The 1951-52 New York Knicks season was a significant chapter in the franchise’s early history. Under the guidance of head coach Joe Lapchick, the Knicks were looking to build on their previous successes and make a strong playoff run. The team played their home games at Madison Square Garden and finished the regular season with a record of 37-29, securing third place in the Eastern Division.
Throughout the season, the Knicks benefited from the leadership and scoring prowess of forward Harry Gallatin and guard Max Zaslofsky. Gallatin, known for his rebounding ability, was a cornerstone of the team’s defense, while Zaslofsky contributed significantly to the offense. The team also saw strong performances from players like Dick McGuire, who was instrumental in orchestrating the offense and distributing the ball effectively among his teammates.
In the playoffs, the Knicks faced off against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Division Semifinals. It was a tightly contested series that went to a decisive third game. The Knicks emerged victorious, advancing to the Eastern Division Finals against the Syracuse Nationals. However, the Nationals proved to be too strong, defeating the Knicks in a hard-fought series. The Knicks’ playoff run highlighted their competitive spirit and ability to perform under pressure, setting the stage for future successes.
Overall, the 1951-52 season was another step forward for the New York Knicks, as they continued to establish themselves as a formidable team in the NBA. The combination of solid coaching, strong individual performances, and teamwork made them a tough opponent throughout the season.
- Regular Season Record: 37-29
- Playoff Result: Division Semifinals: 2-1, Division Finals: 3-1, NBA Finals: 3-4
New York Knicks Roster and Stats for 1951-52 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Max Zaslofsky | 66 | 14.1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14 | 16.2 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Vince Boryla | 42 | 11.9 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Harry Gallatin | 66 | 11.3 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14 | 10.8 | 6.1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Nat Clifton | 62 | 10.5 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14 | 9.4 | 5.8 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Connie Simmons | 66 | 9.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14 | 15.9 | 4.4 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ernie Vandeweghe | 57 | 9.2 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14 | 10.8 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dick McGuire | 64 | 9.2 | 0.6 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14 | 10.4 | 3.1 | 5.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ray Lumpp | 62 | 7.4 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13 | 3.8 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| George Kaftan | 53 | 6.1 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13 | 6.2 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Herb Scherer | 12 | 3.9 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Al McGuire | 59 | 3.6 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13 | 4.6 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
New York Knicks in the 1952 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs Second Round vs. Boston Celtics
In the 1952 NBA Playoffs, the New York Knicks faced the Syracuse Nationals in the Eastern Division Finals, marking their third consecutive appearance in this round. Despite a valiant effort, the Knicks were unable to overcome the Nationals, losing the series 3-1. This defeat marked the end of their playoff run that year, as they continued to seek their first championship title.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 19, 1952 | @ Boston Celtics | L 105-94 | |
| Mar 23, 1952 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 101-97 | |
| Mar 26, 1952 | @ Boston Celtics | W 88-87 |
1952 Conference Championship vs. Syracuse Nationals
In the 1952 NBA Playoffs, the New York Knicks reached the conference finals, showcasing a resilient team effort. Despite their strong performance, they fell to the Rochester Royals in a hard-fought series. This marked the beginning of the Knicks' reputation for tenacity in the postseason, even as they sought to capture an elusive championship.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 02, 1952 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 87-85 | |
| Apr 03, 1952 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 102-92 | |
| Apr 05, 1952 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 99-92 | |
| Apr 08, 1952 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 100-93 |
1952 NBA Finals vs. Minneapolis Lakers
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 12, 1952 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 83-79 | |
| Apr 13, 1952 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | W 80-72 | |
| Apr 16, 1952 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | L 82-77 | |
| Apr 18, 1952 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 90-89 | |
