# 1991–92 New York Knicks season

The 1991–92 NBA season was the 46th season of the National Basketball Association in New York City. In the off-season, the Knicks hired Pat Riley as their new head coach; Riley previously coached the Los Angeles Lakers two years ago. The team also acquired Xavier McDaniel from the Phoenix Suns, signed free agent Anthony Mason, and selected point guard Greg Anthony from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with the twelfth overall pick in the 1991 NBA draft.
Under Riley, the Knicks showed improvement as they held a 30–16 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the team traded Brian Quinnett to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for James Donaldson. The Knicks finished second in the Atlantic Division with a 51–31 record.
Patrick Ewing led the team with 24.0 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team and NBA All-Defensive Second Team, was selected for the 1992 NBA All-Star Game in Orlando, Florida, and finished in fifth place in Most Valuable Player voting. In addition, John Starks played an increased role as the team's sixth man, averaging 13.9 points per game off the bench, while McDaniel provided the team with 13.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Gerald Wilkins contributed 12.4 points per game. Mark Jackson provided 11.3 points, 8.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game, while Mason also played a sixth man role, averaging 7.0 points and rebounds per game each, off the bench, and Charles Oakley contributed 6.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Riley finished in second place in Coach of the Year voting.
In the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Knicks eliminated the Detroit Pistons in five games. In the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, the Knicks faced off against the defending champion Chicago Bulls for the second straight year. The Knicks frustrated the Bulls and Michael Jordan with their physical play, winning Game 1 on the road, 94–89, and then winning Game 6 at home, 100–86 to tie the series at 3–3. However, the Knicks lost to the Bulls in seven games as the Bulls–Knicks rivalry was born. The Bulls would defeat the Portland Trail Blazers in six games in the NBA Finals, winning their second consecutive championship.
The Knicks finished sixth in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 726,608 at Madison Square Garden during the regular season. Following the season, McDaniel signed as a free agent with the Boston Celtics after just one season with the Knicks, while Jackson was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, Kiki Vandeweghe signed as a free agent with the Clippers, Wilkins signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Donaldson was released to free agency.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
| 1 | 12 | Greg Anthony | PG | United States | UNLV |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Atlantic Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Boston Celtics | 51 | 31 | .622 | — | 34–7 | 17–24 | 19–9 |
| x-New York Knicks | 51 | 31 | .622 | — | 30–11 | 21–20 | 20–8 |
| x-New Jersey Nets | 40 | 42 | .488 | 11 | 25–16 | 15–26 | 15–13 |
| x-Miami Heat | 38 | 44 | .463 | 13 | 28–13 | 10–31 | 14–14 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 35 | 47 | .427 | 16 | 23–18 | 12–29 | 15–13 |
| Washington Bullets | 25 | 57 | .305 | 26 | 14–27 | 11–30 | 7–21 |
| Orlando Magic | 21 | 61 | .256 | 30 | 13–28 | 8–33 | 8–20 |
    y – clinched division title
    x – clinched playoff spot
| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Chicago Bulls | 67 | 15 | .817 | – |
| 2 | y-Boston Celtics | 51 | 31 | .622 | 16 |
| 3 | x-Cleveland Cavaliers | 57 | 25 | .695 | 10 |
| 4 | x-New York Knicks | 51 | 31 | .622 | 16 |
| 5 | x-Detroit Pistons | 48 | 34 | .585 | 19 |
| 6 | x-New Jersey Nets | 40 | 42 | .488 | 27 |
| 7 | x-Indiana Pacers | 40 | 42 | .488 | 27 |
| 8 | x-Miami Heat | 38 | 44 | .463 | 29 |
| 9 | Atlanta Hawks | 38 | 44 | .463 | 29 |
| 10 | Philadelphia 76ers | 35 | 47 | .427 | 32 |
| 11 | Milwaukee Bucks | 31 | 51 | .378 | 36 |
| 12 | Charlotte Hornets | 31 | 51 | .378 | 36 |
| 13 | Washington Bullets | 25 | 57 | .305 | 42 |
| 14 | Orlando Magic | 21 | 61 | .256 | 46 |
    z – clinched division title
    y – clinched division title
    x – clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1991–92 NBA records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHA | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MIA | MIL | MIN | NJN | NYK | ORL | PHI | PHO | POR | SAC | SAS | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | — | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Boston | 1–3 | — | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Charlotte | 2–2 | 1–3 | — | 0–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 |
| Chicago | 5–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | — | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
| Cleveland | 5–0 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 2–3 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
| Dallas | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — | 3–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–5 | 0–4 | 1–4 | 0–2 |
| Denver | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | — | 0–2 | 0–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 1–1 |
| Detroit | 4–1 | 0–4 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Golden State | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | — | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 |
| Houston | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | — | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 2–0 |
| Indiana | 4–1 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| L.A. Clippers | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | — | 2–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 0–2 |
| L.A. Lakers | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| Miami | 2–2 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 |
| Milwaukee | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | — | 2–0 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Minnesota | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–6 | 0–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 |
| New Jersey | 1–3 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | — | 2–3 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 |
| New York | 2–2 | 2–3 | 4–0 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | — | 4–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 |
| Orlando | 2–2 | 0–5 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–4 | — | 3–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 |
| Philadelphia | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 2–3 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 5–0 |
| Phoenix | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 |
| Portland | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | — | 5–0 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 |
| Sacramento | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 0–5 | — | 1–3 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 2–0 |
| San Antonio | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | — | 3–1 | 1–4 | 0–2 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 4–1 | 1–3 | — | 3–1 | 2–0 |
| Utah | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 1–3 | — | 2–0 |
| Washington | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 0–4 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — |

