1980–81 New York Knicks season
Season of National Basketball Association team the New York Knicks
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The 1980–81 New York Knicks season was the 35th season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In the regular season, the Knicks finished in third place in the Atlantic Division with a 50–32 win–loss record, qualifying for the 1981 NBA Playoffs. New York lost in the best-of-three first round to the Chicago Bulls in a two-game sweep.[3]
| 1980–81 New York Knicks season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Red Holzman |
| General manager | Eddie Donovan |
| Owners | Gulf+Western / Paramount Communications |
| Arena | Madison Square Garden |
| Results | |
| Record | 50–32 (.610) |
| Place | Division: 3rd (Atlantic) Conference: 4th (Eastern) |
| Playoff finish | First round (lost to Bulls 0–2) |
Stats at Basketball Reference | |
| Local media | |
| Television | WOR-TV[1] MSG Network[1] |
| Radio | WNEW[2] |
NBA draft
Note: This is not an extensive list; it only covers the first and second rounds, and any other players picked by the franchise that played at least one game in the league.[4]
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Mike Woodson | G/F |  United States |
Indiana |
| 2 | 36 | DeWayne Scales | F | United States |
LSU |
| 3 | 58 | Kurt Rambis | F | United States |
Santa Clara |
Roster
| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Head coach
Assistant(s)
Legend
Roster |
Regular season
Season standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| y-Boston Celtics | 62 | 20 | .756 | – | 35–6 | 27–14 | 19–5 |
| x-Philadelphia 76ers | 62 | 20 | .756 | – | 37–4 | 25–16 | 15–9 |
| x-New York Knicks | 50 | 32 | .610 | 12.0 | 28–13 | 22–19 | 14–10 |
| Washington Bullets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 23.0 | 26–15 | 13–28 | 8–16 |
| New Jersey Nets | 24 | 58 | .293 | 38.0 | 16–25 | 8–33 | 8–16 |
| # | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | |
| 1 | z-Boston Celtics | 62 | 20 | .756 | – |
| 2 | y-Milwaukee Bucks | 60 | 22 | .732 | 2 |
| 3 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 62 | 20 | .756 | – |
| 4 | x-New York Knicks | 50 | 32 | .610 | 12 |
| 5 | x-Chicago Bulls | 45 | 37 | .549 | 17 |
| 6 | x-Indiana Pacers | 44 | 38 | .537 | 18 |
| 7 | Washington Bullets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 23 |
| 8 | Atlanta Hawks | 31 | 51 | .378 | 31 |
| 9 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 28 | 54 | .341 | 34 |
| 10 | New Jersey Nets | 24 | 58 | .293 | 38 |
| 11 | Detroit Pistons | 21 | 61 | .256 | 41 |
Notes
- z, y – division champions
- x – clinched playoff spot
Game log
Regular season
| 1980–81 game log Total: 48–34 (home: 28–13; road: 20–21) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
October: 6–2 (home: 5–0; road: 1–2)
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November
: 9–6 (home: 5–2; road: 4–4)
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December
: 10–5 (home: 7–2; road: 3–3)
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January
: 6–9 (home: 2–4; road: 4–5)
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February
: 9–4 (home: 4–2; road: 5–2)
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March
: 8–8 (home: 5–3; road: 3–5)
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| 1980–81 schedule | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playoffs
| 1981 playoff game log | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First Round: 0–2 (home: 0–1; road: 0–1)
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| 1981 schedule | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||