stringtranslate.com

1999–2000 New York Knicks season

The 1999–2000 NBA season was the 53rd season of the team in the National Basketball Association.[1] The Knicks entered the season as runner-ups of the 1999 NBA Finals, where despite losing to the San Antonio Spurs in five games, they became the first eighth seeded team to reach the NBA Finals. During the off-season, the team signed free agents John Wallace and Andrew Lang; Wallace previously played for the Knicks during the 1996–97 season.[2][3][4][5] After advancing to the NBA Finals as the #8 seed last year, the Knicks won their first three games, but then lost seven of their next ten games, as Patrick Ewing missed the first 20 games with Achilles tendonitis.[6][7][8][9] However, they won 11 of their next 13 games, then later on held a 29–18 record at the All-Star break,[10] and finished second in the Atlantic Division with a 50–32 record, good enough for their first 50-win season since 1997.[11]

Allan Houston led the team in scoring averaging 19.7 points per game, while Latrell Sprewell, who became the team's starting small forward after playing off the bench the previous season, averaged 18.6 points and 1.3 steals per game, and Ewing provided the team with 15.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. In addition, Larry Johnson contributed 10.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, while Marcus Camby played a sixth man role averaging 10.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game off the bench, but only played 59 games due to a knee injury.[12][13][14] Kurt Thomas provided with 8.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game also off the bench, while Charlie Ward contributed 7.3 points, 4.2 assists and 1.3 steals per game, and Chris Childs contributed 5.3 points and 4.0 assists per game off the bench.[15] Houston and head coach Jeff Van Gundy both represented the Eastern Conference during the 2000 NBA All-Star Game.[16][17][18][19][20][21]

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Knicks swept the Toronto Raptors in three straight games.[22][23][24][25] In the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, they faced the Miami Heat for the fourth consecutive year. Despite trailing 2–3 after losing Game 5 in Miami, 87–81,[26][27][28] the Knicks would defeat the 2nd-seeded Heat in a tough, hard-fought seven-game series,[29][30][31][32] but would lose in six games to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals, ending their hopes of making the Finals for a second straight year.[33][34][35][36] The Pacers would lose in six games to the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals.[37][38][39][40][41] As of 2024, this marks the last time the Knicks had reached the Eastern Conference finals.

This season marked an end of an era as Ewing was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics in an off-season four-team trade, after playing fifteen seasons in New York.[42][43][44][45][46] Also following the season, Chris Dudley was traded to the Phoenix Suns,[47] while Wallace was dealt to the Dallas Mavericks,[48][49][50] and Lang was released to free agency.

Offseason

NBA draft

Roster

Regular season

Standings

c – clinched conference title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

Playoffs

Player statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Awards and records

