1988–89 New York Knicks season
The 1988–89 New York Knicks season was the 43rd season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). During the off-season, the Knicks acquired Charles Oakley from the Chicago Bulls. At midseason, the team acquired Kiki Vandeweghe from the Portland Trail Blazers. In the regular season, the Knicks finished with a 52–30 record and won the Atlantic Division title for the first time since 1970–71. Patrick Ewing averaged 22.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 3.5 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team and NBA All-Defensive Team  and finished in fourth place in Most Valuable Player voting. Point guard Mark Jackson averaged 16.9 points, 8.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game, and Johnny Newman provided the team with 16.0 points and 1.4 steals per game. In addition, Gerald Wilkins contributed 14.3 points and 1.4 steals per game, while Oakley provided with 12.9 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game, and Rod Strickland contributed 8.9 points and 3.9 assists per game off the bench, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Ewing and Jackson were both selected to play in the 1989 NBA All -Star Game. The Knicks swept the Philadelphia 76ers, 3–0 in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs to advance to the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, where the team lost to Michael Jordan, and the 6th-seeded Bulls in six games. Following the season, second-year head coach Rick Pitino left the team to coach at the University of Kentucky, and Sidney Green left in the 1989 NBA Expansion Draft.