1993–94 New York Knicks season

The 1993–94 New York Knicks season was the 48th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association. This marked the last season in which the Knicks (and all other MSG properties) were owned by Paramount Communications (formerly Gulf+Western), which was sold near the end of the season to Viacom, which in turn sold them to ITT Corporation and Cablevision. A couple of years later, ITT would sell their share to Cablevision. The Knicks' owner, The Madison Square Garden Company, is a spin-off of Cablevision.

Season summary

Off-season During the off-season, the team signed free agent Anthony Bonner.

Regular season With the addition of Bonner, the Knicks got off to a fast start by winning their first seven games of the regular season. However, Doc Rivers suffered a left knee injury, and was out for the remainder of the season after only just 19 games, while Charles D. Smith and second-year guard Hubert Davis also missed parts of the season due to injuries. At mid-season, the Knicks traded Tony Campbell to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Derek Harper, who filled in the void left by Rivers at the point guard position. Despite the injuries, the Knicks held a 34–14 record at the All-Star break, and then posted a 15-game winning streak between March and April, which included a 14–0 record in March. The Knicks finished in first place in the Atlantic Division with a 57–25 record, and earned the second seed in the Eastern Conference; the team qualified for the NBA playoffs for the seventh consecutive year.

Patrick Ewing had a stellar season averaging 24.5 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game, but was not named to an All-NBA Team at season's end, while John Starks averaged 19.0 points, 5.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game, and led the Knicks with 113 three-point field goals, but only played 59 games due to a left knee injury, which forced him to miss the remainder of the regular season. In addition, Charles Oakley provided the team with 11.8 points and rebounds per game each, contributed 1.3 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team, while Davis contributed 11.0 points per game in 56 games, and Smith provided with 10.4 points per game in 43 games. Meanwhile, Harper averaged 8.6 points, 4.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game in 54 games after the trade, Greg Anthony contributed 7.9 points, 4.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game, and Rivers provided with 7.5 points, 5.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Rolando Blackman contributed 7.3 points per game, Anthony Mason averaged 7.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, and Bonner provided with 5.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ewing, Starks and Oakley were all selected for the 1994 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Eastern Conference All-Star team; it was the first and only All-Star appearance for both Starks and Oakley. Ewing also finished in fifth place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Oakley finished in ninth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting, Mason finished tied in sixth place in Sixth Man of the Year voting, and head coach Pat Riley finished tied in fifth place in Coach of the Year voting.

The Knicks finished fourth in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 810,193 at Madison Square Garden during the regular season.

NBA playoffs In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1994 NBA playoffs, the Knicks faced off against the 7th–seeded New Jersey Nets, a team that featured All-Star forward Derrick Coleman, All-Star guard Kenny Anderson, and Kevin Edwards. The Knicks won the first two games over the Nets at home at Madison Square Garden, before losing Game 3 on the road in overtime, 93–92 at the Brendan Byrne Arena. The Knicks won Game 4 over the Nets on the road, 102–92 to win the series in four games.

In the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, and for the fourth consecutive year, the team faced off against the 3rd–seeded, and 3-time defending NBA champion Chicago Bulls; All-Star guard Michael Jordan had retired prior to the season to pursue a baseball career, as the Bulls were now led by the All-Star trio of Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant and B.J. Armstrong. The Knicks won the first two games over the Bulls at Madison Square Garden, before losing the next two games on the road at the Chicago Stadium. The Knicks won Game 5 at home by a score of 87–86, but then lost Game 6 to the Bulls on the road, 93–79. With the series tied at 3–3, the Knicks won Game 7 over the Bulls at Madison Square Garden, 87–77 to win in a hard-fought seven-game series.

In the Eastern Conference Finals, and for the second consecutive year, the Knicks faced off against the 5th–seeded Indiana Pacers, who were led by Reggie Miller, Rik Smits and Derrick McKey. The Knicks took a 2–0 series lead before losing the next three games to the Pacers, losing the next two road games at the Market Square Arena, and then losing Game 5 at Madison Square Garden, 93–86 as the Pacers took a 3–2 series lead; in Game 5, Miller scored 25 points in the fourth quarter alone and finished with 39 points. However, the Knicks managed to win the next two games, including a Game 7 win over the Pacers at Madison Square Garden, 94–90 to win the series in another hard-fought seven games, and advance to the NBA Finals.

In the 1994 NBA Finals, the Knicks faced off against the 2nd–seeded Houston Rockets, a team that featured All-Star center, Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year, Hakeem Olajuwon, Otis Thorpe and Vernon Maxwell. The Rockets took a 2–1 series lead, but the Knicks managed to win the next two games at Madison Square Garden, which included a Game 5 home win over the Rockets, 91–84 to take a 3–2 series lead. However, the Knicks lost the next two games on the road, including a Game 7 loss to the Rockets at The Summit, 90–84, thus losing in a hard-fought seven-game series, as the Rockets won their first ever NBA championship in franchise history.