Transactions

References

  1. ^ 1999–2000 New York Knicks
  2. ^ Wise, Mike (August 7, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL; He Vowed to Return, and Now Wallace Has". The New York Times. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  3. ^ Wise, Mike (September 29, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL; Knicks Acquire Lang to Help Fill the Gap Left by Ewing". The New York Times. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  4. ^ Wise, Mike (October 31, 1999). "1999–2000 N.B.A. PREVIEW; The West Is Still the Best". The New York Times. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  5. ^ Roberts, Selena (December 2, 1999). "BASKETBALL; Knicks' Wallace Is Out of Step". The New York Times. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  6. ^ Roberts, Selena (October 5, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL; Ewing Says He'll Play When His Pain Subsides". The New York Times. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  7. ^ Roberts, Selena (November 17, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL; The Return of Ewing May Not Be Too Far Off". The New York Times. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  8. ^ Roberts, Selena (December 9, 1999). "The Knicks Must Cool Their Heels Over Ewing". The New York Times. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  9. ^ "Knicks' Ewing Leaves Game Injured". Associated Press. May 25, 2000. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  10. ^ "NBA Games Played on February 10, 2000". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  11. ^ "1999–2000 New York Knicks Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  12. ^ Roberts, Selena (February 9, 2000). "BASKETBALL; Knicks Exhale: Camby's Knee Injury Is a Strain, Not a Tear". The New York Times. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  13. ^ Popper, Steve (March 14, 2000). "PRO BASKETBALL; Camby, After Practicing, Waits for Knee's Answer". The New York Times. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  14. ^ Berman, Marc (March 23, 2000). "Camby's Present: Marcus Plays Despite Aching Knee on B-Day". New York Post. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  15. ^ "1999–2000 New York Knicks Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  16. ^ Roberts, Selena (January 31, 2000). "PRO BASKETBALL; Van Gundy to Coach All-Stars". The New York Times. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  17. ^ "Stockton, Malone Among All-Star Reserves". ESPN. Associated Press. February 1, 2000. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  18. ^ "NBA All-Star Team Selected". CBS News. Associated Press. February 1, 2000. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  19. ^ "NBA All-Star 2000". Deseret News. February 13, 2000. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  20. ^ "2000 NBA All-Star Recap". NBA.com. NBA.com Staff. September 13, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  21. ^ "2000 NBA All-Star Game: West 137, East 126". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  22. ^ Roberts, Selena (April 30, 2000). "First Task Complete, Now the Heat". The New York Times. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  23. ^ "Knicks Move On with 'Lucky One'". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. May 1, 2000. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  24. ^ "New York 87, Toronto 80". United Press International. April 30, 2000. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  25. ^ "2000 NBA Eastern Conference First Round: Raptors vs. Knicks". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  26. ^ Roberts, Selena (May 18, 2000). "Knicks Can't Stand Rain of Heat 3-Pointers". The New York Times. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  27. ^ Elliott, Helene (May 18, 2000). "Loss Leaves Knicks Feeling the Heat". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  28. ^ Perkins, Chris (May 18, 2000). "Numbers Game Victimizes N.Y." Sun Sentinel. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  29. ^ Roberts, Selena (May 22, 2000). "PRO BASKETBALL; Knicks Hand Heat Familiar Fate, Ousting Rival for 3rd Year in Row". The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  30. ^ "Knicks Shock Heat; Again, Heat Believe N.Y. Was Aided in Final Seconds by Bad Call". Deseret News. Associated Press. May 22, 2000. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  31. ^ "New York 83, Miami 82". United Press International. May 21, 2000. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  32. ^ "2000 NBA Eastern Conference semifinals: Knicks vs. Heat". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  33. ^ Robbins, Liz (June 3, 2000). "PRO BASKETBALL; For 2 Pacers, 13 Years of Dues Pay Off with First Trip to Finals". The New York Times. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  34. ^ Heisler, Mark (June 3, 2000). "Miller Puts Final Knock on Knicks". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  35. ^ Wyche, Steve (June 4, 2000). "Giddy Pacers Achieve Dream". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  36. ^ "2000 NBA Eastern Conference finals: Knicks vs. Pacers". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  37. ^ Wise, Mike (June 20, 2000). "O'Neal and Lakers Win a Title for Tinseltown". The New York Times. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  38. ^ Kawakami, Tim (June 20, 2000). "With Shaq and Kobe in the Starring Roles, Lakers Win First Championship in a Dozen Years". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  39. ^ Wilbon, Michael (June 20, 2000). "Shaq at Center of L.A. Renaissance". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  40. ^ Sheridan, Chris (June 20, 2000). "Lakers 116, Pacers 111". Associated Press. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  41. ^ "2000 NBA Finals: Pacers vs. Lakers". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  42. ^ Lisi, Clemente (August 22, 2000). "KNICK FANS: See Ew Later, Big Guy – Trade to Seattle Expected to Be a Done Deal Today". New York Post. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  43. ^ Broussard, Chris (September 21, 2000). "Knicks Send Ewing to Sonics as 4-Team Deal Ends an Era". The New York Times. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
  44. ^ Heisler, Mark (September 21, 2000). "Lakers Move Forward". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  45. ^ Wyche, Steve (September 21, 2000). "Done Deal: Ewing Goes to Seattle". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  46. ^ "Ewing "Shocked" by Trade from Knicks to SuperSonics". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. September 24, 2000. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  47. ^ "NBA - Knicks End Ewing Era After 15 Seasons". ESPN. September 20, 2000. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  48. ^ Gardner, Kris (June 28, 2000). "Nine NBA Draft 2000 Deals". The Houston Roundball Review. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  49. ^ Berman, Marc (June 29, 2000). "Knicks Deal Pick for Mavs' Guard". New York Post. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  50. ^ Broussard, Chris (June 30, 2000). "PRO BASKETBALL; Strickland Is Surprised, But Happy to Be a Knick". The New York Times. Retrieved June 28, 2022.