1976–77 New York Knicks season

The 1976–77 New York Knicks season was the 31st season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In the regular season, the Knicks finished in third place in the Atlantic Division, and failed to qualify for the 1977 NBA Playoffs. Bob McAdoo, a mid-season trade acquisition, led the Knicks in points per game (26.7) and rebounds per game (12.7), while Walt Frazier had a team-high 5.3 assists per game.

In the 1976 NBA draft, New York did not have a first-round pick, having been stripped of it in 1975 after attempting to sign American Basketball Association player George McGinnis, whose NBA rights were held by the Philadelphia 76ers. With their first selection, the Knicks chose Lonnie Shelton in the second round with the 25th overall pick. On November 30, 1976, the Knicks played their first game against the New York Nets in the regular season, losing 104–103. In December, the Knicks traded with the Buffalo Braves for McAdoo and Tom McMillen, sending John Gianelli and $3 million. McAdoo started in the 1977 NBA All-Star Game, and Earl Monroe was selected as a reserve. Coach Red Holzman stepped down at the end of the 1977 season, Willis Reed was named his replacement, and Holzman accepted a role as consultant. Bill Bradley also retired after the season and started a career in politics.

Draft picks

Main article: 1976 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.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
2	25	Lonnie Shelton	F/C	United States	Oregon State

Roster

New York Knicks roster

Players

Coaches

Pos.	No.	Name	Height	Weight	From
G	9	Beard, Butch	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	Louisville
F	24	Bradley, Bill	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	205 lb (93 kg)	Princeton
G	14	Burden, Ticky	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	Utah
G	10	Frazier, Walt	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	200 lb (91 kg)	Southern Illinois
F	42	Haywood, Spencer	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)	225 lb (102 kg)	Detroit Mercy
F	18	Jackson, Phil	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)	220 lb (100 kg)	North Dakota
G	35	Layton, Mo	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	180 lb (82 kg)	USC
F/C	11	McAdoo, Bob	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)	210 lb (95 kg)	North Carolina
C	52	McMillen, Tom	6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)	215 lb (98 kg)	Maryland
F	5	McMillian, Jim	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	215 lb (98 kg)	Columbia
G	7	Meminger, Dean	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	175 lb (79 kg)	Marquette
G	15	Monroe, Earl	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	Winston-Salem State
F	8	Shelton, Lonnie	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)	240 lb (109 kg)	Oregon State

Head coach

Red Holzman (CCNY)

Assistant coach(es)

Dick McGuire (Dartmouth)

Legend

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

Regular season

Season standings

Atlantic Division v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Philadelphia 76ers	50	32	.610	–	32–9	18–23	11–5
x-Boston Celtics	44	38	.537	6	28–13	16–25	9–7
New York Knicks	40	42	.488	10	26–15	14–27	8–8
Buffalo Braves	30	52	.366	20	23–18	7–34	6–10
New York Nets	22	60	.268	28	10–31	12–29	6–10

#	Eastern Conference v t e
#	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-Philadelphia 76ers	50	32	.610	–
2	y-Houston Rockets	49	33	.598	1
3	x-Washington Bullets	48	34	.585	2
4	x-Boston Celtics	44	38	.537	6
5	x-San Antonio Spurs	44	38	.537	6
6	x-Cleveland Cavaliers	43	39	.524	7

7	New York Knicks	40	42	.488	10
8	New Orleans Jazz	35	47	.427	15
9	Atlanta Hawks	31	51	.378	19
10	Buffalo Braves	30	52	.366	20
11	New York Nets	22	60	.268	28