### Game log
## Playoffs

1992 playoff game log :
First Round: 3–2 (home: 2–1; road: 1–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 24
Detroit
W 109–75
Patrick Ewing (24)
Patrick Ewing (12)
Mark Jackson (6)
Madison Square Garden 19,081
1–0
2
April 26
Detroit
L 88–89
Xavier McDaniel (24)
Charles Oakley (18)
Mark Jackson (10)
Madison Square Garden 18,793
1–1
3
April 28
@ Detroit
W 90–87 (OT)
Patrick Ewing (32)
Ewing, McDaniel (13)
Mark Jackson (7)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 21,454
2–1
4
May 1
@ Detroit
L 82–86
Ewing, McDaniel (18)
Charles Oakley (16)
Greg Anthony (6)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 21,454
2–2
5
May 3
Detroit
W 94–87
Patrick Ewing (31)
Patrick Ewing (19)
Mark Jackson (5)
Madison Square Garden 19,135
3–2 :
Conference semifinals: 3–4 (home: 2–1; road: 1–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
May 5
@ Chicago
W 94–89
Patrick Ewing (34)
Patrick Ewing (16)
Patrick Ewing (5)
Chicago Stadium 18,676
1–0
2
May 7
@ Chicago
L 78–86
Patrick Ewing (16)
Patrick Ewing (16)
Wilkins, Anthony (4)
Chicago Stadium 18,676
1–1
3
May 9
Chicago
L 86–94
Patrick Ewing (27)
Patrick Ewing (11)
Mark Jackson (8)
Madison Square Garden 19,763
1–2
4
May 10
Chicago
W 93–86
Xavier McDaniel (24)
Charles Oakley (12)
John Starks (5)
Madison Square Garden 19,763
2–2
5
May 12
@ Chicago
L 88–96
Xavier McDaniel (26)
Ewing, Oakley (7)
Mark Jackson (12)
Chicago Stadium 18,676
2–3
6
May 14
Chicago
W 100–86
Patrick Ewing (27)
Xavier McDaniel (11)
Mark Jackson (15)
Madison Square Garden 19,763
3–3
7
May 17
@ Chicago
L 81–100
Patrick Ewing (22)
Charles Oakley (10)
Mark Jackson (11)
Chicago Stadium 18,676
3–4 :
1992 schedule :

