The 1966-67 New York Knicks season marked a period of transition and rebuilding for the franchise. Coached by Dick McGuire, the team aimed to improve upon their previous performances but faced a challenging season. The Knicks ended the regular season with a record of 36-45, placing them third in the Eastern Division. Despite their efforts, they were unable to secure a playoff spot, missing the postseason for the seventh consecutive year.
One of the notable aspects of the season was the performance of young star Willis Reed. Reed continued to establish himself as a force in the league, averaging 20.9 points and 14.6 rebounds per game. His impressive play earned him a spot in the 1967 NBA All-Star Game, highlighting his growing reputation as a key player for the Knicks.
Throughout the season, the Knicks struggled with consistency, often facing tough competition from division rivals like the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers. The team’s defensive struggles and lack of depth were evident, contributing to their inability to secure a playoff berth. Despite these challenges, the Knicks showed glimpses of potential, setting the stage for future improvements.
Overall, the 1966-67 season was a stepping stone for the New York Knicks, as they began laying the groundwork for future success. The development of young talent and continued efforts to build a competitive roster were critical in shaping the franchise’s direction in the following years.
- Regular Season Record: 36-45
- Playoff Result: Division Semifinals: 1-3
New York Knicks Roster and Stats for 1966-67 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Willis Reed | 78 | 20.9 | 13.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 27.5 | 13.8 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Walt Bellamy | 79 | 19.0 | 10.7 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 18.3 | 16.5 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dick Barnett | 67 | 17.0 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Howard Komives | 65 | 15.7 | 1.8 | 4.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 10.5 | 2.8 | 3.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dick Van Arsdale | 79 | 15.1 | 4.6 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 11.5 | 6.3 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dave Stallworth | 76 | 13.0 | 4.4 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Cazzie Russell | 77 | 11.3 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 15.5 | 4.8 | 2.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Em Bryant | 63 | 8.7 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 5.3 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Freddie Crawford | 19 | 5.9 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 17.0 | 6.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Henry Akin | 50 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 1.5 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Neil Johnson | 51 | 3.5 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Wayne Molis | 13 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dave Deutsch | 19 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
New York Knicks in the 1967 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs Second Round vs. Boston Celtics
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 21, 1967 | @ Boston Celtics | L 140-110 | |
| Mar 25, 1967 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 115-108 | |
| Mar 26, 1967 | @ Boston Celtics | W 123-112 | |
| Mar 28, 1967 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 118-109 |
New York Knicks 1966-67 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1966-67 season for the New York Knicks.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15, 1966 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 128-112 | |
| Oct 18, 1966 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 122-119 | |
| Oct 19, 1966 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 131-109 | |
| Oct 22, 1966 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 126-97 | |
| Oct 23, 1966 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 124-105 | |
| Oct 26, 1966 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 133-122 | |
| Oct 28, 1966 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 124-114 | |
| Nov 02, 1966 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 131-129 | |
| Nov 03, 1966 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 123-108 | |
| Nov 05, 1966 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 115-104 | |
| Nov 08, 1966 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 135-121 | |
| Nov 09, 1966 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 103-98 | |
| Nov 11, 1966 | @ Boston Celtics | L 111-106 | |
| Nov 12, 1966 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 134-124 | |
| Nov 15, 1966 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 113-109 | |
| Nov 16, 1966 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 117-108 | |
| Nov 17, 1966 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 123-108 | |
| Nov 19, 1966 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 116-104 | |
| Nov 22, 1966 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | L 121-118 | |
| Nov 23, 1966 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 118-100 | |
| Nov 25, 1966 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 115-109 | |
| Nov 26, 1966 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 125-114 | |
| Nov 29, 1966 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 118-114 | |
| Nov 30, 1966 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 119-115 | |
| Dec 02, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 109-107 | |
| Dec 03, 1966 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 120-109 | |
| Dec 06, 1966 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | L 126-116 | |
| Dec 07, 1966 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 118-116 | |
| Dec 09, 1966 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 112-107 | |
| Dec 10, 1966 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 138-129 | |
| Dec 13, 1966 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 127-112 | |
| Dec 14, 1966 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 116-106 | |
| Dec 17, 1966 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 116-114 | |
| Dec 21, 1966 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 110-107 | |
| Dec 25, 1966 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 133-132 | |
| Dec 26, 1966 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 114-109 | |
| Dec 28, 1966 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 121-115 | |
| Dec 30, 1966 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 130-115 | |
| Dec 31, 1966 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 107-103 | |
| Jan 01, 1967 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 128-105 | |
| Jan 03, 1967 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 148-142 | |
| Jan 05, 1967 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 112-104 | |
| Jan 07, 1967 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 129-126 | |
| Jan 08, 1967 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 121-118 | |
| Jan 12, 1967 | @ San Francisco Warriors | L 127-123 | |
| Jan 13, 1967 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 119-117 | |
| Jan 15, 1967 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 131-116 | |
| Jan 17, 1967 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 119-111 | |
| Jan 19, 1967 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | L 123-102 | |
| Jan 21, 1967 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 124-114 | |
| Jan 22, 1967 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 104-101 | |
| Jan 24, 1967 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | L 126-118 | |
| Jan 25, 1967 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 132-125 | |
| Jan 28, 1967 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 114-112 | |
| Jan 29, 1967 | @ Boston Celtics | L 141-106 | |
| Jan 31, 1967 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 139-120 | |
| Feb 01, 1967 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 104-101 | |
| Feb 03, 1967 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 124-111 | |
| Feb 04, 1967 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 102-101 | |
| Feb 07, 1967 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 122-117 | |
| Feb 08, 1967 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 106-103 | |
| Feb 10, 1967 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 122-121 | |
| Feb 11, 1967 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 125-122 | |
| Feb 13, 1967 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 139-109 | |
| Feb 15, 1967 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 127-118 | |
| Feb 16, 1967 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 121-120 | |
| Feb 18, 1967 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 124-123 | |
| Feb 21, 1967 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 143-114 | |
| Feb 22, 1967 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 117-103 | |
| Feb 23, 1967 | @ Boston Celtics | L 122-117 | |
| Feb 25, 1967 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 116-114 | |
| Feb 28, 1967 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 127-123 | |
| Mar 01, 1967 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 118-101 | |
| Mar 03, 1967 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 138-132 | |
| Mar 04, 1967 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | L 111-102 | |
| Mar 05, 1967 | @ San Francisco Warriors | W 115-103 | |
| Mar 07, 1967 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 131-119 | |
| Mar 12, 1967 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 131-120 | |
| Mar 15, 1967 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 121-114 | |
| Mar 18, 1967 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 140-123 | |
| Mar 19, 1967 | @ Boston Celtics | L 124-113 |