The 1954-55 New York Knicks season was a challenging campaign for the team, reflecting a period of transition and difficulty in the franchise’s early years. The season marked the Knicks’ ninth year in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and they were part of the Eastern Division. The team concluded the regular season with a record of 38 wins and 34 losses, which placed them third in the Eastern Division standings.
Throughout the season, the Knicks struggled to maintain consistency, both offensively and defensively. Despite these challenges, the team managed to secure a playoff berth. However, their postseason run was short-lived. The Knicks faced the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Division Semifinals, a best-of-three series. Unfortunately for New York, they were swept by the Celtics, losing the series 2-0.
Key players for the Knicks during the 1954-55 season included Harry Gallatin, who was recognized for his rebounding prowess, and Carl Braun, who led the team in scoring. Despite their efforts, the Knicks could not overcome the stronger teams in their division. The season was indicative of the struggles the team faced during this era, as they were unable to replicate the success they had experienced in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
Ultimately, the 1954-55 season was a testament to the competitive nature of the NBA during this period, with the Knicks needing to regroup and strategize for future improvements in the following years.
- Regular Season Record: 38-34
- Playoff Result: Division Semifinals: 1-2
New York Knicks Roster and Stats for 1954-55 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Carl Braun | 71 | 15.1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 18.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Harry Gallatin | 72 | 14.6 | 6.7 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 18.3 | 14.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ray Felix | 72 | 14.4 | 4.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 5.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jim Baechtold | 72 | 13.9 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 16.0 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Nat Clifton | 72 | 13.2 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 19.7 | 3.7 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dick McGuire | 71 | 9.1 | 1.0 | 3.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 6.7 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Gene Shue | 57 | 4.4 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 7.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jack Turner | 65 | 4.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bob Peterson | 37 | 4.2 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 8.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bob Knight | 2 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Fred Christ | 6 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Paul Hoffman | 18 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Bert Cook | 37 | 3.2 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 8.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Don Anielak | 1 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Chuck Grigsby | 7 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Herm Hedderick | 5 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
New York Knicks in the 1955 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs Second Round vs. Boston Celtics
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 15, 1955 | @ Boston Celtics | L 122-101 | |
| Mar 16, 1955 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 102-95 | |
| Mar 19, 1955 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 116-109 |
New York Knicks 1954-55 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1954-55 season for the New York Knicks.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30, 1954 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 94-83 | |
| Nov 02, 1954 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | W 91-84 | |
| Nov 06, 1954 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 90-83 | |
| Nov 07, 1954 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | W 103-93 | |
| Nov 11, 1954 | vs. Rochester Royals | W 79-78 | |
| Nov 13, 1954 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 87-86 | |
| Nov 18, 1954 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 96-94 | |
| Nov 20, 1954 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 117-98 | |
| Nov 24, 1954 | @ Boston Celtics | L 108-103 | |
| Nov 27, 1954 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 80-74 | |
| Nov 28, 1954 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 79-77 | |
| Nov 30, 1954 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 95-91 | |
| Dec 01, 1954 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 88-86 | |
| Dec 04, 1954 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | L 90-88 | |
| Dec 07, 1954 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 97-89 | |
| Dec 08, 1954 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 86-77 | |
| Dec 09, 1954 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | W 98-96 | |
| Dec 11, 1954 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | W 97-87 | |
| Dec 12, 1954 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 80-73 | |
| Dec 14, 1954 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 91-82 | |
| Dec 15, 1954 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 88-81 | |
| Dec 18, 1954 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | W 91-85 | |
| Dec 19, 1954 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 93-81 | |
| Dec 25, 1954 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 109-101 | |
| Dec 26, 1954 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 97-92 | |
| Dec 28, 1954 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 84-78 | |
| Dec 29, 1954 | @ Rochester Royals | L 93-89 | |
| Dec 31, 1954 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | L 89-64 | |
| Jan 01, 1955 | vs. Milwaukee Hawks | W 100-91 | |
| Jan 02, 1955 | @ Boston Celtics | L 113-96 | |
| Jan 05, 1955 | @ Rochester Royals | L 103-85 | |
| Jan 06, 1955 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 88-83 | |
| Jan 07, 1955 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | L 85-75 | |
| Jan 09, 1955 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 86-84 | |
| Jan 13, 1955 | @ Boston Celtics | L 116-100 | |
| Jan 14, 1955 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | W 97-83 | |
| Jan 15, 1955 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | W 106-87 | |
| Jan 16, 1955 | @ Boston Celtics | L 102-98 | |
| Jan 19, 1955 | vs. Rochester Royals | W 98-83 | |
| Jan 22, 1955 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 102-99 | |
| Jan 23, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 98-89 | |
| Jan 25, 1955 | vs. Rochester Royals | L 107-104 | |
| Jan 26, 1955 | @ Rochester Royals | L 96-94 | |
| Jan 27, 1955 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 92-83 | |
| Jan 29, 1955 | vs. Milwaukee Hawks | W 95-93 | |
| Jan 31, 1955 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | W 91-84 | |
| Feb 02, 1955 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 96-81 | |
| Feb 03, 1955 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 90-83 | |
| Feb 05, 1955 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 115-107 | |
| Feb 06, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 77-75 | |
| Feb 08, 1955 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 98-95 | |
| Feb 09, 1955 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | W 118-112 | |
| Feb 12, 1955 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | W 88-82 | |
| Feb 13, 1955 | @ Boston Celtics | W 105-103 | |
| Feb 14, 1955 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | W 92-88 | |
| Feb 17, 1955 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | W 93-86 | |
| Feb 19, 1955 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 80-78 | |
| Feb 20, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 104-84 | |
| Feb 22, 1955 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 103-102 | |
| Feb 23, 1955 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 98-96 | |
| Feb 25, 1955 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 113-111 | |
| Feb 26, 1955 | vs. Milwaukee Hawks | L 79-72 | |
| Feb 27, 1955 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | W 95-83 | |
| Mar 01, 1955 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 105-102 | |
| Mar 03, 1955 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | W 103-89 | |
| Mar 04, 1955 | vs. Rochester Royals | W 95-92 | |
| Mar 06, 1955 | vs. Rochester Royals | W 101-96 | |
| Mar 07, 1955 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 97-96 | |
| Mar 08, 1955 | vs. Rochester Royals | W 99-96 | |
| Mar 10, 1955 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 114-95 | |
| Mar 11, 1955 | @ Boston Celtics | W 97-95 | |
| Mar 13, 1955 | @ Boston Celtics | L 112-101 |