The 1952–53 New York Knicks season was the seventh season for the team in the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
(NBA).
With a 47–23 record, the
Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
won the regular season Eastern Division title by a half-game over the
Syracuse Nationals
The Philadelphia 76ers are an American basketball team currently playing in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The 76ers are third in NBA history in wins and playoff appearances.
1946– ...
and made the
NBA Playoffs for the seventh consecutive year.
In the first round of the
1953 NBA Playoffs, the Knicks swept the
Baltimore Bullets 2–0 in a best-of-three series to advance to the Eastern Division finals. There, New York defeated the
Boston Celtics 3–1 to make the
NBA Finals for the third straight year.
In the Finals, the Knicks lost to the
Minneapolis Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers franchise has a long and storied history, predating the formation of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Founded in 1947, the Lakers are one of the NBA's most famous and successful franchises. As of summer 2012, th ...
, four games to one.
The club would wait another 17 years to make an NBA championship final, winning it in
1970
Events
January
* January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC.
* January 5 – The 7.1 Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (''Extreme''). Between 10,000 and ...
.
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.
Regular season
Season standings
:x – clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
Game log
Playoffs
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
, 1
, March 17
,
Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
W 80–62,
Connie Simmons
Cornelius Leo "Connie" Simmons (March 15, 1925 – April 15, 1989) was an American professional basketball player. He was born in Newark, New Jersey.
A 6'8" forward/center from Flushing High School in New York City, Simmons played ten seasons ( ...
(25)
,
Madison Square Garden III
Madison Square Garden (MSG III) was an indoor arena in New York City, the third bearing that name. Built in 1925 and closed in 1968, it was located on the west side of Eighth Avenue between 49th and 50th streets in Manhattan, on the site of ...
, 1–0
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
, 2
, March 20
, @
Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
W 90–81,
Vince Boryla
Vincent Joseph Boryla (March 11, 1927 – March 27, 2016) was an American basketball player, coach and executive. His nickname was "Moose". He graduated from East Chicago Washington High School in 1944. He played basketball at the University of N ...
(20)
,
Baltimore Coliseum
Baltimore Coliseum was an indoor arena in Baltimore, Maryland. It hosted the NBA's original Baltimore Bullets from 1944 until 1954. Prior to that it hosted roller skating events.
The Coliseum was built in 1938 on the corner of Monroe Street a ...
, 2–0
, -
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
, 1
, March 25
,
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
W 95–91,
Connie Simmons
Cornelius Leo "Connie" Simmons (March 15, 1925 – April 15, 1989) was an American professional basketball player. He was born in Newark, New Jersey.
A 6'8" forward/center from Flushing High School in New York City, Simmons played ten seasons ( ...
(18)
,
Dick McGuire (8)
,
Madison Square Garden III
Madison Square Garden (MSG III) was an indoor arena in New York City, the third bearing that name. Built in 1925 and closed in 1968, it was located on the west side of Eighth Avenue between 49th and 50th streets in Manhattan, on the site of ...
, 1–0
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
, 2
, March 26
, @
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
L 70–86,
Harry Gallatin
Harry Junior "The Horse" Gallatin (April 26, 1927 – October 7, 2015) was an American professional basketball player and coach. Gallatin played nine seasons for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1948 to 1957 ...
(17)
,
Carl Braun (7)
,
Boston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928, as "Boston Madison Square Garden" (lat ...
, 1–1
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
, 3
, March 28
,
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
W 101–82,
Harry Gallatin
Harry Junior "The Horse" Gallatin (April 26, 1927 – October 7, 2015) was an American professional basketball player and coach. Gallatin played nine seasons for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1948 to 1957 ...
(23)
,
Dick McGuire (11)
,
Madison Square Garden III
Madison Square Garden (MSG III) was an indoor arena in New York City, the third bearing that name. Built in 1925 and closed in 1968, it was located on the west side of Eighth Avenue between 49th and 50th streets in Manhattan, on the site of ...
