2002–03 New York Knicks season

2002–03 New York Knicks season
Head coachDon Chaney
General managerScott Layden
OwnersCablevision
ArenaMadison Square Garden
Results
Record37–45 (.451)
PlaceDivision: 6th (Atlantic)
Conference: 10th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
TelevisionMSG Network
RadioWFAN

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]

NBA draft

Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club team
1 7 Nenê Hilario PF  Brazil Vasco da Gama {Brazil)
2 36 Miloš Vujanić G  Yugoslavia Partizan Belgrade

Roster

2002–03 New York Knicks roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From
G/F 49 Shandon Anderson 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 208 lb (94 kg) 1973–12–31 Georgia
C 51 Michael Doleac 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 262 lb (119 kg) 1977–06–15 Utah
G 4 Howard Eisley 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 177 lb (80 kg) 1972–12–04 Boston College
F/C 32 Othella Harrington Injured 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1974–01–31 Georgetown
G 20 Allan Houston 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1971–04–20 Tennessee
C 44 Travis Knight 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1974–09–13 Connecticut
F 34 Antonio McDyess Injured (IN) 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1974–09–07 Alabama
F 54 Lee Nailon 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 238 lb (108 kg) 1975–02–22 TCU
G 7 Lavor Postell 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1978–02–26 St. John's
G/F 8 Latrell Sprewell 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1970–09–08 Alabama
F/C 40 Kurt Thomas 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1972–10–04 TCU
G 21 Charlie Ward 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1970–10–12 Florida State
F 35 Clarence Weatherspoon 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1970–09–08 Southern Miss
G 30 Frank Williams 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 212 lb (96 kg) 1980–02–25 Illinois
Head coach
Assistant(s)
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • (IN) Inactive
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Updated: October 30, 2002

Roster notes

Regular season

Atlantic Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-New Jersey Nets 4933.598–33–816–2516–8
x-Philadelphia 76ers 4834.585125–1623–1817–7
x-Boston Celtics 4438.537525–1619–2213–12
x-Orlando Magic 4240.512726–1516–2514–11
e-Washington Wizards 3745.4511223–1814–2711–13
e-New York Knicks 3745.4511224–1713–289–15
e-Miami Heat 2557.3052416–259–325–19
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Detroit Pistons5032.610–
2 y-New Jersey Nets4933.5981
3 x-Indiana Pacers4834.5852
4 x-Philadelphia 76ers4834.5852
5 x-New Orleans Hornets4735.5733
6 x-Boston Celtics4438.5376
7 x-Milwaukee Bucks4240.5128
8 x-Orlando Magic4240.5128
9 e-New York Knicks3745.45113
10 e-Washington Wizards3745.45113
11 e-Atlanta Hawks3547.42715
12 e-Chicago Bulls3052.36620
13 e-Miami Heat2557.30525
14 e-Toronto Raptors2458.29326
15 e-Cleveland Cavaliers1765.20733

Player statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game

Regular season

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Shandon Anderson 82921.1.462.371.7323.11.1.9.28.4
Michael Doleac 75013.9.426.7832.9.6.2.24.4
Howard Eisley 827627.4.417.389.8482.35.4.9.19.1
Othella Harrington 746425.0.508.8206.4.8.2.37.7
Allan Houston 828237.9.445.396.9192.82.7.7.122.5
Travis Knight 3209.0.385.000.7691.9.4.3.31.9
Lee Nailon 38010.7.442.000.8241.8.7.2.15.5
Lavor Postell 1208.2.368.286.867.3.3.2.03.6
Latrell Sprewell 747338.6.403.372.7943.94.51.4.316.4
Kurt Thomas 818131.8.483.667.7507.92.01.01.214.0
Charlie Ward 66622.2.399.378.7742.74.61.2.27.2
Clarence Weatherspoon 791925.6.449.7687.6.9.9.56.6
Frank Williams 2108.0.273.375.667.91.6.3.11.3

Player statistics citation:[15]

Transactions

Trades

August 2, 2002
 To New York Knicks— To Denver Nuggets—

Free agents

Additions
Player Date signed Former team
Michael Doleac August 7 Cleveland Cavaliers
Mark Pope September 30 Milwaukee Bucks
Lee Nailon October 30 Charlotte Hornets

Source:[23]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "New York Knickerbockers Franchise Index". Basketball-Reference. Archived from the original on January 6, 2010. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
  2. ↑ Povtak, Tim (June 27, 2002). "Foreign Players Make Move". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  3. ↑ "2002 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  4. ↑ Broussard, Chris (June 27, 2002). "Pro Basketball; Knicks Get McDyess for Camby and Jackson". The New York Times. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  5. ↑ Ford, Chad (June 27, 2002). "Knicks blockbuster may be the tip of iceberg". ESPN. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  6. ↑ Broussard, Chris (October 14, 2002). "Pro Basketball; McDyess's Knee Injury Buckles the Knicks". The New York Times. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  7. 1 2 Isola, Frank (October 14, 2002). "Bad Break for Knicks' Season: Knee Fractured, McDyess Is Gone". New York Daily News. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  8. ↑ Smith, Sam (October 30, 2002). "Eastern Conference Capsules". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  9. ↑ Broussard, Chris (October 7, 2002). "Pro Basketball; Sprewell Situation Hangs Over Knicks". The New York Times. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
  10. ↑ Hack, Damon (October 7, 2002). "Knicks Fine Sprewell $250,000". The New York Times. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
  11. ↑ Hack, Damon; Broussard, Chris (October 8, 2002). "Pro Basketball; Knicks Fine Sprewell $250,000 and Say Stay Away". The New York Times. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Knicks Sign Michael Doleac". United Press International. August 7, 2002. Retrieved January 29, 2026.
  13. 1 2 "2002–03 New York Knicks Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Scoreboard". The Dispatch. February 10, 2003. p. 3B. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "2002–03 New York Knicks Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  16. ↑ Broussard, Chris (February 5, 2003). "Basketball; Sprewell Sinks 9 of 9 3-Pointers, a Record". The New York Times. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  17. ↑ Teaford, Elliott (February 5, 2003). "Sprewell Pours It on Clippers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Los Angeles Clippers at New York Knicks Box Score, February 4, 2003". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  19. ↑ "2002–03 NBA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  20. ↑ Robbins, Liz (July 24, 2003). "Pro Basketball; It's a Done Deal: Exit Sprewell, Enter Van Horn". The New York Times. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Sprewell Is Part of 4-Team Trade". Los Angeles Times. Times Wire Services. July 24, 2003. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  22. ↑ Isola, Frank (July 24, 2003). "Knicks Send Sprewell Packing: Trade Nets Van Horn". New York Daily News. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  23. ↑ "2002–03 New York Knicks Transactions". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
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