New York Knicks 1995-96 Roster and Statistics

Last Updated on September 16, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

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The New York Knicks 1995-96 were powered by Patrick Ewing, whose scoring, rebounding, and rim protection remained the foundation of the team. John Starks provided secondary scoring and perimeter shooting, while Anthony Mason contributed versatile playmaking, rebounding, and defense from the frontcourt. The statistics reflect a physical, defense-first team that relied on interior strength, balanced rebounding, and complementary offensive production from its veteran core.

Roster

NO.	PLAYER NAME	POS	HT	WT	DATE OF BIRTH	COLLEGE
3	John Starks	SG	6-5	180	August 10, 1965	Northern Oklahoma College, Oklahoma Junior College, Oklahoma State
6	Matt Fish	C	6-11	235	November 18, 1969	UNC Wilmington
6	Charles Smith	PF	6-10	230	July 16, 1965	Pitt
7	J.R. Reid	PF	6-9	247	March 31, 1968	UNC
11	Derek Harper	PG	6-4	185	October 13, 1961	Illinois
14	Anthony Mason	SF	6-8	250	December 14, 1966	Tennessee State
20	Ron Grandison	PF	6-6	215	July 9, 1964	University of California, Irvine, New Orleans
21	Charlie Ward	PG	6-2	190	October 12, 1970	Florida State
23	Gary Grant	PG	6-3	185	April 21, 1965	Michigan
32	Herb Williams	PF	6-11	260	February 16, 1958	Ohio State
33	Patrick Ewing	C	7-0	240	August 5, 1962	Georgetown
34	Charles Oakley	PF	6-9	225	December 18, 1963	Virginia Union University
35	Doug Christie	SF	6-6	200	May 9, 1970	Pepperdine
40	Willie Anderson	SG	6-7	190	January 8, 1967	Georgia
41	Monty Williams	SF	6-8	225	October 8, 1971	Notre Dame
44	Hubert Davis	SG	6-5	183	May 17, 1970	UNC
54	Brad Lohaus	PF	6-11	230	September 29, 1964	Iowa

Regular Season Per Game

Player	Pos	Age	GP	GS	MP	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TOV	FGA	FGM	FG%	3PA	3PM	3P%	FTA	FTM	FT%
Patrick Ewing	C	33	76	76	36.6	22.5	10.6	2.1	0.9	2.4	2.9	19.2	8.9	.466	0.4	0.1	.143	6.1	4.6	.761
Anthony Mason	SF	29	82	82	42.2	14.6	9.3	4.4	0.8	0.4	2.6	9.7	5.5	.563	0.0	0.0		5.0	3.6	.720
Derek Harper	PG	34	82	82	35.3	14.0	2.5	4.3	1.6	0.1	2.2	11.5	5.3	.464	4.0	1.5	.372	2.5	1.9	.757
John Starks	SG	30	81	71	30.8	12.6	2.9	3.9	1.3	0.1	1.9	10.4	4.6	.443	4.9	1.8	.361	2.1	1.6	.753
Hubert Davis	SG	25	74	14	24.0	10.7	1.7	1.4	0.4	0.1	0.9	7.6	3.7	.486	3.6	1.7	.476	1.7	1.5	.868
Charles Oakley	PF	32	53	51	33.5	11.4	8.7	2.6	1.1	0.3	2.0	8.5	4.0	.471	0.5	0.1	.269	4.0	3.3	.833
Charles Smith	PF	30	41	4	21.7	7.4	3.9	0.7	0.4	1.2	1.5	7.2	2.8	.388	0.4	0.0	.133	2.5	1.8	.709
Charlie Ward	PG	25	62	1	12.7	3.9	1.6	2.1	0.9	0.1	1.3	3.5	1.4	.399	1.6	0.5	.333	0.9	0.6	.685
Gary Grant	PG	30	47	1	12.7	4.9	1.1	1.5	0.8	0.1	1.0	3.9	1.9	.486	0.5	0.2	.333	1.2	1.0	.828
J.R. Reid	PF	27	33	16	20.3	6.6	4.0	0.8	0.5	0.2	0.9	4.8	2.7	.550	0.0	0.0		1.7	1.3	.782
Willie Anderson	SG	29	27	2	18.4	5.0	2.2	1.8	0.6	0.3	0.9	4.9	2.1	.421	0.9	0.2	.200	1.1	0.7	.613
Herb Williams	PF	37	43	2	12.6	3.1	1.9	0.6	0.3	0.7	0.5	3.3	1.4	.410	0.1	0.0	.250	0.5	0.3	.650
Doug Christie	SF	25	23	0	9.5	4.0	1.5	1.1	0.5	0.1	0.8	3.2	1.5	.479	0.8	0.4	.526	1.0	0.6	.591
Brad Lohaus	PF	31	23	7	14.1	3.9	1.3	1.2	0.3	0.4	0.5	3.4	1.4	.405	2.5	1.0	.421	0.1	0.1	1.000
Monty Williams	SF	24	14	0	4.4	1.4	1.2	0.3	0.1	0.0	0.4	1.6	0.5	.318	0.0	0.0		0.6	0.4	.625
Ron Grandison	PF	31	6	0	9.5	3.0	2.2	0.3	0.7	0.2	0.2	2.5	1.2	.467	0.0	0.0		1.0	0.7	.667
Matt Fish	C	26	2	1	8.5	6.0	1.5	0.5	0.0	0.5	0.0	5.0	3.0	.600	0.0	0.0		0.5	0.0	.000
Team Totals			82	82	241.8	97.2	40.0	22.2	7.9	4.6	15.5	77.8	36.6	.471	15.7	5.9	.377	23.8	18.0	.757

