New York Knicks: Ranking the 5 most disappointing seasons since 2010
3) Knicks most disappointing seasons: 2011-12
Record: 36-30 (7th in East)
Coming in at number three is the 2011-12 Knicks, who played a shortened season because of the lockout and were one of the biggest emotional rollercoasters for fans. Piggybacking off the previous section, this was the Knicks’ year: they would have Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire for a full season and an offseason to surround them with the right pieces.
GM Donnie Walsh resigned after the 2010-11 NBA season, seemingly from a power struggle within basketball operations. The Knicks promoted Glen Grunwald to General Manager.
Glen Grunwald would lead the team in the NBA draft and would select defensive stallworth Iman Shumpert with the 17th pick. He also acquired the New Orleans Hornets’ second-rounder via cash considerations and selected big man Josh Harrellson.
Immediately after the 2010-11 playoffs, the Knicks picked up Chauncey Billups’ 14 million dollar option. Chauncey averaged 17.5 points and 5.5 assists with the Knicks in 21 games.
Then, the NBA lockout hit and free agency was pushed to December 8th. As part of the new collective bargaining agreement, teams would receive a one-time amnesty clause that would free the team of financial obligations to a player.
The reigning champion Dallas Mavericks let Tyson Chandler, their defensive anchor and arguably second-best player, walk in free agency. Grunwald pounced the second Chandler hit open waters and amnestied Chauncey Billups to free up cap space. The Knicks acquired Chandler in a sign-and-trade, inking him to a four year, 58 million dollar deal.
The Knicks, whose point guard group now solely consisted of Toney Douglas, signed Mike Bibby, Baron Davis, and Jeremy Lin to solidify the position. They also signed fan favorite and journeyman Steve Novak to provide shooting.
The Knicks opened the 2011-12 NBA season on Christmas at Madison Square Garden versus the Boston Celtics, who swept them in the playoffs the year prior. They won a tight overtime game off two clutch free throws from Carmelo Anthony, who finished with 37 points. It looked like the beginning of a special season.
Well, not really. The Knicks started the season rocky, with a record of 8-15 after 23 games. Among the struggles for the team was the lackluster point guard play. Insert Jeremy Lin!
Carmelo Anthony was out, and the Knicks needed a spark, so head coach Mike D’Antoni looked to Jeremy Lin to run the point. Lin burst onto the scene with 25 points and 7 assists against the New Jersey Nets. That was just the beginning of Linsanity.
Jeremy Lin would lead the team to seven straight wins and eight wins in nine games.
The Knicks were .500 by the end of February, and Jeremy Lin nearly took home Eastern Conference player of the month for essentially saving the Knicks season. The team also signed J.R. Smith mid-February to provide scoring off the bench.
Then, Carmelo Anthony returned to the lineup, and the Knicks went 2-6. Carmelo disrupted the flow Lin built in the Mike D’Antoni offense, and players were reportedly tuning out D’Antoni. He had enough and resigned from the team.
Luckily, Glen Grunwald had a feeling this would happen when he hired former Atlanta Hawks head coach Mike Woodson as D’Antoni’s lead assistant. Woodson took over, preached playing tough defense, and the Knicks went 18-6, finishing the year off 36-30.
Jeremy Lin, whose numbers took a slight dip in seven games with Woodson, injured his knee, ending his season in late March. Carmelo averaged 29.8 points and 7.3 rebounds in March. Carmelo’s conditioning was suspect, and he had a disappointing season for Carmelo standards: 22.6 points per game on 43% in 55 games played.
Insert another disappointing player that season, Amar’ e Stoudemire. He dealt with nagging injuries and personal loss, dropping his points per contest from 25.3 to 17.5. He did not look like the old Amar’ e, and it looked like the beginning of the end for him. Oh, and he punched a fire hydrant in the playoffs.
However, Tyson Chandler did not disappoint and was fantastic. He took home the Defensive Player of the Year and was the Knicks’ most valuable player in a strange season.
Now onto the playoffs! The Knicks were matched up with the second seed Miami Heat, who were out for blood after losing in the finals the year before. The Knicks fell down 3-0, but Carmelo Anthony scored 41 points in Game 4 to slug out a win. The series was over in five, and it was another disappointing end to a mediocre but eventful season.