The 1981-82 NBA season was the Knicks' 36th season in the NBA .[ 1] The team finished second-to-last in the Eastern Conference with a 33–49 record.
1981–82 New York Knicks roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB
From
G
30
Bradley, Alex
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
Villanova
C
25
Cartwright, Bill
7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
245 lb (111 kg)
San Francisco
F
45
Copeland, Hollis
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
Rutgers
F
42
Demic, Larry
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
Arizona
F
43
Knight, Toby
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
Notre Dame
F
23
Lucas, Maurice
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
Marquette
G
14
Newlin, Mike
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
Utah
PG
20
Richardson, Michael Ray
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
189 lb (86 kg)
Montana
SF
21
Russell, Campy
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
Michigan
G
9
Smith, Randy
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Buffalo State
C
40
Webster, Marvin
7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
Morgan State
G
44
Westphal, Paul
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
USC
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
After falling short in the 1981 NBA Playoffs , the Knicks' general manager Eddie Donovan attempted to add some veteran talent with the intention of making a more playoff-ready team. But Donovan's decisions showed he was out of touch with his team, and most importantly, his star player Michael Ray Richardson. First Ray Williams , Richardson's terrific backcourt teammate, was headed to free agency and therefore traded for veteran Maurice Lucas . Another one of Richardson's friends, Mike Glenn was also sent away, rather than being re-signed for a second-round draft pick.
The Knicks were still in a playoff hunt; despite not playing at a high level, they were 19–17 and were ready to make a run for the playoffs, when Donovan signed Paul Westphal ; instead, the Knicks lost 16 of the last 21 games and were left out of the playoffs. It was here when Richardson asked what was wrong with the Knicks, he replied "The Ship Be Sinking". After the Season, Holtzman stepped down as Knicks head coach, and Richardson would be shift off to the Golden State Warriors .
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
edit
1981-82 NBA Records
Team
ATL
BOS
CHI
CLE
DAL
DEN
DET
GSW
HOU
IND
KCK
LAL
MIL
NJN
NYK
PHI
PHO
POR
SAS
SDC
SEA
UTA
WAS
Atlanta
—
1–5
2–3
4–2
1–1
1–1
2–4
0–2
2–0
4–2
1–1
0–2
3–3
3–2
5–1
3–3
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–4
Boston
5–1
—
4–2
5–0
2–0
1–1
6–0
1–1
1–1
4–1
2–0
1–1
3–3
5–1
5–1
4–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
0–2
2–0
6–0
Chicago
3–2
2–4
—
5–1
1–1
1–1
0–6
0–2
1–1
3–3
1–1
2–0
1–5
2–4
3–2
1–5
0–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–4
Cleveland
2–4
0–5
1–5
—
2–0
0–2
1–5
1–1
1–1
1–5
1–1
0–2
0–6
0–6
0–6
0–5
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–5
Dallas
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
—
1–5
1–1
0–5
2–4
1–1
4–2
1–4
1–1
2–0
1–1
0–2
2–3
2–3
1–5
2–3
1–4
3–3
1–1
Denver
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
5–1
—
1–1
3–2
5–1
0–2
4–2
1–4
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–3
2–3
2–4
5–0
2–3
3–3
2–0
Detroit
4–2
0–6
6–0
5–1
1–1
1–1
—
2–0
2–0
2–4
2–0
0–2
2–4
2–4
3–3
2–3
0–2
0–2
0–2
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–4
Golden State
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
5–0
2–3
0–2
—
1–4
2–0
3–2
3–3
2–0
1–1
1–1
0–2
4–2
2–4
3–2
5–1
1–5
3–2
1–1
Houston
0–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
4–2
1–5
0–2
4–1
—
2–0
3–3
1–4
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–2
4–1
3–3
4–1
2–3
6–0
2–0
Indiana
2–4
1–5
3–3
5–1
1–1
2–0
4–2
0–2
0–2
—
1–1
0–2
0–6
4–2
3–2
0–6
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–5
Kansas City
1–1
0–2
1–1
1–1
2–4
2–4
0–2
2–3
3–3
1–1
—
1–4
1–1
1–1
2–0
0–2
2–3
0–5
1–5
4–1
2–3
3–3
0–2
Los Angeles
2–0
1–1
0–2
2–0
4–1
4–1
2–0
3–3
4–1
2–0
4–1
—
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
4–2
5–1
2–3
5–1
4–2
5–0
2–0
Milwaukee
3–3
3–3
5–1
6–0
1–1
1–1
4–2
0–2
1–1
6–0
1–1
2–0
—
4–1
3–3
4–2
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
0–2
2–0
3–2
New Jersey
2–3
1–5
4–2
6–0
0–2
1–1
4–2
1–1
1–1
2–4
1–1
1–1
1–4
—
4–2
3–3
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–0
0–2
2–0
4–2
New York
1–5
1–5
2–3
6–0
1–1
1–1
3–3
1–1
1–1
2–3
0–2
2–0
3–3
2–4
—
1–5
0–2
1–1
0–2
2–0
0–2
2–0
1–5
Philadelphia
3–3
2–4
5–1
5–0
2–0
1–1
3–2
2–0
1–1
6–0
2–0
1–1
2–4
3–3
5–1
—
1–1
2–0
0–2
2–0
2–0
2–0
6–0
Phoenix
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
3–2
3–2
2–0
2–4
2–3
1–1
3–2
2–4
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–1
—
3–3
4–1
4–2
3–3
3–2
1–1
Portland
0–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–2
3–2
2–0
4–2
1–4
1–1
5–0
1–5
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
3–3
—
3–2
4–2
3–3
4–1
0–2
San Antonio
1–1
0–2
1–1
2–0
5–1
4–2
2–0
2–3
3–3
0–2
5–1
3–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
1–4
2–3
—
3–2
4–1
3–3
1–1
San Diego
1–1
0–2
0–2
1–1
3–2
0–5
0–2
1–5
1–4
0–2
1–4
1–5
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
2–4
2–4
2–3
—
1–5
1–4
0–2
Seattle
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
4–1
3–2
1–1
5–1
3–2
1–1
3–2
2–4
2–0
2–0
2–0
0–2
3–3
3–3
1–4
5–1
—
5–0
1–1
Utah
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
3–3
3–3
1–1
2–3
0–6
1–1
3–3
0–5
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
2–3
1–4
3–3
4–1
0–5
—
1–1
Washington
4–2
0–6
4–2
5–1
1–1
0–2
4–1
1–1
0–2
5–1
2–0
0–2
2–3
2–4
5–1
0–6
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
—
1981–82 game log Total: 33–49 (Home: 19–22; Road: 14–27)
October: 1–1 (home: 0–1; road: 1–0)
November: 5–7 (home: 3–3; road: 2–4)
December: 9–7 (home: 4–4; road: 5–3)
January: 5–9 (home: 2–4; road: 3–5)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
February: 6–9 (home: 4–3; road: 2–6)
March: 5–8 (home: 5–4; road: 0–4)
April: 2–8 (home: 1–3; road: 1–5)
1981–82 schedule
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