z – clinched division title

y – clinched division title

x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1976–77 NBA records
Team	ATL	BOS	BUF	CHI	CLE	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	KCK	LAL	MIL	NOJ	NYK	NYN	PHI	PHO	POR	SAS	SEA	WAS
Atlanta	—	0–4	4–0	2–2	2–2	2–2	0–4	0–4	1–3	0–4	1–2	2–2	2–2	1–3	1–3	3–1	1–3	0–4	3–1	4–0	1–2	1–3
Boston	4–0	—	3–1	2–2	1–3	3–1	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–2	3–1	2–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	2–2	1–3	4–0	2–2	0–4
Buffalo	0–4	1–3	—	1–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	0–3	1–3	1–3	0–3	1–3	3–1	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	0–4	3–1	0–4
Chicago	2–2	2–2	3–1	—	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–1	4–0	2–2	2–1	2–2	2–2	0–4	3–1	2–2	1–2
Cleveland	2–2	3–1	2–2	1–3	—	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–3	2–1	3–1	2–2	4–0	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	2–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3
Denver	2–2	1–3	2–2	3–1	2–2	—	3–1	2–2	3–0	3–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	1–3	3–1	2–2	1–2	4–0	2–2
Detroit	4–0	2–2	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–3	—	3–1	2–2	2–2	4–0	1–3	3–1	3–1	1–2	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–2	1–3	1–3
Golden State	4–0	3–1	3–0	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–3	—	2–1	4–0	1–3	2–2	1–3	1–3	1–3	3–1	3–1	4–0	1–3	2–2	1–3	3–1
Houston	3–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	3–1	0–3	2–2	1–2	—	4–0	2–2	2–2	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–3	3–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	3–1
Indiana	4–0	2–1	3–1	2–2	1–2	1–3	2–2	0–4	0–4	—	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	2–2	4–0	2–2	2–2	0–4	2–2	2–2	0–4
Kansas City	2–1	1–3	3–0	2–2	1–3	1–3	0–4	3–1	2–2	2–2	—	1–3	2–2	2–2	4–0	4–0	1–3	3–1	2–2	1–3	1–3	2–2
Los Angeles	2–2	1–2	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–1	—	3–1	3–0	1–3	4–0	2–2	3–1	3–1	3–1	3–1	4–0
Milwaukee	2–2	1–3	1–3	1–3	0–4	1–3	1–3	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	1–3	—	1–2	1–3	3–1	1–2	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–3
New Orleans	3–1	2–2	1–3	0–4	2–2	1–3	1–3	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	0–3	2–1	—	3–1	2–2	0–4	3–1	2–2	1–3	1–3	2–2
N.Y. Knicks	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	0–4	3–1	3–1	1–3	—	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–3	1–3	1–2	2–2
N.Y. Nets	1–3	1–3	2–2	1–2	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	2–2	0–4	0–4	0–4	1–3	2–2	2–2	—	1–3	2–2	0–3	1–3	1–3	1–3
Philadelphia	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–1	2–2	1–3	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–2	2–1	4–0	3–1	3–1	—	1–2	2–2	1–3	2–2	3–1
Phoenix	4–0	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–2	1–3	2–2	0–4	1–3	2–2	1–3	1–3	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	2–1	—	1–3	1–3	3–1	1–3
Portland	1–3	3–1	3–1	4–0	2–2	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	4–0	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–0	2–2	3–1	—	2–2	3–1	1–2
San Antonio	0–4	0–4	4–0	1–3	2–2	2–1	2–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–3	3–1	3–1	3–1	3–1	3–1	2–2	—	3–1	2–2
Seattle	2–1	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–3	0–4	3–1	3–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–3	3–1	3–1	2–1	3–1	2–2	1–3	1–3	1–3	—	3–1
Washington	3–1	4–0	4–0	2–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–3	4–0	2–2	0–4	3–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	3–1	2–1	2–2	1–3	—

References

The Fourth Estate (PDF). New York Knicks. 2003. p. 331. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
The Fourth Estate (PDF). New York Knicks. 2003. p. 330. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
^ "1976–77 New York Knickerbockers Roster and Statistics". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
^ "McAdoo dealt to New York". Ottawa Citizen. United Press International. December 9, 1976. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
"O'Brien punishes Knicks". The Deseret News. United Press International. June 6, 1975. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
"Basketball Briefs: Kennedy Charges Knicks Fouled In McGinnis Deal". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. June 3, 1975. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
^ "1976 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
Down, Fred (December 1, 1976). "Archibald Leads Nets Past Knicks". Times Daily. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
"1977 NBA All-Star Game West 125, East 124". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
"Knicks' Red Holzman Announces Retirement". Pittsburgh Press. United Press International. March 6, 1977. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
"Bradley and Holzman Finish Careers As Winners". Sarasota Herald. United Press International. April 11, 1977. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
"Bradley, William Warren (Bill), (1943 –)". Biographical Dictionary of the United States Congress. Archived from the original on March 4, 2010. Retrieved September 13, 2013.