The 1997-98 New York Knicks season was marked by both transition and resilience. Coming off a 57-win season, the team underwent significant changes, most notably with the departure of Charles Oakley, who was traded to the Toronto Raptors for Marcus Camby. Under the leadership of head coach Jeff Van Gundy, the Knicks aimed to maintain their competitive edge in the Eastern Conference. Patrick Ewing remained a cornerstone, although injuries limited his contributions to just 26 regular-season games.
Despite Ewing’s absence, the Knicks finished with a 43-39 record, securing the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Allan Houston and Larry Johnson stepped up as offensive leaders, with Houston averaging 18.4 points per game. The team’s defensive identity remained strong, anchored by Camby’s shot-blocking ability and solid perimeter defense from players like Charlie Ward and Chris Childs.
In the playoffs, the Knicks faced the Miami Heat in the first round, a series that rekindled the fierce rivalry between the teams. The series went to a deciding Game 5, where the Knicks emerged victorious, largely due to a memorable performance by Houston. However, their postseason run was cut short in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where they were defeated by Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers in five games. The season highlighted the Knicks’ ability to adapt and compete despite significant challenges, setting the stage for future playoff battles.
- Regular Season Record: 43-39
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference First Round: 3-2, Eastern Conference Semifinals: 1-4
New York Knicks Roster and Stats for 1997-98 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Patrick Ewing | 26 | 20.8 | 10.2 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 4 | 14.0 | 8.0 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.0 |
| Allan Houston | 82 | 18.4 | 3.3 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 38.5 | 10 | 21.1 | 3.8 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 39.1 |
| Larry Johnson | 70 | 15.5 | 5.7 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 23.8 | 8 | 17.9 | 6.6 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 20.0 |
| John Starks | 82 | 12.9 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 32.7 | 10 | 16.4 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 42.4 |
| Chris Mills | 80 | 9.7 | 5.1 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 29.2 | 9 | 4.9 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 40.0 |
| Charles Oakley | 79 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 10 | 8.1 | 8.5 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Charlie Ward | 82 | 7.8 | 3.3 | 5.7 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 37.7 | 10 | 6.6 | 2.8 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 42.9 |
| Terry Cummings | 30 | 7.8 | 4.5 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 8 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Chris Childs | 68 | 6.3 | 2.4 | 3.9 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 31.0 | 10 | 6.3 | 2.5 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 30.8 |
| Buck Williams | 41 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 3 | 4.7 | 5.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Chris Dudley | 51 | 3.1 | 5.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 6 | 1.3 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Anthony Bowie | 27 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 75.0 | 7 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Brooks Thompson | 17 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 28.6 | |||||||
| Pete Myers | 9 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Herb Williams | 27 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Ben Davis | 7 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
New York Knicks in the 1998 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Miami Heat
In the 1998 NBA Playoffs, the New York Knicks faced off against the Miami Heat in a dramatic first-round series that went the full five games. The series was marked by intense physical play and a notorious brawl in Game 4 that resulted in suspensions impacting both teams. The Knicks ultimately triumphed with a 3-2 series victory, showcasing their resilience and grit in a memorable playoff clash.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 24, 1998 | @ Miami Heat | L 94-79 | |
| Apr 26, 1998 | @ Miami Heat | W 96-86 | |
| Apr 28, 1998 | vs. Miami Heat | L 91-85 | |
| Apr 30, 1998 | vs. Miami Heat | W 90-85 | |
| May 03, 1998 | @ Miami Heat | W 98-81 |
Playoffs Second Round vs. Indiana Pacers
In the 1998 NBA Playoffs, the New York Knicks faced off against the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Despite a strong effort from veterans like Patrick Ewing and Allan Houston, the Knicks fell to the Pacers in a tightly contested five-game series. The matchup was marked by intense defensive battles and the Knicks' inability to consistently overcome Indiana's strategic plays.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 05, 1998 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 93-83 | |
| May 07, 1998 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 85-77 | |
| May 09, 1998 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 83-76 | |
| May 10, 1998 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 118-107 | |
| May 13, 1998 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 99-88 |
New York Knicks 1997-98 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1997-98 season for the New York Knicks.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 31, 1997 | @ Charlotte Hornets | W 97-85 | |
