The 1961-62 New York Knicks season was a challenging chapter in the franchise’s history. Coached by Eddie Donovan, the Knicks struggled to make a significant impact in the NBA, finishing last in the Eastern Division. The team ended the season with a record of 29 wins and 51 losses, reflecting the difficulties they faced on both ends of the court.
Despite the overall disappointing performance, the season was not without its highlights. Richie Guerin, the standout player for the Knicks, delivered an impressive individual performance. Guerin, known for his scoring prowess and leadership, averaged 29.5 points per game, which was the fifth-highest in the league that season. His contributions earned him a spot in the NBA All-Star Game, showcasing his talent among the league’s elite.
However, the team struggled with consistency and depth, often relying heavily on Guerin’s scoring. Willie Naulls also provided support, averaging 25.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. The Knicks’ defense was a significant area of concern, as they allowed opponents to score an average of 123.0 points per game, which contributed to their inability to clinch more victories.
Overall, the 1961-62 season was a period of rebuilding for the New York Knicks. While they had some exceptional individual performances, the lack of a strong supporting cast and defensive frailties hindered their progress. It was clear that the Knicks needed to make strategic changes to compete more effectively in the NBA moving forward.
- Regular Season Record: 29-51
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
New York Knicks Roster and Stats for 1961-62 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Richie Guerin | 78 | 29.5 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Willie Naulls | 75 | 25.0 | 7.6 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Johnny Green | 80 | 15.9 | 9.5 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Al Butler | 55 | 14.5 | 3.1 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Phil Jordon | 76 | 11.9 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Dave Budd | 79 | 6.5 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Cleveland Buckner | 62 | 6.4 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Darrall Imhoff | 75 | 6.0 | 3.5 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Sam Stith | 31 | 4.5 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Whitey Martin | 66 | 3.4 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| George Blaney | 36 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Donnie Butcher | 47 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Bill Smith | 9 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Ed Burton | 8 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Doug Kistler | 5 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
New York Knicks 1961-62 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1961-62 season for the New York Knicks.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 19, 1961 | vs. Chicago Packers | W 120-103 | |
| Oct 21, 1961 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 132-95 | |
| Oct 24, 1961 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 112-110 | |
| Oct 26, 1961 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 120-117 | |
| Oct 28, 1961 | @ Boston Celtics | L 132-102 | |
| Oct 31, 1961 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 131-127 | |
| Nov 01, 1961 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 111-95 | |
| Nov 03, 1961 | @ Chicago Packers | L 129-118 | |
| Nov 04, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 112-111 | |
| Nov 07, 1961 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 123-98 | |
| Nov 08, 1961 | @ Chicago Packers | W 130-108 | |
| Nov 10, 1961 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 124-118 | |
| Nov 11, 1961 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 135-109 | |
| Nov 14, 1961 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 124-122 | |
| Nov 15, 1961 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 114-102 | |
| Nov 17, 1961 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 104-100 | |
| Nov 21, 1961 | vs. Chicago Packers | L 109-107 | |
| Nov 22, 1961 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 110-109 | |
| Nov 24, 1961 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 100-89 | |
| Nov 25, 1961 | @ Boston Celtics | L 116-96 | |
| Nov 28, 1961 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | L 131-117 | |
| Dec 01, 1961 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 118-100 | |
| Dec 05, 1961 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 122-105 | |
| Dec 06, 1961 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 133-97 | |
| Dec 09, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 102-91 | |
| Dec 10, 1961 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 134-94 | |
| Dec 12, 1961 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 126-124 | |
| Dec 13, 1961 | @ Chicago Packers | L 113-112 | |
| Dec 15, 1961 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 120-108 | |
| Dec 17, 1961 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 117-109 | |
| Dec 19, 1961 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 128-111 | |
| Dec 21, 1961 | @ Boston Celtics | L 122-103 | |
| Dec 23, 1961 | @ Boston Celtics | L 122-111 | |
| Dec 25, 1961 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 136-135 | |
| Dec 27, 1961 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 131-119 | |
| Dec 29, 1961 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 110-100 | |
| Dec 30, 1961 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 123-119 | |
| Jan 02, 1962 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 110-104 | |
| Jan 03, 1962 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 122-111 | |
| Jan 06, 1962 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 115-111 | |
| Jan 07, 1962 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 123-116 | |
| Jan 12, 1962 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 128-126 | |
| Jan 14, 1962 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 141-118 | |
| Jan 17, 1962 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 129-121 | |
| Jan 19, 1962 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 108-107 | |
| Jan 21, 1962 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 124-113 | |
| Jan 22, 1962 | @ Chicago Packers | W 131-94 | |
| Jan 23, 1962 | vs. Chicago Packers | L 109-103 | |
| Jan 25, 1962 | @ Chicago Packers | W 117-102 | |
| Jan 26, 1962 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 129-121 | |
| Jan 27, 1962 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 115-107 | |
| Jan 30, 1962 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 116-110 | |
| Jan 31, 1962 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 138-109 | |
| Feb 02, 1962 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 129-116 | |
| Feb 03, 1962 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 121-110 | |
| Feb 04, 1962 | @ Boston Celtics | L 130-114 | |
| Feb 06, 1962 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 116-112 | |
| Feb 08, 1962 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 136-120 | |
| Feb 09, 1962 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 120-111 | |
| Feb 10, 1962 | @ Chicago Packers | L 126-111 | |
| Feb 11, 1962 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 121-111 | |
| Feb 14, 1962 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 125-112 | |
| Feb 16, 1962 | @ Boston Celtics | L 127-104 | |
| Feb 17, 1962 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 128-121 | |
| Feb 18, 1962 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 141-126 | |
| Feb 20, 1962 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 110-103 | |
| Feb 22, 1962 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 118-116 | |
| Feb 23, 1962 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 130-118 | |
| Feb 24, 1962 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 120-117 | |
| Feb 25, 1962 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | W 149-135 | |
| Feb 27, 1962 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 130-120 | |
| Feb 28, 1962 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 119-109 | |
| Mar 02, 1962 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 169-147 | |
| Mar 04, 1962 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 129-128 | |
| Mar 06, 1962 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 113-106 | |
| Mar 07, 1962 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 119-112 | |
| Mar 09, 1962 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 122-100 | |
| Mar 10, 1962 | @ Chicago Packers | L 128-116 | |
| Mar 12, 1962 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 119-106 | |
| Mar 14, 1962 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 136-134 |