Playoff Per Game

Player	Pos	Age	GP	GS	MP	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TOV	FGA	FGM	FG%	3PA	3PM	3P%	FTA	FTM	FT%
Patrick Ewing	C	33	8	8	41.0	21.5	10.6	1.9	0.1	3.1	3.8	17.1	8.1	.474	0.3	0.1	.500	7.9	5.1	.651
John Starks	SG	30	8	8	39.3	16.0	3.6	4.1	1.6	0.1	3.1	10.9	4.9	.448	5.6	2.6	.467	4.9	3.6	.744
Charles Oakley	PF	32	8	8	38.5	13.1	8.6	1.8	1.0	0.0	3.5	9.8	4.9	.500	0.8	0.3	.333	4.5	3.1	.694
Anthony Mason	SF	29	8	8	43.8	12.6	7.8	3.3	0.5	0.1	2.5	9.8	5.1	.526	0.0	0.0		3.5	2.4	.679
Derek Harper	PG	34	8	8	36.6	10.0	2.1	4.8	1.3	0.1	1.8	10.3	3.6	.354	4.4	1.4	.314	1.9	1.4	.733
Hubert Davis	SG	25	8	0	18.1	6.6	1.5	0.5	0.0	0.0	0.9	3.9	2.1	.548	2.4	1.3	.526	1.4	1.1	.818
Charlie Ward	PG	25	7	0	13.1	4.6	1.3	2.4	1.6	0.0	0.9	3.9	1.9	.481	1.7	0.4	.250	1.0	0.4	.429
Willie Anderson	SG	29	4	0	16.0	5.3	2.3	0.3	1.0	0.0	1.5	5.5	1.8	.318	1.5	0.3	.167	1.8	1.5	.857
Herb Williams	PF	37	5	0	6.6	1.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.4	0.2	1.0	0.6	.600	0.0	0.0		0.8	0.6	.750
Gary Grant	PG	30	1	0	8.0	6.0	3.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	1.0	5.0	2.0	.400	3.0	2.0	.667	0.0	0.0
J.R. Reid	PF	27	1	0	7.0	2.0	1.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.000	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0
Ron Grandison	PF	31	2	0	1.5	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.0	.000	0.5	0.0	.000	0.0	0.0
Team Totals			8	8	243.1	88.6	37.0	18.6	6.5	3.8	17.8	69.3	32.0	.462	16.1	6.4	.395	26.3	18.3	.695

