The 1952-53 New York Knicks season marked the seventh season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Under the guidance of head coach Joe Lapchick, the Knicks aimed to build on their previous successes in the league. The team played their home games at Madison Square Garden and had a season that showcased their ability to compete with the NBA’s top teams.
During the regular season, the Knicks finished with a record of 47 wins and 23 losses, securing second place in the Eastern Division. This performance demonstrated their capability to maintain a strong presence in the competitive league, as they continued to be a formidable opponent. The Knicks’ success was largely attributed to a balanced team effort, with several players contributing significantly throughout the season.
In the playoffs, the Knicks demonstrated their resilience and skill. They faced off against the Baltimore Bullets in the Eastern Division Semifinals, winning the series 2-0. The team then advanced to the Eastern Division Finals to compete against the Boston Celtics. After a hard-fought series, the Knicks emerged victorious, defeating the Celtics 3-1, and earning a spot in the NBA Finals.
The NBA Finals saw the Knicks face the Minneapolis Lakers. Despite their strong playoff run, the Knicks were unable to overcome the Lakers, losing the series 4-1. This marked the third consecutive year the Knicks reached the Finals but fell short of securing the championship. Nonetheless, the 1952-53 season solidified the Knicks’ status as one of the league’s top teams during that era.
- Regular Season Record: 47-23
- Playoff Result: Division Semifinals: 2-0, Division Finals: 3-1, NBA Finals: 1-4
New York Knicks Roster and Stats for 1952-53 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Carl Braun | 70 | 14.0 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11 | 13.5 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Harry Gallatin | 70 | 12.4 | 3.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11 | 10.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ernie Vandeweghe | 61 | 12.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11 | 13.1 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Max Zaslofsky | 29 | 11.9 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Connie Simmons | 65 | 11.2 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11 | 13.4 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Nat Clifton | 70 | 10.6 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11 | 12.0 | 3.0 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Vince Boryla | 66 | 10.2 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11 | 10.6 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dick McGuire | 62 | 7.4 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11 | 7.5 | 0.0 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Al McGuire | 57 | 5.9 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ray Lumpp | 6 | 4.7 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Ralph Polson | 3 | 3.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Dick Bunt | 15 | 2.6 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Dick Surhoff | 25 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Sherwin Raiken | 6 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
New York Knicks in the 1953 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs Second Round vs. Baltimore Bullets
In the 1953 NBA Playoffs, the New York Knicks faced off against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Division Finals. Despite a strong effort, the Knicks were outmatched by the Celtics' depth and talent, ultimately losing the series 3-1. This marked another playoff disappointment for the Knicks, as they struggled to advance past the formidable Celtics during that era.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 17, 1953 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 80-62 | |
| Mar 20, 1953 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 90-81 |
1953 Conference Championship vs. Boston Celtics
In the 1953 NBA Playoffs, the New York Knicks made a strong showing by reaching the Eastern Division Finals, where they faced the Syracuse Nationals. Despite their efforts and competitive play, the Knicks were unable to overcome the Nationals, losing the series 3-0. This marked the third consecutive year the Knicks reached the division finals, showcasing their consistency as a formidable team in the early 1950s.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 25, 1953 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 95-91 | |
| Mar 26, 1953 | @ Boston Celtics | L 86-70 | |
| Mar 28, 1953 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 101-82 | |
| Mar 29, 1953 | @ Boston Celtics | W 82-75 |
1953 NBA Finals vs. Minneapolis Lakers
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 04, 1953 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | W 96-88 | |
| Apr 05, 1953 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 73-71 | |
| Apr 07, 1953 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | L 90-75 | |
| Apr 08, 1953 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | L 71-69 | |
| Apr 10, 1953 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | L 91-84 |
