2002–03 New York Knicks season

The 2002–03 New York Knicks season was the 57th season for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association. After missing the playoffs for the first time in 15 years,^[1] the Knicks received the seventh overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft, and selected Brazilian power forward Nenê Hilario,^[2][3] who was soon traded to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Antonio McDyess.^[4][5] However, prior to the regular season, McDyess underwent knee surgery and was lost for the entire season.^[6][7][8] Meanwhile, Latrell Sprewell showed up to training camp with a broken hand, and was fined $250,000.^[9][10][11] During the off-season, the team signed free agent Michael Doleac.^[12]

In Don Chaney's first full season as their head coach,^[1] the Knicks lost ten of their first twelve games, but then won 10 of their next 17 games afterwards, and later on held a 21–27 record at the All-Star break.^[13][14] The team won five of their final eight games of the season in April,^[13] and finished in sixth place in the Atlantic Division with a 37–45 record, which was a seven-game improvement over their previous season; however, the Knicks missed the NBA playoffs for the second consecutive year.^[1][15]

Allan Houston led the Knicks with 22.5 points per game and 178 three-point field goals, while Sprewell averaged 16.4 points, 4.5 assists and 1.4 steals per game, and also contributed 134 three-point field goals, and Kurt Thomas provided the team with 14.0 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. In addition, Howard Eisley contributed 9.1 points and 5.4 assists per game, along with 131 three-point field goals, while Shandon Anderson provided with 8.4 points per game, and Othella Harrington averaged 7.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Charlie Ward contributed 7.2 points, 4.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game, along with 101 three-point field goals, Clarence Weatherspoon averaged 6.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, and Doleac provided the Knicks with 4.4 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.^[15]

One notable highlight of the regular season occurred on February 4, 2003, in a home game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Madison Square Garden. Sprewell scored 38 points, and made each of his nine three-point field-goal attempts, as the Knicks defeated the Clippers, 105–92; his performance set an NBA single-game record for the most three-pointers made without missing a three-point attempt.^[16][17][18]

The Knicks finished eighth in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 779,479 at Madison Square Garden during the regular season.^[15][19] Following the season, Sprewell was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves after five seasons with the Knicks.^[20][21][22]