Regular Season Per 36 Mins

Player	Pos	Age	GP	GS	Min	PTS	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	FGA	FGM	FG%	3PA	3PM	3P%	FTA	FTM	FT%
Patrick Ewing	C	33	76	76	2783	22.1	10.4	2.1	0.9	2.4	2.9	18.8	8.8	.466	0.4	0.1	.143	6.0	4.5	.761
Anthony Mason	SF	29	82	82	3457	12.5	8.0	3.8	0.7	0.4	2.2	8.3	4.7	.563	0.0	0.0		4.3	3.1	.720
Derek Harper	PG	34	82	82	2893	14.3	2.5	4.4	1.6	0.1	2.2	11.7	5.4	.464	4.0	1.5	.372	2.6	1.9	.757
John Starks	SG	30	81	71	2491	14.8	3.4	4.6	1.5	0.2	2.3	12.2	5.4	.443	5.7	2.1	.361	2.5	1.9	.753
Hubert Davis	SG	25	74	14	1773	16.0	2.5	2.1	0.6	0.2	1.3	11.5	5.6	.486	5.4	2.6	.476	2.6	2.3	.868
Charles Oakley	PF	32	53	51	1775	12.3	9.3	2.8	1.2	0.3	2.1	9.1	4.3	.471	0.5	0.1	.269	4.3	3.5	.833
Charles Smith	PF	30	41	4	890	12.3	6.5	1.2	0.7	2.1	2.5	11.9	4.6	.388	0.6	0.1	.133	4.2	3.0	.709
Charlie Ward	PG	25	62	1	787	11.2	4.7	6.0	2.5	0.3	3.6	10.0	4.0	.399	4.5	1.5	.333	2.5	1.7	.685
Gary Grant	PG	30	47	1	596	14.0	3.1	4.2	2.4	0.2	2.7	10.9	5.3	.486	1.4	0.5	.333	3.5	2.9	.828
J.R. Reid	PF	27	33	16	670	11.8	7.1	1.5	1.0	0.4	1.6	8.6	4.7	.550	0.0	0.0		3.0	2.3	.782
Willie Anderson	SG	29	27	2	496	9.9	4.4	3.5	1.2	0.6	1.7	9.7	4.1	.421	1.8	0.4	.200	2.3	1.4	.613
Herb Williams	PF	37	43	2	540	8.8	5.5	1.8	0.9	2.1	1.5	9.6	3.9	.410	0.3	0.1	.250	1.3	0.9	.650
Doug Christie	SF	25	23	0	218	15.4	5.6	4.1	2.0	0.5	3.1	12.1	5.8	.479	3.1	1.7	.526	3.6	2.1	.591
Brad Lohaus	PF	31	23	7	325	10.0	3.4	3.0	0.9	1.1	1.2	8.8	3.5	.405	6.3	2.7	.421	0.2	0.2	1.000
Monty Williams	SF	24	14	0	62	11.0	9.9	2.3	1.2	0.0	2.9	12.8	4.1	.318	0.0	0.0		4.6	2.9	.625
Ron Grandison	PF	31	6	0	57	11.4	8.2	1.3	2.5	0.6	0.6	9.5	4.4	.467	0.0	0.0		3.8	2.5	.667
Matt Fish	C	26	2	1	17	25.4	6.4	2.1	0.0	2.1	0.0	21.2	12.7	.600	0.0	0.0		2.1	0.0	.000