## Player statistics
### Regular season

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Greg Anthony | 82 | 1 | 18.4 | .370 | .145 | .741 | 1.7 | 3.8 | .7 | .1 | 5.5 |
| James Donaldson$^†$ | 14 | 0 | 5.8 | .278 | | 1.000 | 1.4 | .1 | .0 | .4 | .9 |
| Patrick Eddie | 4 | 0 | 3.3 | .222 | | | .3 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 |
| Patrick Ewing | 82 | 82 | 38.4 | .522 | .167 | .738 | 11.2 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 3.0 | 24.0 |
| Mark Jackson | 81 | 81 | 30.4 | .491 | .256 | .770 | 3.8 | 8.6 | 1.4 | .2 | 11.3 |
| Anthony Mason | 82 | 0 | 26.8 | .509 | | .642 | 7.0 | 1.3 | .6 | .2 | 7.0 |
| Tim McCormick | 22 | 0 | 4.9 | .424 | | .667 | 1.5 | .4 | .1 | .0 | 1.9 |
| Xavier McDaniel | 82 | 82 | 28.6 | .478 | .308 | .714 | 5.6 | 1.8 | .7 | .3 | 13.7 |
| Carlton McKinney | 2 | 0 | 4.5 | .222 | | | .5 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 2.0 |
| Charles Oakley | 82 | 82 | 28.2 | .522 | .000 | .735 | 8.5 | 1.6 | .8 | .2 | 6.2 |
| Brian Quinnett$^†$ | 24 | 0 | 7.9 | .384 | .385 | .571 | 1.0 | .3 | .3 | .3 | 3.1 |
| John Starks | 82 | 0 | 25.8 | .449 | .348 | .778 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 1.3 | .2 | 13.9 |
| Kiki VanDeWeghe | 67 | 0 | 14.3 | .491 | .394 | .802 | 1.3 | .9 | .2 | .1 | 7.0 |
| Gerald Wilkins | 82 | 82 | 28.6 | .447 | .352 | .730 | 2.5 | 2.7 | .9 | .2 | 12.4 |
| Kennard Winchester$^†$ | 15 | 0 | 4.3 | .444 | .500 | .800 | 1.0 | .5 | .1 | .1 | 2.2 |

### Playoffs

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Greg Anthony | 12 | 0 | 17.8 | .413 | .417 | .606 | 1.4 | 3.4 | 1.3 | .1 | 5.3 |
| James Donaldson | 2 | 0 | 5.5 | 1.000 | | | 2.0 | .0 | .0 | .5 | 2.0 |
| Patrick Ewing | 12 | 12 | 40.2 | .456 | .000 | .740 | 11.1 | 2.3 | .6 | 2.6 | 22.7 |
| Mark Jackson | 12 | 12 | 30.7 | .402 | .190 | .815 | 2.3 | 7.2 | .8 | .0 | 8.3 |
| Anthony Mason | 12 | 0 | 24.0 | .442 | | .786 | 6.3 | .8 | .2 | .7 | 5.0 |
| Tim McCormick | 1 | 0 | 6.0 | .000 | | | 3.0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 |
| Xavier McDaniel | 12 | 12 | 38.2 | .477 | .250 | .735 | 7.2 | 1.9 | .8 | .2 | 18.8 |
| Charles Oakley | 12 | 12 | 29.5 | .379 | | .741 | 9.0 | .7 | .7 | .4 | 5.3 |
| John Starks | 12 | 0 | 24.6 | .374 | .239 | .808 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 1.4 | .0 | 12.1 |
| Kiki VanDeWeghe | 8 | 0 | 9.4 | .542 | .800 | .857 | .8 | .5 | .3 | .1 | 4.5 |
| Gerald Wilkins | 12 | 12 | 28.7 | .413 | .077 | .696 | 2.5 | 2.8 | .4 | .1 | 8.9 |
| Kennard Winchester | 3 | 0 | 3.7 | .600 | | .000 | .0 | .7 | .0 | .0 | 2.0 |
* $^†$ Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Knicks only.

## Awards and records

* Patrick Ewing, All-NBA Second Team Selection
* Patrick Ewing, NBA All-Defensive Second Team Selection