| @ Baltimore

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197104110BAL.html L 88–114]

| Walt Frazier (17)

| Willis Reed (10)

| Barnett, Bradley (5)

| Baltimore Civic Center
8,083

| 2–1

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"

| 4

| April 14

| @ Baltimore

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197104140BAL.html L 80–101]

| Walt Frazier (16)

| Dave DeBusschere (9)

| Walt Frazier (5)

| Baltimore Civic Center
12,289

| 2–2

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 5

| April 16

| Baltimore

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197104160NYK.html W 89–84]

| Walt Frazier (28)

| Dave DeBusschere (17)

| Bill Bradley (4)

| Madison Square Garden
19,500

| 3–2

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"

| 6

| April 18

| @ Baltimore

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197104180BAL.html L 96–113]

| Dave DeBusschere (24)

| Dave DeBusschere (10)

| Dick Barnett (5)

| Baltimore Civic Center
11,211

| 3–3

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"

| 7

| April 19

| Baltimore

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197104190NYK.html L 91–93]

| Dick Barnett (26)

| Willis Reed (12)

| Walt Frazier (4)

| Madison Square Garden
19,500

| 3–4

|-

{{NBA game log end|bbr_team=NYK|end_year=1971|playoffs=yes}}

Player statistics

{{NBA roster statistics legend}}

=Season=

=Playoffs=

Awards and records

References

{{Reflist}}

{{1970–71 NBA season by team}}

{{New York Knicks seasons}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1970-71 New York Knicks season}}

New York

Category:New York Knicks seasons

New York Knicks

New York Knicks

Category:1970s in Manhattan