| Apr 20, 1952 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 102-89 | |
| Apr 23, 1952 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 76-68 | |
| Apr 25, 1952 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 82-65 |
New York Knicks 1951-52 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1951-52 season for the New York Knicks.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 03, 1951 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | W 68-66 | |
| Nov 04, 1951 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 84-75 | |
| Nov 06, 1951 | @ Indianapolis Olympians | W 83-73 | |
| Nov 10, 1951 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | L 89-73 | |
| Nov 11, 1951 | @ Rochester Royals | L 80-78 | |
| Nov 13, 1951 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | W 85-82 | |
| Nov 17, 1951 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 79-72 | |
| Nov 18, 1951 | @ Boston Celtics | W 93-92 | |
| Nov 20, 1951 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 88-86 | |
| Nov 22, 1951 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 102-88 | |
| Nov 24, 1951 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 70-68 | |
| Nov 25, 1951 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 100-73 | |
| Nov 27, 1951 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 83-81 | |
| Nov 29, 1951 | vs. Rochester Royals | L 78-74 | |
| Dec 01, 1951 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 84-82 | |
| Dec 02, 1951 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 86-72 | |
| Dec 07, 1951 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 93-91 | |
| Dec 09, 1951 | @ Boston Celtics | L 103-94 | |
| Dec 11, 1951 | vs. Milwaukee Hawks | W 88-83 | |
| Dec 14, 1951 | @ Indianapolis Olympians | L 83-79 | |
| Dec 16, 1951 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | W 80-71 | |
| Dec 18, 1951 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 69-67 | |
| Dec 22, 1951 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 92-73 | |
| Dec 23, 1951 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 75-72 | |
| Dec 25, 1951 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | W 72-65 | |
| Dec 26, 1951 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | L 78-76 | |
| Dec 27, 1951 | @ Rochester Royals | L 98-85 | |
| Dec 30, 1951 | @ Boston Celtics | L 100-90 | |
| Dec 31, 1951 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 87-86 | |
| Jan 01, 1952 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | W 68-65 | |
| Jan 02, 1952 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | W 89-67 | |
| Jan 04, 1952 | @ Indianapolis Olympians | L 83-73 | |
| Jan 06, 1952 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 107-92 | |
| Jan 08, 1952 | vs. Rochester Royals | W 107-74 | |
| Jan 10, 1952 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 110-96 | |
| Jan 12, 1952 | vs. Indianapolis Olympians | W 86-77 | |
| Jan 13, 1952 | @ Rochester Royals | L 97-70 | |
| Jan 19, 1952 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 94-88 | |
| Jan 21, 1952 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 99-83 | |
| Jan 22, 1952 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | W 82-78 | |
| Jan 26, 1952 | vs. Indianapolis Olympians | W 99-93 | |
| Jan 27, 1952 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 100-92 | |
| Jan 29, 1952 | @ Indianapolis Olympians | L 100-72 | |
| Jan 30, 1952 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 77-65 | |
| Feb 02, 1952 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 91-83 | |
| Feb 03, 1952 | @ Boston Celtics | L 100-95 | |
| Feb 04, 1952 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 82-81 | |
| Feb 06, 1952 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 73-70 | |
| Feb 08, 1952 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 103-83 | |
| Feb 09, 1952 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 96-86 | |
| Feb 12, 1952 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 78-69 | |
| Feb 16, 1952 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 102-82 | |
| Feb 17, 1952 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 66-61 | |
| Feb 19, 1952 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 98-96 | |
| Feb 22, 1952 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 118-95 | |
| Feb 23, 1952 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | W 82-77 | |
| Feb 25, 1952 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 89-84 | |
| Mar 01, 1952 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 105-86 | |
| Mar 02, 1952 | @ Boston Celtics | W 89-87 | |
| Mar 04, 1952 | vs. Rochester Royals | W 92-90 | |
| Mar 05, 1952 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 88-82 | |
| Mar 08, 1952 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | L 103-99 | |
| Mar 09, 1952 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 80-79 | |
| Mar 12, 1952 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 85-83 | |
| Mar 15, 1952 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 97-90 | |
| Mar 16, 1952 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 90-84 |