The 1983-84 New York Knicks season marked a period of transition and moderate success for the franchise. Coached by Hubie Brown, the Knicks finished the regular season with a 47-35 record, securing a spot in the playoffs. This performance was a notable improvement from the previous season, indicating positive development under Brown’s leadership. The Knicks were led by Bernard King, whose scoring prowess made him one of the standout players in the league during this period.
In the Eastern Conference, the Knicks faced the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the playoffs. The series was fiercely contested, ultimately going to five games. Bernard King’s exceptional performance, including a memorable 44-point game in the decisive Game 5, helped the Knicks advance past the Pistons. King’s scoring ability and leadership on the court were crucial to the team’s success in the postseason.
However, the Knicks’ playoff run was halted in the Eastern Conference Semifinals by the Boston Celtics. The series went to seven games, showcasing the Knicks’ resilience against a formidable Celtics team. Despite a valiant effort, the Knicks were unable to overcome the eventual NBA champions. The 1983-84 season, though ending in a playoff exit, set the foundation for the Knicks to build upon in the following years, with Bernard King establishing himself as a franchise cornerstone and Hubie Brown’s coaching earning respect across the league.
- Regular Season Record: 47-35
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference First Round: 3-2, Eastern Conference Semifinals: 3-4
New York Knicks Roster and Stats for 1983-84 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Bernard King | 77 | 26.3 | 5.1 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 12 | 34.8 | 6.2 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Bill Cartwright | 77 | 17.0 | 8.4 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 12 | 17.4 | 8.3 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 0.0 |
| Ray Williams | 76 | 14.8 | 3.5 | 5.9 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 30.9 | 11 | 11.2 | 3.5 | 8.0 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 16.7 |
| Truck Robinson | 65 | 10.8 | 8.4 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 12 | 7.1 | 8.1 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.0 |
| Rory Sparrow | 79 | 10.4 | 2.4 | 6.8 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 25.6 | 12 | 11.2 | 2.2 | 7.2 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 33.3 |
| Louis Orr | 78 | 8.9 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 12 | 6.1 | 4.2 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Darrell Walker | 82 | 7.9 | 2.0 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 26.7 | 12 | 6.8 | 2.9 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Trent Tucker | 63 | 7.6 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 37.5 | 12 | 7.6 | 1.5 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 20.0 |
| Ernie Grunfeld | 76 | 5.2 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 22.2 | 11 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Rudy Macklin | 8 | 4.4 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Marvin Webster | 76 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 12 | 3.1 | 4.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 0.0 |
| Eric Fernsten | 32 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Len Elmore | 65 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.0 | |||||||
New York Knicks in the 1984 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Detroit Pistons
In the first round of the 1984 NBA Playoffs, the New York Knicks faced off against the Detroit Pistons in a tightly contested best-of-five series. The Knicks, led by Bernard King’s sensational scoring, emerged victorious in a classic matchup, winning the series 3-2. King's remarkable performance, including a 46-point outburst in the decisive Game 5, was pivotal to the Knicks' advancement to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 17, 1984 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 94-93 | |
| Apr 19, 1984 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 113-105 | |
| Apr 22, 1984 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 120-113 | |
| Apr 25, 1984 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 119-112 | |
| Apr 27, 1984 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 127-123 |
Playoffs Second Round vs. Boston Celtics
In the 1984 NBA Playoffs, the New York Knicks faced the Boston Celtics in a hard-fought second-round series. Despite a valiant effort led by Bernard King's scoring prowess, the Knicks fell to the Celtics in a seven-game battle, culminating in Boston's home-court advantage proving decisive. The series is often remembered for King's remarkable performances, including a 44-point outing in Game 6.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 29, 1984 | @ Boston Celtics | L 110-92 | |
| May 02, 1984 | @ Boston Celtics | L 116-102 | |
| May 04, 1984 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 100-92 | |
| May 06, 1984 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 118-113 | |
| May 09, 1984 | @ Boston Celtics | L 121-99 | |
| May 11, 1984 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 106-104 | |
| May 13, 1984 | @ Boston Celtics | L 121-104 |
New York Knicks 1983-84 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1983-84 season for the New York Knicks.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 28, 1983 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 113-106 | |
| Oct 29, 1983 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 100-97 | |
| Nov 02, 1983 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 125-119 | |
| Nov 04, 1983 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 106-97 | |
| Nov 05, 1983 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 102-100 | |