In the 1994 playoffs, the Knicks set the record for most games allowing under 95, and under 100 points, in one playoff run. Opponents were held to under 95 and 100 points in 23 and 24 games, respectively.

Notable incidents One notable incident of the NBA playoffs occurred in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, against the Bulls at the Chicago Stadium on May 13, 1994. During the second quarter, Harper and Bulls reserve guard Jo Jo English both got into a brawl, which spilled into the stands near the fans; the brawl also occurred in front of NBA commissioner David Stern, who was in attendance. Harper was fined $15,000 and suspended for two games, while English was fined $10,000 and suspended for one game. The Knicks lost to the Bulls by a score of 104–102.

Aftermath Following the season, Blackman was released to free agency.

Draft picks

The Knicks had no draft picks in 1993.

Roster

Preseason

Game log 1993–94 pre-season game log # Date Opponent Score Record Lead scorer Lead rebounder Lead assist Lead steals Lead blocks OT Location Time Local cable TV Local radio

Regular season

Season standings

z – clinched division title y – clinched division title x – clinched playoff spot

Game log Regular season

| Boston Garden | 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | November 7, 1993 | @ Cleveland | W 115–107 (OT)

| Richfield Coliseum | 2–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | November 9, 1993 | Philadelphia | W 95–86

| Madison Square Garden | 3–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | November 10, 1993 | @ Washington | W 92–84

| USAir Arena | 4–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 5 | November 12, 1993 | @ Indiana | W 103–84

| Market Square Arena | 5–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 6 | November 13, 1993 | Milwaukee | W 99–86

| Madison Square Garden | 6–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 7 | November 16, 1993 | @ Dallas | W 103–90

| Reunion Arena | 7–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 8 | November 17, 1993 | @ San Antonio | L 90–95

| Alamodome | 7–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 9 | November 20, 1993 | Utah | L 72–86

| Madison Square Garden | 7–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 10 | November 22, 1993 | Miami | W 119–87

| Madison Square Garden | 8–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 11 | November 27, 1993 | Detroit | W 112–85

| Madison Square Garden | 9–2

| Madison Square Garden | 9–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 13 | December 4, 1993 | Sacramento | W 123–101

| Madison Square Garden | 10–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 14 | December 6, 1993 | @ Utah | L 96–103

| Delta Center | 10–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 15 | December 7, 1993 | @ L.A. Lakers | W 92–78

| Great Western Forum | 11–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 16 | December 9, 1993 | @ Golden State | W 94–81

| Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 12–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 17 | December 11, 1993 | Indiana | W 98–91

| Madison Square Garden | 13–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 18 | December 14, 1993 | Denver | W 93–84

| Madison Square Garden | 14–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 19 | December 16, 1993 | L.A. Lakers | W 108–85

| Madison Square Garden | 15–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 20 | December 17, 1993 | @ Chicago | L 86–98

| Chicago Stadium | 15–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 21 | December 20, 1993 | Dallas | W 101–92

| Madison Square Garden | 16–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 | December 21, 1993 | @ New Jersey | L 81–85

| Brendan Byrne Arena | 16–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 23 | December 23, 1993 | Atlanta | W 84–75

| Madison Square Garden | 17–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 24 | December 28, 1993 | New Jersey | L 95–97

| Madison Square Garden | 17–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 25 | December 30, 1993 | Washington | W 102–84

| Madison Square Garden | 18–7

| Madison Square Garden | 18–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 27 | January 4, 1994 | Orlando | W 100–95

| Madison Square Garden | 19–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 28 | January 6, 1994 | @ Milwaukee | W 92–86

| Bradley Center | 19–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 29 | January 8, 1994 | @ Charlotte | L 99–102

| Charlotte Coliseum | 20–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 30 | January 9, 1994 | Portland | W 99–85

| Madison Square Garden | 21–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 31 | January 11, 1994 | L.A. Clippers | W 98–77

| Madison Square Garden | 22–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 32 | January 13, 1994 | @ Detroit | W 94–80

| The Palace of Auburn Hills | 23–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 33 | January 15, 1994 | Detroit | W 97–88

| Madison Square Garden | 24–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 34 | January 17, 1994 | Minnesota | W 106–94

| Madison Square Garden | 25–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 35 | January 19, 1994 | San Antonio | W 120–108

| Madison Square Garden | 26–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 36 | January 21, 1994 | @ Orlando | L 103–106

| Orlando Arena | 26–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 37 | January 23, 1994 | Philadelphia | L 92–99

| Madison Square Garden | 26–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 38 | January 25, 1994 | Phoenix | W 98–96

| Madison Square Garden | 27–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 39 | January 27, 1994 | @ L.A. Clippers | W 103–102

| Aarowhead Pond of Anaheim | 28–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 40 | January 29, 1994 | @ Seattle | W 106–92

| Seattle Center Coliseum | 29–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 41 | January 30, 1994 | @ Portland | W 103–93

| Memorial Coliseum | 30–11

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 42 | February 1, 1994 | Boston

1993–94 New York Knicks season

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