New York Knicks 1952-53 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1952-53 season for the New York Knicks.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 01, 1952 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 69-53 | |
| Nov 08, 1952 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 92-62 | |
| Nov 11, 1952 | @ Rochester Royals | L 104-94 | |
| Nov 13, 1952 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 100-91 | |
| Nov 15, 1952 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 79-68 | |
| Nov 16, 1952 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 112-83 | |
| Nov 18, 1952 | @ Indianapolis Olympians | L 100-90 | |
| Nov 20, 1952 | @ Indianapolis Olympians | W 72-67 | |
| Nov 22, 1952 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 98-68 | |
| Nov 23, 1952 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 76-73 | |
| Nov 26, 1952 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 94-92 | |
| Nov 27, 1952 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 104-92 | |
| Nov 29, 1952 | vs. Indianapolis Olympians | W 94-72 | |
| Dec 02, 1952 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | W 89-82 | |
| Dec 03, 1952 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 100-75 | |
| Dec 04, 1952 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | L 81-71 | |
| Dec 06, 1952 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 85-78 | |
| Dec 07, 1952 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 102-91 | |
| Dec 09, 1952 | vs. Rochester Royals | L 77-75 | |
| Dec 13, 1952 | @ Rochester Royals | W 99-97 | |
| Dec 14, 1952 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | W 74-69 | |
| Dec 16, 1952 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 98-93 | |
| Dec 20, 1952 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 102-99 | |
| Dec 21, 1952 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 102-77 | |
| Dec 22, 1952 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | W 80-75 | |
| Dec 25, 1952 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 97-84 | |
| Dec 27, 1952 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 92-91 | |
| Dec 28, 1952 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 72-54 | |
| Jan 01, 1953 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | W 108-82 | |
| Jan 03, 1953 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 85-77 | |
| Jan 04, 1953 | @ Boston Celtics | L 103-100 | |
| Jan 07, 1953 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 114-93 | |
| Jan 08, 1953 | vs. Milwaukee Hawks | W 81-68 | |
| Jan 09, 1953 | @ Indianapolis Olympians | W 58-54 | |
| Jan 11, 1953 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 85-79 | |
| Jan 17, 1953 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 84-76 | |
| Jan 18, 1953 | @ Boston Celtics | L 99-83 | |
| Jan 21, 1953 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | L 72-70 | |
| Jan 22, 1953 | @ Boston Celtics | W 112-89 | |
| Jan 24, 1953 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | W 82-76 | |
| Jan 25, 1953 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 97-62 | |
| Jan 27, 1953 | @ Rochester Royals | W 74-72 | |
| Jan 29, 1953 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | W 72-61 | |
| Jan 31, 1953 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 76-69 | |
| Feb 01, 1953 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 90-85 | |
| Feb 03, 1953 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | W 76-69 | |
| Feb 05, 1953 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 81-73 | |
| Feb 06, 1953 | @ Indianapolis Olympians | W 84-73 | |
| Feb 07, 1953 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 86-63 | |
| Feb 08, 1953 | @ Boston Celtics | L 87-79 | |
| Feb 11, 1953 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 86-80 | |
| Feb 13, 1953 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 106-96 | |
| Feb 14, 1953 | vs. Indianapolis Olympians | W 91-79 | |
| Feb 15, 1953 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 85-81 | |
| Feb 17, 1953 | vs. Milwaukee Hawks | W 86-67 | |
| Feb 18, 1953 | @ Boston Celtics | L 69-66 | |
| Feb 21, 1953 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 85-69 | |
| Feb 22, 1953 | @ Boston Celtics | L 87-83 | |
| Feb 24, 1953 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 79-63 | |
| Feb 25, 1953 | vs. Rochester Royals | L 79-71 | |
| Feb 28, 1953 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | W 85-74 | |
| Mar 01, 1953 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 79-64 | |
| Mar 03, 1953 | vs. Rochester Royals | W 109-88 | |
| Mar 05, 1953 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 80-69 | |
| Mar 06, 1953 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 75-66 | |
| Mar 08, 1953 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 89-78 | |
| Mar 11, 1953 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 113-107 | |
| Mar 12, 1953 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | W 90-85 | |
| Mar 14, 1953 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 95-81 | |
| Mar 15, 1953 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 81-69 |