The 1980-81 New York Knicks season was a challenging campaign for the franchise. The team finished with a record of 50-32, which was not sufficient to secure a playoff berth in the highly competitive Eastern Conference. This marked a period of transition for the Knicks, who were seeking to find consistency and improve from the previous seasons. Despite their winning record, they finished fourth in the Atlantic Division.
Under the leadership of head coach Red Holzman, the Knicks struggled to maintain a solid defensive identity and faced inconsistencies in their performances. Key players such as Bill Cartwright and Ray Williams contributed significantly, with Cartwright leading the team in scoring and Williams providing versatility on both ends of the floor. However, the team could not find the right balance to propel them into the postseason.
This season was emblematic of the Knicks’ struggles during the early 1980s, as they attempted to rebuild and find a new core group of players who could return them to their previous glory years. The absence of a playoff appearance highlighted the need for strategic changes and better execution in future seasons. The 1980-81 season served as a learning experience for the franchise, emphasizing the importance of cohesion and the need for a more robust defensive strategy moving forward.
- Regular Season Record: 50-32
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference First Round: 0-2
New York Knicks Roster and Stats for 1980-81 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Bill Cartwright | 82 | 20.1 | 7.5 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 2 | 10.0 | 6.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Ray Williams | 79 | 19.7 | 4.1 | 5.5 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 34.8 | 2 | 21.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 33.3 |
| Campy Russell | 79 | 16.4 | 4.5 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 47.1 | 2 | 23.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Michael Ray Richardson | 79 | 16.4 | 6.9 | 7.9 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 29.5 | 2 | 11.5 | 9.5 | 5.5 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Sly Williams | 67 | 13.2 | 6.2 | 2.7 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 40.1 | 2 | 13.0 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Mike Glenn | 82 | 8.2 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 2 | 5.5 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Marvin Webster | 82 | 5.2 | 5.7 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 33.3 | 2 | 6.0 | 5.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| DeWayne Scales | 44 | 4.9 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 33.3 | |||||||
| Mike Woodson | 81 | 4.7 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 19.9 | 2 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Larry Demic | 76 | 4.1 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 2 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Reggie Carter | 60 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 1 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
New York Knicks in the 1981 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Chicago Bulls
In the 1981 NBA Playoffs, the New York Knicks faced the Chicago Bulls in the first round. The Knicks, led by players like Bill Cartwright and Micheal Ray Richardson, were unable to overcome the Bulls, losing the series in two straight games, as it was a best-of-three format at the time. Despite a valiant effort, the Knicks' season ended abruptly, highlighting the need for future roster improvements.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 1981 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 90-80 | |
| Apr 03, 1981 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 115-114 |
New York Knicks 1980-81 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1980-81 season for the New York Knicks.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 11, 1980 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 114-109 | |
| Oct 14, 1980 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 113-93 | |
| Oct 17, 1980 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 113-101 | |
| Oct 21, 1980 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 105-97 | |
| Oct 23, 1980 | @ Boston Celtics | W 109-107 | |
| Oct 25, 1980 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 105-101 | |
| Oct 29, 1980 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 102-95 | |
| Oct 30, 1980 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 116-115 | |
| Nov 01, 1980 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 111-93 | |
| Nov 05, 1980 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 111-102 | |
| Nov 07, 1980 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 124-115 | |
| Nov 08, 1980 | @ Utah Jazz | W 109-102 | |
| Nov 11, 1980 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 149-118 | |
| Nov 12, 1980 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 125-113 | |
| Nov 14, 1980 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 125-106 | |
| Nov 15, 1980 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 100-95 | |
| Nov 18, 1980 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 113-99 | |
| Nov 21, 1980 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 130-121 | |
| Nov 22, 1980 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 116-110 | |
| Nov 24, 1980 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 113-110 | |
| Nov 26, 1980 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 119-113 | |
| Nov 28, 1980 | @ Boston Celtics | L 120-106 | |
| Nov 29, 1980 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 111-110 | |
| Dec 02, 1980 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 113-96 | |
| Dec 03, 1980 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 104-98 | |
| Dec 06, 1980 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 104-94 | |
| Dec 09, 1980 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 107-104 | |
| Dec 10, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 106-104 | |
| Dec 11, 1980 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 119-107 | |
| Dec 13, 1980 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 100-94 | |
| Dec 16, 1980 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 112-97 | |
| Dec 17, 1980 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 119-103 | |
| Dec 19, 1980 | @ Washington Bullets | W 102-96 | |
| Dec 20, 1980 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 120-114 | |
| Dec 23, 1980 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 117-114 | |
| Dec 25, 1980 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 117-108 | |
| Dec 27, 1980 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 100-99 | |
| Dec 30, 1980 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 100-98 | |
| Jan 02, 1981 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 102-100 | |
| Jan 03, 1981 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 131-95 | |
| Jan 06, 1981 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 113-108 | |
| Jan 08, 1981 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 116-115 | |
| Jan 10, 1981 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 104-99 | |
| Jan 13, 1981 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 93-89 | |
| Jan 14, 1981 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 116-105 | |
| Jan 16, 1981 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 118-110 | |
| Jan 17, 1981 | @ Houston Rockets | W 99-98 | |
| Jan 20, 1981 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 98-97 | |
| Jan 22, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 100-93 | |
| Jan 23, 1981 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 117-90 | |
| Jan 24, 1981 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 117-110 | |
| Jan 26, 1981 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 99-94 | |
| Jan 29, 1981 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 114-111 | |
| Feb 03, 1981 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 101-98 | |
| Feb 06, 1981 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 112-94 | |
| Feb 07, 1981 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 113-106 | |
| Feb 08, 1981 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 116-102 | |
| Feb 12, 1981 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 122-111 | |
| Feb 13, 1981 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 120-92 | |
| Feb 15, 1981 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 115-101 | |
| Feb 17, 1981 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 96-87 | |
| Feb 18, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 105-103 | |
| Feb 20, 1981 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 124-112 | |
| Feb 22, 1981 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 96-93 | |
| Feb 24, 1981 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 120-117 | |
| Feb 25, 1981 | @ Washington Bullets | L 120-105 | |
| Feb 28, 1981 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 101-97 | |
| Mar 03, 1981 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 100-93 | |
| Mar 05, 1981 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 104-101 | |
| Mar 06, 1981 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 122-111 | |
| Mar 08, 1981 | @ Boston Celtics | L 115-94 | |
| Mar 11, 1981 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 115-95 | |
| Mar 13, 1981 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 127-117 | |
| Mar 15, 1981 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 120-109 | |
| Mar 17, 1981 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 114-89 | |
| Mar 18, 1981 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 116-103 | |
| Mar 20, 1981 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 110-107 | |
| Mar 21, 1981 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 119-105 | |
| Mar 24, 1981 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 118-116 | |
| Mar 25, 1981 | @ Washington Bullets | L 105-84 | |
| Mar 28, 1981 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 90-88 | |
| Mar 29, 1981 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 103-95 |