Playoff Per 36 Mins

Player	Pos	Age	GP	GS	Min	PTS	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	FGA	FGM	FG%	3PA	3PM	3P%	FTA	FTM	FT%
Patrick Ewing	C	33	8	8	328	18.9	9.3	1.6	0.1	2.7	3.3	15.0	7.1	.474	0.2	0.1	.500	6.9	4.5	.651
John Starks	SG	30	8	8	314	14.7	3.3	3.8	1.5	0.1	2.9	10.0	4.5	.448	5.2	2.4	.467	4.5	3.3	.744
Hubert Davis	SG	25	8	0	145	13.2	3.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	1.7	7.7	4.2	.548	4.7	2.5	.526	2.7	2.2	.818
Charles Oakley	PF	32	8	8	308	12.3	8.1	1.6	0.9	0.0	3.3	9.1	4.6	.500	0.7	0.2	.333	4.2	2.9	.694
Charlie Ward	PG	25	7	0	92	12.5	3.5	6.7	4.3	0.0	2.3	10.6	5.1	.481	4.7	1.2	.250	2.7	1.2	.429
Anthony Mason	SF	29	8	8	350	10.4	6.4	2.7	0.4	0.1	2.1	8.0	4.2	.526	0.0	0.0		2.9	2.0	.679
Derek Harper	PG	34	8	8	293	9.8	2.1	4.7	1.2	0.1	1.7	10.1	3.6	.354	4.3	1.4	.314	1.8	1.4	.733
Willie Anderson	SG	29	4	0	64	11.8	5.1	0.6	2.3	0.0	3.4	12.4	3.9	.318	3.4	0.6	.167	3.9	3.4	.857
Herb Williams	PF	37	5	0	33	9.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.2	1.1	5.5	3.3	.600	0.0	0.0		4.4	3.3	.750
Gary Grant	PG	30	1	0	8	27.0	13.5	0.0	4.5	0.0	4.5	22.5	9.0	.400	13.5	9.0	.667	0.0	0.0
J.R. Reid	PF	27	1	0	7	10.3	5.1	5.1	0.0	0.0	5.1	5.1	5.1	1.000	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0
Ron Grandison	PF	31	2	0	3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	12.0	0.0	.000	12.0	0.0	.000	0.0	0.0

Regular Season Totals

Player	Pos	Age	GP	GS	Min	PTS	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	FGA	FGM	FG%	3PA	3PM	3P%	FTA	FTM	FT%
Patrick Ewing	C	33	76	76	2783	1711	806	160	68	184	221	1456	678	.466	28	4	.143	461	351	.761
Anthony Mason	SF	29	82	82	3457	1196	764	363	69	34	211	798	449	.563	0	0		414	298	.720
Derek Harper	PG	34	82	82	2893	1149	202	352	131	5	178	939	436	.464	325	121	.372	206	156	.757
John Starks	SG	30	81	71	2491	1024	237	315	103	11	156	846	375	.443	396	143	.361	174	131	.753
Hubert Davis	SG	25	74	14	1773	789	123	103	31	8	63	566	275	.486	267	127	.476	129	112	.868
Charles Oakley	PF	32	53	51	1775	604	460	137	58	14	104	448	211	.471	26	7	.269	210	175	.833
Charles Smith	PF	30	41	4	890	303	160	29	18	51	61	294	114	.388	15	2	.133	103	73	.709
Charlie Ward	PG	25	62	1	787	244	102	132	54	6	79	218	87	.399	99	33	.333	54	37	.685
Gary Grant	PG	30	47	1	596	232	52	69	39	3	45	181	88	.486	24	8	.333	58	48	.828
J.R. Reid	PF	27	33	16	670	219	132	28	18	7	30	160	88	.550	0	0		55	43	.782
Willie Anderson	SG	29	27	2	496	136	60	48	17	8	24	133	56	.421	25	5	.200	31	19	.613
Herb Williams	PF	37	43	2	540	132	82	27	13	31	22	144	59	.410	4	1	.250	20	13	.650
Doug Christie	SF	25	23	0	218	93	34	25	12	3	19	73	35	.479	19	10	.526	22	13	.591
Brad Lohaus	PF	31	23	7	325	90	31	27	8	10	11	79	32	.405	57	24	.421	2	2	1.000
Monty Williams	SF	24	14	0	62	19	17	4	2	0	5	22	7	.318	0	0		8	5	.625
Ron Grandison	PF	31	6	0	57	18	13	2	4	1	1	15	7	.467	0	0		6	4	.667
Matt Fish	C	26	2	1	17	12	3	1	0	1	0	10	6	.600	0	0		1	0	.000
Team Totals			82	82	19830	7971	3278	1822	645	377	1230	6382	3003	.471	1285	485	.377	1954	1480	.757