| Nov 02, 1997 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 94-86 | |
| Nov 04, 1997 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 102-70 | |
| Nov 06, 1997 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 105-75 | |
| Nov 07, 1997 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 99-94 | |
| Nov 09, 1997 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 86-78 | |
| Nov 11, 1997 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 93-90 | |
| Nov 12, 1997 | @ Toronto Raptors | W 93-70 | |
| Nov 15, 1997 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 114-87 | |
| Nov 18, 1997 | @ Houston Rockets | L 95-84 | |
| Nov 20, 1997 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 100-79 | |
| Nov 21, 1997 | @ Washington Wizards | W 104-82 | |
| Nov 23, 1997 | vs. Vancouver Grizzlies | W 104-84 | |
| Nov 28, 1997 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 86-78 | |
| Nov 29, 1997 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 102-80 | |
| Dec 02, 1997 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 90-84 | |
| Dec 04, 1997 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 105-91 | |
| Dec 06, 1997 | vs. Charlotte Hornets | W 90-79 | |
| Dec 07, 1997 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 93-78 | |
| Dec 09, 1997 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 100-82 | |
| Dec 11, 1997 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | W 107-103 | |
| Dec 13, 1997 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 95-83 | |
| Dec 16, 1997 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 83-78 | |
| Dec 17, 1997 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 87-80 | |
| Dec 19, 1997 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 104-77 | |
| Dec 20, 1997 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 98-78 | |
| Dec 22, 1997 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 79-67 | |
| Dec 27, 1997 | vs. Toronto Raptors | L 97-94 | |
| Dec 30, 1997 | @ Orlando Magic | W 84-79 | |
| Jan 02, 1998 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 103-98 | |
| Jan 03, 1998 | vs. Orlando Magic | W 88-84 | |
| Jan 05, 1998 | vs. Washington Wizards | L 113-106 | |
| Jan 07, 1998 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 89-88 | |
| Jan 09, 1998 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 90-89 | |
| Jan 11, 1998 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 92-91 | |
| Jan 13, 1998 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 91-89 | |
| Jan 17, 1998 | @ Toronto Raptors | W 93-82 | |
| Jan 19, 1998 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 98-82 | |
| Jan 21, 1998 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 97-89 | |
| Jan 24, 1998 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 99-92 | |
| Jan 26, 1998 | @ Boston Celtics | L 94-85 | |
| Jan 28, 1998 | @ Miami Heat | L 86-82 | |
| Jan 29, 1998 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 115-112 | |
| Feb 01, 1998 | vs. Miami Heat | W 89-83 | |
| Feb 03, 1998 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 82-78 | |
| Feb 04, 1998 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | L 95-88 | |
| Feb 10, 1998 | vs. Charlotte Hornets | W 99-91 | |
| Feb 13, 1998 | @ Orlando Magic | W 99-83 | |
| Feb 15, 1998 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 102-91 | |
| Feb 17, 1998 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 91-77 | |
| Feb 18, 1998 | @ Utah Jazz | L 94-78 | |
| Feb 20, 1998 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 98-89 | |
| Feb 22, 1998 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 92-74 | |
| Feb 24, 1998 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 87-82 | |
| Feb 26, 1998 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 102-90 | |
| Mar 01, 1998 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 101-89 | |
| Mar 03, 1998 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 94-91 | |
| Mar 05, 1998 | @ Washington Wizards | L 103-90 | |
| Mar 06, 1998 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 80-71 | |
| Mar 08, 1998 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 102-89 | |
| Mar 10, 1998 | vs. Orlando Magic | W 85-78 | |
| Mar 11, 1998 | @ Charlotte Hornets | L 85-78 | |
| Mar 14, 1998 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 88-85 | |
| Mar 15, 1998 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 91-86 | |
| Mar 17, 1998 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 100-96 | |
| Mar 19, 1998 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 82-77 | |
| Mar 20, 1998 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 109-108 | |
| Mar 22, 1998 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 124-119 | |
| Mar 24, 1998 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 88-75 | |
| Mar 25, 1998 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 77-76 | |
| Mar 27, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 97-89 | |
| Mar 28, 1998 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 104-78 | |
| Mar 31, 1998 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 95-78 | |
| Apr 02, 1998 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 81-70 | |
| Apr 04, 1998 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 97-94 | |
| Apr 05, 1998 | @ Boston Celtics | L 102-92 | |
| Apr 07, 1998 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 92-79 | |
| Apr 08, 1998 | vs. Miami Heat | W 83-80 | |
| Apr 12, 1998 | @ Miami Heat | L 82-81 | |
| Apr 14, 1998 | vs. Washington Wizards | L 104-102 | |
| Apr 16, 1998 | vs. Toronto Raptors | W 108-79 | |
| Apr 18, 1998 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 111-109 |