| Nov 08, 1983 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 97-90 | |
| Nov 10, 1983 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 99-91 | |
| Nov 11, 1983 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 116-95 | |
| Nov 15, 1983 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 94-87 | |
| Nov 16, 1983 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 102-97 | |
| Nov 18, 1983 | @ Boston Celtics | W 110-103 | |
| Nov 19, 1983 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 104-101 | |
| Nov 22, 1983 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 117-113 | |
| Nov 26, 1983 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 96-84 | |
| Nov 27, 1983 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 101-91 | |
| Nov 29, 1983 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 118-106 | |
| Nov 30, 1983 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 113-104 | |
| Dec 01, 1983 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 127-93 | |
| Dec 03, 1983 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 117-101 | |
| Dec 06, 1983 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 117-112 | |
| Dec 08, 1983 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 120-97 | |
| Dec 09, 1983 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 111-92 | |
| Dec 11, 1983 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 109-98 | |
| Dec 13, 1983 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 102-100 | |
| Dec 15, 1983 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 113-107 | |
| Dec 17, 1983 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 102-96 | |
| Dec 23, 1983 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 114-113 | |
| Dec 25, 1983 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 112-110 | |
| Dec 27, 1983 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 102-96 | |
| Dec 28, 1983 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 111-108 | |
| Dec 30, 1983 | @ Washington Bullets | L 91-86 | |
| Jan 03, 1984 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 117-105 | |
| Jan 06, 1984 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 118-107 | |
| Jan 07, 1984 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 140-103 | |
| Jan 09, 1984 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 111-73 | |
| Jan 13, 1984 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 103-101 | |
| Jan 14, 1984 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 113-111 | |
| Jan 17, 1984 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 121-115 | |
| Jan 19, 1984 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 109-92 | |
| Jan 21, 1984 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 97-95 | |
| Jan 24, 1984 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 111-102 | |
| Jan 26, 1984 | @ Washington Bullets | W 104-97 | |
| Jan 31, 1984 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 117-113 | |
| Feb 01, 1984 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 105-98 | |
| Feb 04, 1984 | @ Houston Rockets | W 103-95 | |
| Feb 06, 1984 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 116-94 | |
| Feb 08, 1984 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 113-103 | |
| Feb 10, 1984 | @ Utah Jazz | W 121-111 | |
| Feb 11, 1984 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 138-112 | |
| Feb 14, 1984 | @ Kansas City Kings | W 106-100 | |
| Feb 16, 1984 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 100-94 | |
| Feb 18, 1984 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 112-102 | |
| Feb 19, 1984 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 101-97 | |
| Feb 21, 1984 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 106-89 | |
| Feb 22, 1984 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 114-111 | |
| Feb 24, 1984 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 105-104 | |
| Feb 25, 1984 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 117-104 | |
| Feb 27, 1984 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 96-92 | |
| Feb 29, 1984 | @ Boston Celtics | W 102-98 | |
| Mar 02, 1984 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 117-102 | |
| Mar 03, 1984 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 111-106 | |
| Mar 06, 1984 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 124-110 | |
| Mar 10, 1984 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 114-105 | |
| Mar 13, 1984 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 117-96 | |
| Mar 15, 1984 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 105-82 | |
| Mar 17, 1984 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 123-109 | |
| Mar 21, 1984 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 100-99 | |
| Mar 22, 1984 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 108-100 | |
| Mar 24, 1984 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 107-99 | |
| Mar 25, 1984 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 107-94 | |
| Mar 27, 1984 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 97-88 | |
| Mar 28, 1984 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 99-93 | |
| Mar 30, 1984 | @ Washington Bullets | L 107-79 | |
| Mar 31, 1984 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 109-106 | |
| Apr 02, 1984 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 115-113 | |
| Apr 03, 1984 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 113-96 | |
| Apr 06, 1984 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 115-107 | |
| Apr 08, 1984 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 109-108 | |
| Apr 09, 1984 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 118-113 | |
| Apr 11, 1984 | @ Boston Celtics | L 102-96 | |
| Apr 13, 1984 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 107-98 | |
| Apr 14, 1984 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 103-100 |