1977–78 New York Knicks season

The 1977–78 New York Knicks season was the 32nd season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Knicks finished the regular season in second place in the Atlantic Division with a 43–39 win–loss record and qualified for the NBA playoffs. In the first round of the 1978 Playoffs, New York defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 2–0, to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. There, the Knicks lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in a four-game sweep.^[3]

1977–78 New York Knicks season
Head coach	Willis Reed
General manager	Eddie Donovan
Owners	Gulf+Western
Arena	Madison Square Garden
Results
Record	43–39 (.524)
Place	Division: 2nd (Atlantic) Conference: 5th (Eastern)
Playoff finish	East Semifinals (lost to 76ers 0–4)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
Television	WOR-TV[1]
Radio	WNEW[2]
< 1976–77 1978–79 >

Draft picks

Main article: 1977 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.^[4]

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
1	10	Ray Williams	G	United States	Minnesota
2	26	Glen Gondrezick	G/F	United States	UNLV
2	32	Toby Knight	F	United States	Notre Dame
4	76	Steve Hayes	C	United States	Idaho State

Roster

New York Knicks roster

• v
• t
• e

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From G 9 Butch Beard 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Louisville G 14 Ticky Burden 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Utah PG 35 Jim Cleamons 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Ohio State F 44 Glen Gondrezick 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 218 lb (99 kg) UNLV F 42 Spencer Haywood 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Detroit Mercy F 18 Phil Jackson 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) North Dakota F 43 Toby Knight 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Notre Dame F/C 11 Bob McAdoo 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) North Carolina F 5 Jim McMillian 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Columbia G 15 Earl Monroe 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Winston-Salem State F 8 Lonnie Shelton 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Oregon State G 13 Ray Williams 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 188 lb (85 kg) Minnesota

Head coach Willis Reed Assistant(s) Dick McGuire (Dartmouth) Nat Frazier (Tuskegee) 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	55	27	.671	–	37–4	18–23	14–2
x-New York Knicks	43	39	.524	12	29–12	14–27	7–9
Boston Celtics	32	50	.390	23	24–17	8–33	8–8
Buffalo Braves	27	55	.329	28	20–21	7–34	7–9
New Jersey Nets	24	58	.293	31	18–23	6–35	4–12

#	Eastern Conference v t e
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-Philadelphia 76ers	55	27	.671	–
2	y-San Antonio Spurs	52	30	.634	3
3	x-Washington Bullets	44	38	.537	11
4	x-Cleveland Cavaliers	43	39	.524	12
5	x-New York Knicks	43	39	.524	12
6	x-Atlanta Hawks	41	41	.500	14
7	New Orleans Jazz	39	43	.476	16
8	Boston Celtics	32	50	.390	23
9	Houston Rockets	28	54	.341	27
10	Buffalo Braves	27	55	.329	28
11	New Jersey Nets	24	58	.293	31

