The 1967-68 New York Knicks season marked a pivotal point in the franchise’s history, setting the stage for future success. Under the leadership of head coach Dick McGuire, the team showed significant improvement compared to previous seasons. The Knicks concluded the regular season with a record of 43 wins and 39 losses, securing a playoff berth for the first time since the 1958-59 season.
The team was led by standout performances from Walt Bellamy and Willis Reed. Bellamy, acquired in a trade early in the season, provided a strong presence in the center position, while Reed’s versatility and skill were instrumental in the Knicks’ competitive edge. The backcourt featured standout guard Dick Barnett, whose scoring ability was vital throughout the season.
The Knicks’ defensive and offensive strategies improved under McGuire’s guidance, contributing to a more balanced and cohesive team performance. This season also saw the emergence of young talents like Bill Bradley and Cazzie Russell, who played crucial roles in the Knicks’ rotation.
In the playoffs, the Knicks faced the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Division Semifinals. Despite their efforts, the Knicks were eliminated after a hard-fought six-game series, losing 4-2. Although the season ended earlier than hoped, the 1967-68 campaign laid the groundwork for the team’s future success, demonstrating significant progress and building a foundation for the championship-caliber teams of the early 1970s.
- Regular Season Record: 37-38
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
New York Knicks Roster and Stats for 1967-68 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Willis Reed | 81 | 20.8 | 13.2 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6 | 21.3 | 10.3 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dick Barnett | 81 | 18.0 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6 | 23.8 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Cazzie Russell | 82 | 16.9 | 4.6 | 2.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6 | 21.7 | 3.8 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Walt Bellamy | 82 | 16.7 | 11.7 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6 | 20.0 | 16.0 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dick Van Arsdale | 78 | 11.1 | 5.4 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Walt Frazier | 74 | 9.0 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 9.5 | 5.5 | 6.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bill Bradley | 45 | 8.0 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6 | 5.5 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Howard Komives | 78 | 7.6 | 2.2 | 3.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6 | 5.7 | 2.3 | 3.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Phil Jackson | 74 | 6.2 | 4.5 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Freddie Crawford | 31 | 5.4 | 2.7 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Em Bryant | 77 | 3.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Nate Bowman | 42 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Neil Johnson | 44 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jim Caldwell | 2 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
New York Knicks 1967-68 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1967-68 season for the New York Knicks.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 1967 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 124-122 | |
| Oct 18, 1967 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 121-98 | |
| Oct 21, 1967 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 114-106 | |
| Oct 24, 1967 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 135-130 | |
| Oct 25, 1967 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 117-114 | |
| Oct 28, 1967 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 111-98 | |
| Oct 31, 1967 | @ San Francisco Warriors | L 108-103 | |
| Nov 01, 1967 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 129-113 | |
| Nov 03, 1967 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 134-100 | |
| Nov 04, 1967 | @ San Diego Rockets | W 125-121 | |
| Nov 05, 1967 | @ San Diego Rockets | W 115-107 | |
| Nov 08, 1967 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 110-108 | |
| Nov 09, 1967 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 123-106 | |
| Nov 11, 1967 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 110-105 | |
| Nov 14, 1967 | vs. San Diego Rockets | W 122-109 | |
| Nov 15, 1967 | vs. San Diego Rockets | L 122-108 | |
| Nov 18, 1967 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | L 101-93 | |
| Nov 21, 1967 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 125-123 | |
| Nov 22, 1967 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 123-122 | |
| Nov 23, 1967 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 106-96 | |
| Nov 25, 1967 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 111-110 | |
| Nov 28, 1967 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 110-108 | |
| Nov 29, 1967 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 119-99 | |
| Dec 01, 1967 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 102-100 | |
| Dec 02, 1967 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 122-106 | |
| Dec 05, 1967 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 148-117 | |
| Dec 06, 1967 | @ Boston Celtics | L 115-113 | |
| Dec 08, 1967 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 117-109 | |
| Dec 09, 1967 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 124-121 | |
| Dec 12, 1967 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 145-142 | |
| Dec 13, 1967 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 129-117 | |
| Dec 16, 1967 | vs. San Diego Rockets | W 126-102 | |
| Dec 19, 1967 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 133-118 | |
| Dec 20, 1967 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 138-131 | |
| Dec 22, 1967 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 120-108 | |
| Dec 25, 1967 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 134-124 | |
| Dec 26, 1967 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 137-135 | |
| Dec 27, 1967 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 114-105 | |
| Dec 29, 1967 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 126-115 | |
| Jan 02, 1968 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | L 125-119 | |
| Jan 03, 1968 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 129-115 | |
| Jan 05, 1968 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 121-99 | |
| Jan 06, 1968 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 118-101 | |
| Jan 08, 1968 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 119-113 | |
| Jan 09, 1968 | @ San Diego Rockets | W 118-105 | |
| Jan 10, 1968 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 115-101 | |
| Jan 12, 1968 | @ San Francisco Warriors | L 127-117 | |
| Jan 15, 1968 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 129-113 | |
| Jan 17, 1968 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 111-109 | |
| Jan 19, 1968 | @ Boston Celtics | L 120-114 | |
| Jan 21, 1968 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 115-103 | |
| Jan 25, 1968 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 126-118 | |
| Jan 26, 1968 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 103-94 | |
| Jan 28, 1968 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 133-130 | |
| Jan 30, 1968 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | L 134-131 | |
| Jan 31, 1968 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 128-126 | |
| Feb 01, 1968 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 112-103 | |
| Feb 03, 1968 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 112-108 | |
| Feb 04, 1968 | @ Boston Celtics | W 110-108 | |
| Feb 06, 1968 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 121-100 | |
| Feb 07, 1968 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 114-111 | |
| Feb 09, 1968 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 121-111 | |
| Feb 10, 1968 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 115-97 | |
| Feb 14, 1968 | vs. San Diego Rockets | W 114-102 | |
| Feb 16, 1968 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 125-91 | |
| Feb 17, 1968 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 134-111 | |
| Feb 20, 1968 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 115-112 | |
| Feb 24, 1968 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 109-101 | |
| Feb 25, 1968 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 124-115 | |
| Feb 27, 1968 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 108-102 | |
| Feb 28, 1968 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 126-122 | |
| Feb 29, 1968 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 105-102 | |
| Mar 02, 1968 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 133-107 | |
| Mar 05, 1968 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 113-91 | |
| Mar 06, 1968 | @ Boston Celtics | L 103-91 | |
| Mar 10, 1968 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 119-108 | |
| Mar 12, 1968 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 107-104 | |
| Mar 13, 1968 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 130-120 | |
| Mar 15, 1968 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 123-112 | |
| Mar 17, 1968 | @ San Francisco Warriors | W 130-104 | |
| Mar 18, 1968 | @ San Francisco Warriors | W 123-118 | |
| Mar 20, 1968 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 108-106 |