Playoff Totals

Player	Pos	Age	GP	GS	Min	PTS	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	FGA	FGM	FG%	3PA	3PM	3P%	FTA	FTM	FT%
Patrick Ewing	C	33	8	8	328	172	85	15	1	25	30	137	65	.474	2	1	.500	63	41	.651
John Starks	SG	30	8	8	314	128	29	33	13	1	25	87	39	.448	45	21	.467	39	29	.744
Charles Oakley	PF	32	8	8	308	105	69	14	8	0	28	78	39	.500	6	2	.333	36	25	.694
Anthony Mason	SF	29	8	8	350	101	62	26	4	1	20	78	41	.526	0	0		28	19	.679
Derek Harper	PG	34	8	8	293	80	17	38	10	1	14	82	29	.354	35	11	.314	15	11	.733
Hubert Davis	SG	25	8	0	145	53	12	4	0	0	7	31	17	.548	19	10	.526	11	9	.818
Charlie Ward	PG	25	7	0	92	32	9	17	11	0	6	27	13	.481	12	3	.250	7	3	.429
Willie Anderson	SG	29	4	0	64	21	9	1	4	0	6	22	7	.318	6	1	.167	7	6	.857
Herb Williams	PF	37	5	0	33	9	0	0	0	2	1	5	3	.600	0	0		4	3	.750
Gary Grant	PG	30	1	0	8	6	3	0	1	0	1	5	2	.400	3	2	.667	0	0
J.R. Reid	PF	27	1	0	7	2	1	1	0	0	1	1	1	1.000	0	0		0	0
Ron Grandison	PF	31	2	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	.000	1	0	.000	0	0
Team Totals			8	8	1945	709	296	149	52	30	139	554	256	.462	129	51	.395	210	146	.695

