The 1979-80 New York Knicks season was a period of transition and challenge for the franchise. Under the leadership of head coach Red Holzman, the team aimed to bounce back from previous disappointments. The team finished the regular season with a record of 39-43, which placed them third in the Atlantic Division and left them out of the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
The Knicks’ roster featured notable players such as Bill Cartwright, their first-round draft pick, who had a promising rookie season. Cartwright averaged 21.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, earning him a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Team. Additionally, veteran players like Earl Monroe and Micheal Ray Richardson contributed significantly, with Richardson leading the league in both assists and steals.
Despite these individual performances, the team struggled with consistency throughout the season. The Knicks’ offense was relatively strong, but their defense was a liability, ranking among the lower half in points allowed per game. This imbalance contributed to their inability to secure a playoff berth.
The 1979-80 season also marked the end of an era, as it was Holzman’s final full season as the Knicks’ head coach. His departure initiated a period of rebuilding and restructuring for the team. Overall, the season was a pivotal moment for the Knicks, highlighting the need for strategic changes to return to the competitive heights they once enjoyed in the early 1970s.
- Regular Season Record: 39-43
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
New York Knicks Roster and Stats for 1979-80 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Bill Cartwright | 82 | 21.7 | 8.9 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Ray Williams | 82 | 20.9 | 5.0 | 6.2 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 30.4 | |||||||
| Toby Knight | 81 | 19.1 | 6.1 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Michael Ray Richardson | 82 | 15.3 | 6.6 | 10.1 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 31.8 | |||||||
| Joe Meriweather | 65 | 9.0 | 5.4 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Earl Monroe | 51 | 7.4 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Larry Demic | 82 | 7.0 | 5.9 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Mike Glenn | 75 | 5.9 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 28.6 | |||||||
| Hollis Copeland | 75 | 5.7 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Sly Williams | 57 | 4.7 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Marvin Webster | 20 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Jim Cleamons | 22 | 3.4 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 37.5 | |||||||
| Geoff Huston | 71 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 20.0 | |||||||
New York Knicks 1979-80 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1979-80 season for the New York Knicks.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 12, 1979 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 121-104 | |
| Oct 13, 1979 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 125-118 | |
| Oct 16, 1979 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 126-121 | |
| Oct 18, 1979 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 129-115 | |
| Oct 19, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 111-106 | |
| Oct 20, 1979 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 136-111 | |
| Oct 23, 1979 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 136-112 | |
| Oct 26, 1979 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 127-116 | |
| Oct 27, 1979 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 94-92 | |
| Oct 30, 1979 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 121-112 | |
| Nov 01, 1979 | @ Utah Jazz | W 134-118 | |
| Nov 02, 1979 | @ Kansas City Kings | W 112-111 | |
| Nov 06, 1979 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 98-96 | |
| Nov 10, 1979 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 123-119 | |
| Nov 13, 1979 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 111-107 | |
| Nov 15, 1979 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 136-132 | |
| Nov 16, 1979 | @ Houston Rockets | L 133-130 | |
| Nov 17, 1979 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 113-109 | |
| Nov 20, 1979 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 130-125 | |
| Nov 21, 1979 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 119-108 | |
| Nov 24, 1979 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 133-113 | |
| Nov 27, 1979 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 116-114 | |
| Nov 29, 1979 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 117-115 | |
| Nov 30, 1979 | @ Boston Celtics | L 100-97 | |
| Dec 01, 1979 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 121-112 | |
| Dec 04, 1979 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 118-114 | |
| Dec 05, 1979 | @ Washington Bullets | W 107-104 | |
| Dec 08, 1979 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 145-129 | |
| Dec 11, 1979 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 124-122 | |
| Dec 12, 1979 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 114-102 | |
| Dec 14, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 118-105 | |
| Dec 15, 1979 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 99-96 | |
| Dec 18, 1979 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 101-99 | |
| Dec 20, 1979 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 128-118 | |
| Dec 21, 1979 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 121-102 | |
| Dec 23, 1979 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 111-103 | |
| Dec 25, 1979 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 131-102 | |
| Dec 27, 1979 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 125-110 | |
| Dec 28, 1979 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 120-102 | |
| Dec 29, 1979 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 117-105 | |
| Jan 01, 1980 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 128-120 | |
| Jan 03, 1980 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 138-101 | |
| Jan 05, 1980 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 124-117 | |
| Jan 08, 1980 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 111-108 | |
| Jan 09, 1980 | @ Boston Celtics | L 112-95 | |
| Jan 11, 1980 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 109-107 | |
| Jan 13, 1980 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 126-112 | |
| Jan 15, 1980 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 129-110 | |
| Jan 18, 1980 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 124-117 | |
| Jan 21, 1980 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 132-114 | |
| Jan 23, 1980 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 119-109 | |
| Jan 25, 1980 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 110-105 | |
| Jan 27, 1980 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 98-93 | |
| Jan 28, 1980 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 107-103 | |
| Jan 31, 1980 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 112-102 | |
| Feb 05, 1980 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 116-105 | |
| Feb 09, 1980 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 114-107 | |
| Feb 13, 1980 | @ Houston Rockets | L 122-117 | |
| Feb 14, 1980 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 128-124 | |
| Feb 16, 1980 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 121-102 | |
| Feb 19, 1980 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 113-103 | |
| Feb 20, 1980 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 131-86 | |
| Feb 23, 1980 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 127-112 | |
| Feb 24, 1980 | @ Washington Bullets | L 112-97 | |
| Feb 28, 1980 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 133-124 | |
| Mar 01, 1980 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 115-108 | |
| Mar 02, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 113-96 | |
| Mar 05, 1980 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 120-113 | |
| Mar 07, 1980 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 118-112 | |
| Mar 08, 1980 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 110-104 | |
| Mar 09, 1980 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 98-92 | |
| Mar 11, 1980 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 129-109 | |
| Mar 13, 1980 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 107-100 | |
| Mar 15, 1980 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 123-120 | |
| Mar 16, 1980 | @ Washington Bullets | W 133-124 | |
| Mar 18, 1980 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 111-110 | |
| Mar 19, 1980 | @ Houston Rockets | L 139-113 | |
| Mar 22, 1980 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 122-113 | |
| Mar 23, 1980 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 112-108 | |
| Mar 25, 1980 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 128-115 | |
| Mar 26, 1980 | @ Boston Celtics | L 129-121 | |
| Mar 27, 1980 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 103-101 |