z – clinched division title

y – clinched division title

x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1977–78 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	BUF	CHI	CLE	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	KCK	LAL	MIL	NJN	NOJ	NYK	PHI	PHO	POR	SAS	SEA	WAS
Atlanta	—	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–3	1–3	2–2	1–3	3–1	3–1	2–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–3	2–1	1–3
Boston	2–2	—	3–1	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	2–2	2–2	2–1	2–2	1–2	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	0–4	2–2	1–3	0–4	0–4	1–3
Buffalo	1–3	1–3	—	3–1	1–3	1–3	1–3	0–3	3–1	1–3	1–2	1–3	1–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	0–4	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3
Chicago	3–1	3–1	1–3	—	3–1	2–2	2–2	1–3	3–1	3–1	0–4	2–2	1–3	1–2	2–2	1–3	3–0	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	2–1
Cleveland	3–1	3–1	3–1	1–3	—	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–2	0–4	0–4	3–1	2–2
Denver	3–1	3–1	3–1	2–2	1–3	—	2–2	2–2	3–0	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–1	3–1	3–1	1–3	1–3	2–2	3–1	2–1	1–3	3–1
Detroit	2–2	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	—	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–0	0–4	0–4	2–2	1–3	1–3	1–3	2–2
Golden State	3–1	2–2	3–0	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	—	2–1	3–1	3–1	0–4	2–2	3–1	0–4	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–3	3–1	2–2	2–2
Houston	1–3	2–2	1–3	1–3	2–2	0–3	1–3	1–2	—	3–1	2–2	1–3	1–3	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–3	0–4	1–3
Indiana	1–3	1–2	3–1	1–3	1–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–3	—	2–2	1–3	0–4	2–2	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	3–1
Kansas City	1–2	2–2	2–1	4–0	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	—	2–2	0–4	2–2	2–2	0–4	1–3	0–4	0–4	0–4	1–3	2–2
Los Angeles	1–3	2–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	1–3	2–2	4–0	3–1	3–1	2–2	—	3–1	4–0	2–1	3–1	2–2	1–3	0–4	2–2	1–3	2–2
Milwaukee	2–2	1–3	3–1	3–1	1–3	1–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	4–0	4–0	1–3	—	3–1	2–1	3–1	1–2	1–3	1–3	2–2	1–3	3–1
New Jersey	1–3	1–3	2–2	2–1	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	2–2	2–2	2–2	0–4	1–3	—	0–4	1–3	0–4	2–2	0–3	0–4	2–2	2–2
New Orleans	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–3	1–3	4–0	3–1	2–2	2–2	1–2	1–2	4–0	—	1–3	2–2	1–3	3–1	1–3	2–2	0–4
New York	2–2	2–2	1–3	3–1	1–3	3–1	3–0	2–2	2–2	3–1	4–0	1–3	1–3	3–1	3–1	—	1–3	1–3	1–3	2–2	2–1	2–2
Philadelphia	2–2	4–0	3–1	1–3	3–1	3–1	4–0	3–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	2–2	2–1	4–0	2–2	3–1	—	2–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	2–2
Phoenix	1–3	2–2	4–0	2–2	2–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–1	4–0	3–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	1–2	—	1–3	2–2	2–2	2–2
Portland	3–1	3–1	3–1	3–1	4–0	1–3	3–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	4–0	4–0	3–1	3–1	1–3	3–0	2–2	3–1	—	2–2	3–1	2–1
San Antonio	3–1	4–0	3–1	2–2	4–0	1–2	2–1	1–3	3–1	3–1	4–0	2–2	2–2	4–0	3–1	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	—	2–2	2–2
Seattle	1–2	4–0	3–1	2–2	1–3	3–1	3–1	2–2	4–0	3–1	3–1	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–1	1–3	1–3	2–2	1–3	2–2	—	1–3
Washington	3–1	3–1	3–1	1–2	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	1–3	2–2	4–0	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–2	2–2	3–1	—

Game log

Regular season

1977–78 game log Total: 44–38 (home: 22–19; road: 21–20)
October: 3–2 (home: 3–1; road: 0–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 2 October 22, 1977 8:05 p.m. EDT Washington W 141–115 Monroe (22) Shelton (9) McAdoo (8) Madison Square Garden 15,261 2–0
November: 8–7 (home: 6–1; road: 2–6) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 14 November 18, 1977 8:05 p.m. EST @ Washington L 103–123 Haywood (20) McAdoo (13) Beard (10) Capital Centre 17,242 8–6
December: 8–6 (home: 5–3; road: 3–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record
January: 7–8 (home: 4–2; road: 3–6) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record
February: 6–5 (home: 5–1; road: 1–4) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record All-Star Break
March: 7–10 (home: 5–3; road: 2–7) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 76 March 30, 1978 8:35 p.m. EST Washington L 108–123 Williams (26) Knight (8) Williams (9) Madison Square Garden 12,702 38–38
April: 4–1 (home: 1–1; road: 3–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 78 April 2, 1978 1:45 p.m. EST @ Washington W 114–109 McAdoo (25) Knight (11) Monroe (10) Capital Centre 7,193 40–38
1977–78 schedule

Playoffs

1978 playoff game log
First Round: 2–0 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 12 @ Cleveland W 132–114 Bob McAdoo (41) Spencer Haywood (8) Ray Williams (6) Richfield Coliseum 19,739 1–0 2 April 14 Cleveland W 109–107 McAdoo, Haywood (27) Bob McAdoo (12) Ray Williams (10) Madison Square Garden 18,965 2–0
Conference Semifinals: 0–4 (home: 0–2; road: 0–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 24 @ Philadelphia L 90–130 Ray Williams (24) Bob McAdoo (13) Bob McAdoo (6) Spectrum 13,011 0–1 2 April 27 @ Philadelphia L 100–119 Ray Williams (24) three players tied (6) Bob McAdoo (6) Spectrum 15,853 0–2 3 April 30 Philadelphia L 126–137 Bob McAdoo (29) Lonnie Shelton (14) Butch Beard (8) Madison Square Garden 16,307 0–3 4 May 1 Philadelphia L 107–112 Bob McAdoo (24) Bob McAdoo (14) McAdoo, Williams (4) Madison Square Garden 15,457 0–4
1978 schedule