, 2–1
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
, 4
, March 29
, @
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
W 82–75,
Carl Braun (18)
,
Nat Clifton
Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton (born Clifton Nathaniel; October 13, 1922 – August 31, 1990) was an American professional basketball and baseball player. He is best known as one of the first African Americans to play in the National Basketball ...
(9)
,
Boston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928, as "Boston Madison Square Garden" (lat ...
, 3–1
, -
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
, 1
, April 4
, @
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
W 96–88,
Carl Braun (21)
, —
,
Minneapolis Auditorium
Minneapolis Auditorium was an indoor arena in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It hosted the NBA's Minneapolis Lakers from 1947 until they moved to the Minneapolis Armory in 1959. The arena held 10,000 people and was built in 1927. The building fell into ...
5,000
, 1–0
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
, 2
, April 5
, @
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
L 71–73,
Connie Simmons
Cornelius Leo "Connie" Simmons (March 15, 1925 – April 15, 1989) was an American professional basketball player. He was born in Newark, New Jersey.
A 6'8" forward/center from Flushing High School in New York City, Simmons played ten seasons ( ...
(17)
, —
,
Minneapolis Auditorium
Minneapolis Auditorium was an indoor arena in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It hosted the NBA's Minneapolis Lakers from 1947 until they moved to the Minneapolis Armory in 1959. The arena held 10,000 people and was built in 1927. The building fell into ...
4,848
, 1–1
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
, 3
, April 7
,
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
L 75–90,
Connie Simmons
Cornelius Leo "Connie" Simmons (March 15, 1925 – April 15, 1989) was an American professional basketball player. He was born in Newark, New Jersey.
A 6'8" forward/center from Flushing High School in New York City, Simmons played ten seasons ( ...
(18)
, —
,
69th Regiment Armory
__NOTOC__
The 69th Regiment Armory is a historic National Guard armory building located at 68 Lexington Avenue between East 25th and 26th Streets in the Rose Hill section of Manhattan, New York City. The building began construction in 1904 an ...
5,100
, 1–2
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
, 4
, April 8
,
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
L 69–71,
Connie Simmons
Cornelius Leo "Connie" Simmons (March 15, 1925 – April 15, 1989) was an American professional basketball player. He was born in Newark, New Jersey.
A 6'8" forward/center from Flushing High School in New York City, Simmons played ten seasons ( ...
(17)
, —
,
69th Regiment Armory
__NOTOC__
The 69th Regiment Armory is a historic National Guard armory building located at 68 Lexington Avenue between East 25th and 26th Streets in the Rose Hill section of Manhattan, New York City. The building began construction in 1904 an ...
5,200
, 1–3
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
, 5
, April 10
,
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
L 84–91,
Carl Braun (19)
,
Ernie Vandeweghe
Ernest Maurice Vandeweghe Jr. (September 12, 1928 – November 8, 2014) was an American professional basketball player. He was best known for playing for the New York Knicks of the NBA and for the athletic successes of his family. He and his wife ...
(4)
,
69th Regiment Armory
__NOTOC__
The 69th Regiment Armory is a historic National Guard armory building located at 68 Lexington Avenue between East 25th and 26th Streets in the Rose Hill section of Manhattan, New York City. The building began construction in 1904 an ...
5,200
, 1–4
, -
Player statistics
Season
Playoffs
Awards and records
Transactions
See also
*
1952–53 NBA season
The 1952–53 NBA season was the seventh season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Minneapolis Lakers winning the NBA Championship, beating the New York Knicks 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals.
Notable occurrences
* ...
References
External links
1952–53 New York Knickerbockers Statistics
{{DEFAULTSORT:1952-53 New York Knicks season
New York Knicks
New York Knicks season
New York Knicks
New York Knicks seasons
1950s in Manhattan
Madison Square Garden