The 1985-86 NBA season was a challenging one for the New York Knicks. The team, led by head coach Hubie Brown at the start of the season, struggled to find consistency on the court. Brown was replaced by Bob Hill mid-season, but the coaching change did not significantly alter the Knicks’ fortunes. The team ended the season with a disappointing 23-59 record, placing them last in the Atlantic Division and missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
The Knicks faced difficulties on both ends of the floor throughout the season. Their offense was lackluster, averaging just 104.4 points per game, which ranked them 20th in a 23-team league. Defensively, they allowed an average of 111.7 points per game, placing them near the bottom of the league’s defensive rankings. One of the few bright spots for the Knicks was the performance of forward Pat Cummings, who led the team with 15.8 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game.
Injuries also played a significant role in the Knicks’ struggles. Key players such as Bernard King, who had been the team’s leading scorer in previous seasons, missed the entire year due to a knee injury. The absence of King’s scoring prowess was deeply felt, leaving a void that the team struggled to fill. Overall, the 1985-86 season was a period of transition and rebuilding for the Knicks as they looked to regroup and improve in the following years.
- Regular Season Record: 23-59
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
New York Knicks Roster and Stats for 1985-86 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Patrick Ewing | 50 | 20.0 | 9.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Pat Cummings | 31 | 15.7 | 9.0 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Gerald Wilkins | 81 | 12.5 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 28.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Louis Orr | 74 | 11.9 | 4.2 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| James Bailey | 48 | 11.1 | 7.0 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Rory Sparrow | 74 | 10.8 | 2.3 | 6.4 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 25.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Trent Tucker | 77 | 10.6 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 45.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Darrell Walker | 81 | 10.3 | 2.7 | 4.2 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Ken Bannister | 70 | 8.6 | 4.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Bill Cartwright | 2 | 6.0 | 5.0 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Chris McNealy | 30 | 5.7 | 6.8 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Ernie Grunfeld | 76 | 5.4 | 2.7 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 42.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Bob Thornton | 71 | 4.7 | 4.1 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Ken Green | 7 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Fred Cofield | 45 | 3.7 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 20.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Butch Carter | 5 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
New York Knicks 1985-86 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1985-86 season for the New York Knicks.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 26, 1985 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 99-89 | |
| Oct 29, 1985 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 102-87 | |
| Oct 31, 1985 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 111-104 | |
| Nov 02, 1985 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | L 103-95 | |
| Nov 03, 1985 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 110-96 | |
| Nov 05, 1985 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 84-80 | |
| Nov 07, 1985 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 92-88 | |
| Nov 09, 1985 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 97-94 | |
| Nov 12, 1985 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 103-93 | |
| Nov 16, 1985 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 103-96 | |
| Nov 19, 1985 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 98-94 | |
| Nov 20, 1985 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 109-98 | |
| Nov 22, 1985 | @ Washington Bullets | L 102-94 | |
| Nov 23, 1985 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 113-104 | |
| Nov 26, 1985 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 104-94 | |
| Nov 27, 1985 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 80-77 | |
| Nov 29, 1985 | @ Boston Celtics | L 94-88 | |
| Nov 30, 1985 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 115-95 | |
| Dec 03, 1985 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 111-94 | |
| Dec 05, 1985 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 105-95 | |
| Dec 06, 1985 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 107-83 | |
| Dec 10, 1985 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 82-64 | |
| Dec 12, 1985 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 108-85 | |
| Dec 14, 1985 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 108-98 | |
| Dec 17, 1985 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 105-99 | |
| Dec 19, 1985 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 109-105 | |
| Dec 21, 1985 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 112-110 | |
| Dec 22, 1985 | @ Washington Bullets | W 100-93 | |
| Dec 25, 1985 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 113-104 | |
| Dec 26, 1985 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 113-96 | |
| Dec 28, 1985 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 100-80 | |
| Dec 30, 1985 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 123-111 | |
| Jan 02, 1986 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 115-109 | |
| Jan 04, 1986 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 119-86 | |
| Jan 07, 1986 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 93-85 | |
| Jan 11, 1986 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 109-106 | |
| Jan 13, 1986 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 115-97 | |
| Jan 15, 1986 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 116-112 | |
| Jan 17, 1986 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 113-100 | |
| Jan 18, 1986 | @ Houston Rockets | L 104-95 | |
| Jan 20, 1986 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 103-93 | |
| Jan 21, 1986 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 121-114 | |
| Jan 24, 1986 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 117-100 | |
| Jan 25, 1986 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 104-88 | |
| Jan 28, 1986 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 118-111 | |
| Jan 30, 1986 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 102-97 | |
| Jan 31, 1986 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 117-112 | |
| Feb 02, 1986 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 103-96 | |
| Feb 03, 1986 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 94-90 | |
| Feb 06, 1986 | @ Utah Jazz | L 119-101 | |
| Feb 12, 1986 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 113-99 | |
| Feb 13, 1986 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 95-92 | |
| Feb 15, 1986 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 104-97 | |
| Feb 17, 1986 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 111-97 | |
| Feb 18, 1986 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 111-105 | |
| Feb 21, 1986 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 117-104 | |
| Feb 23, 1986 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | L 110-99 | |
| Feb 25, 1986 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 91-74 | |
| Mar 01, 1986 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 102-100 | |
| Mar 03, 1986 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 115-108 | |
| Mar 04, 1986 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 119-83 | |
| Mar 06, 1986 | @ Washington Bullets | L 113-111 | |
| Mar 07, 1986 | @ Boston Celtics | L 115-108 | |
| Mar 09, 1986 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 114-101 | |
| Mar 11, 1986 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 112-107 | |
| Mar 12, 1986 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 105-95 | |
| Mar 14, 1986 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 112-89 | |
| Mar 15, 1986 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 106-101 | |
| Mar 17, 1986 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 112-92 | |
| Mar 18, 1986 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 107-103 | |
| Mar 20, 1986 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 93-87 | |
| Mar 22, 1986 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 114-99 | |
| Mar 25, 1986 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 111-98 | |
| Mar 27, 1986 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | L 110-105 | |
| Mar 29, 1986 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 106-96 | |
| Apr 01, 1986 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 111-93 | |
| Apr 02, 1986 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 93-87 | |
| Apr 04, 1986 | @ Boston Celtics | L 119-98 | |
| Apr 05, 1986 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 107-93 | |
| Apr 07, 1986 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 106-104 | |
| Apr 11, 1986 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 108-95 | |
| Apr 12, 1986 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 116-78 |