1996–97 New York Knicks season
The 1996–97 New York Knicks season was the 51st season for the Knicks in the National Basketball Association. In the regular season, the Knicks finished in second place in the Atlantic Division with a 57–25 record, and made the NBA Playoffs for the 10th consecutive year.
During the offseason, the Knicks acquired All-Star forward Larry Johnson from the Charlotte Hornets, while signing free agents Allan Houston, Chris Childs and Buck Williams. The Knicks enjoyed a successful season, with their 57 wins tied for the third-most in franchise history; they finished second in the Atlantic Division and third in the Eastern Conference. John Starks was named the Sixth Man of the Year, and Patrick Ewing was selected to the 1997 NBA All-Star Game, earned All-NBA Second Team honors, and was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. In the last game of the season, at the United Center, the Knicks defeated the then-69–12 Chicago Bulls, preventing them from posting two consecutive 70-win seasons in a row, and tying the best home record.
In the playoffs, New York defeated the Charlotte Hornets in a three-game sweep in the first round and advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where they faced the Miami Heat in what would eventually become the first chapter of one of the fiercest NBA rivalries of the period. After jumping to a 3–1 lead in the series, the Knicks were eliminated by the Heat in seven games, after a brawl erupted at the end of Game 5 that led to the suspensions of five key Knicks players: Ewing, Houston, Johnson, Starks and Charlie Ward. Following the season, John Wallace was traded to the Toronto Raptors, and Walter McCarty was dealt to the Boston Celtics.NBA Draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
| 1 | 18 | John Wallace | SF | United States | Syracuse |
| 1 | 19 | Walter McCarty | SF | United States | Kentucky |
| 1 | 21 | Dontae' Jones | SF | United States | Mississippi State |
Roster
Roster notes
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Playoffs
East First Round
New York Knicks vs. Charlotte Hornets
Last Playoff Meeting: 1993 Eastern Conference SemifinalsEast Conference Semifinals
Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks
Last Playoff Meeting: Not availablePlayer statistics
Season
Playoffs
Awards and records