HeatingUp Impact Index: Regular Season Team Impact Spotlight

Player Name	Role Tier	MPG	Usage Tier	PPG	RPG	APG	STK (SPG + BPG)	Impact Index	Notes	Awards
Patrick Ewing	Franchise Interior Engine (1.1)	36.6	High	22.5	10.6	2.1	3.3	101.64	The Knicks still ran their offense through Ewing’s interior gravity, with his post scoring and defensive presence forming the structural base of the roster. His 2.4 blocks per game also underline how much responsibility he carried on the back end, while the broader reporting on this Knicks era consistently depicts Ewing as the defensive anchor around which New York’s physical identity was built. Independent retrospective on the Ewing-led Knicks	NBA All-Star (1996)
Anthony Mason	Point-Forward Offensive Hub (1.1)	42.2	High	14.6	9.3	4.4	1.2	77.88	Mason’s defining feature was how much creation New York could get from a power-sized forward who could rebound, initiate offense and find cutters without needing a conventional point guard possession after possession. Don Nelson’s Knicks gave Mason an unusually expansive role, and later reporting specifically identifies his increased responsibility and position-fluid usage as one of Nelson’s major tactical ideas. Posting and Toasting on Don Nelson’s Knicks approach	—
Charles Oakley	Physical Frontcourt Enforcer (1.05)	33.5	Medium	11.4	8.7	2.6	1.4	55.67	Oakley supplied the rugged interior work that allowed New York’s more creative pieces to operate without softening the team’s physical edge. His value went beyond scoring; rebounding position, screens, interior resistance and willingness to absorb the difficult defensive assignment were central to the Knicks identity, a role later independent coverage still associates closely with his New York years. Posting and Toasting’s Knicks power-forward retrospective	—
Derek Harper	Veteran Floor General (1.05)	35.3	Medium	14.0	2.5	4.3	1.7	51.98	Harper remained the stabilizing veteran at the point, responsible for organizing possessions while also providing enough perimeter scoring to prevent defenses from loading entirely toward Ewing. His importance was particularly tied to control and decision-making rather than raw usage, giving a roster undergoing a coaching transition a dependable half-court organizer.	—
John Starks	Perimeter Shot-Creation Guard (1.05)	30.8	Medium	12.6	2.9	3.9	1.4	48.05	Starks brought the volatility New York’s half-court offense otherwise lacked, attacking off the dribble, spacing the floor and pressuring opposing guards defensively. His career identity with the Knicks was built around that combination of toughness and shot-making, and independent retrospective coverage emphasizes both his defensive intensity and his willingness to take difficult shots in high-pressure situations. AS basketball retrospective on Starks and the Knicks identity	—
Hubert Davis	Movement Shooting Specialist (1.0)	24.0	Medium	10.7	1.7	1.4	0.5	31.46	Davis functioned as a floor-spacing specialist whose value came from making defenses pay when they collapsed toward the Knicks’ interior scorers. Nelson’s more free-flowing offensive approach gave Davis increased responsibility, and his .476 three-point shooting shows why his perimeter shooting could materially change the geometry of New York’s second-unit offense. Posting and Toasting on Don Nelson’s Knicks approach	—
Charles Smith	Interior Scoring Reserve (1.0)	21.7	Low	7.4	3.9	0.7	1.6	27.20	Smith was primarily an interior scoring and physical frontcourt option rather than a creator, fitting the bruising style that had defined New York’s forward rotation. His season was interrupted by the February trade to San Antonio, leaving his Knicks role fragmented rather than allowing him to establish a consistent place within the rotation. 1995-96 Knicks transaction coverage	—
J.R. Reid	Interior Rotation Finisher (1.05)	20.3	Low	6.6	4.0	0.8	0.7	25.41	Reid entered the Knicks rotation as a physical interior option after the midseason trade, giving New York another big body capable of finishing around the basket and competing on the glass. His .550 field-goal percentage reflects a role built around selective interior attempts rather than perimeter creation, and his 16 starts show that he was trusted for more than emergency minutes. 1995-96 Knicks transaction coverage	—
Willie Anderson	Veteran Wing Utility Piece (1.0)	18.4	Low	5.0	2.2	1.8	0.9	19.80	Anderson’s contribution was largely connective: he could handle some secondary creation, defend the wing and keep possessions moving without demanding touches. His arrival from Toronto came during the roster reshuffling, leaving him with a relatively narrow role, but the 1.8 assists against limited scoring usage show the passing element he brought to the reserve perimeter group. 1995-96 Knicks transaction coverage	—
Charlie Ward	Defensive Point Guard Reserve (1.0)	12.7	Low	3.9	1.6	2.1	1.0	17.20	Ward’s early Knicks role was built around ball pressure, defensive activity and basic offensive organization rather than scoring volume. He appeared in 62 games but started only once, fitting the profile of a young reserve point guard being asked to protect possessions and give the veteran backcourt occasional relief. Charlie Ward player archive and season context	—
Matt Fish	Emergency Interior Reserve (1.0)	8.5	Low	6.0	1.5	0.5	0.5	17.00	Fish had only two appearances, so there is very little independent season-specific coverage from which to construct a meaningful tactical assessment. The available record points to an emergency center role, with his limited sample reflecting spot duty rather than a genuine rotation responsibility.	Limited contemporary independent coverage available; emergency roster role inferred cautiously from season usage.
Gary Grant	Backup Ballhandler (1.0)	12.7	Low	4.9	1.1	1.5	0.9	16.80	Grant served as a reserve organizer during a season in which New York’s point-guard hierarchy remained anchored by Harper. His modest scoring load and 1.5 assists per game fit a low-usage ballhandling assignment, with the veteran guard providing depth rather than functioning as another offensive focal point. 1995-96 Knicks roster and transaction record	—
Doug Christie	Defensive Wing Development Piece (1.0)	9.5	Low	4.0	1.5	1.1	0.6	14.40	Christie had only a brief New York stint before being included in the February trade to Toronto, so his role never developed beyond a small reserve assignment. Even in limited minutes, the profile was that of a defense-first wing with enough passing ability to keep the ball moving rather than a player asked to manufacture offense. 1995-96 Knicks transaction coverage	—
Brad Lohaus	Stretch Frontcourt Reserve (1.0)	14.1	Low	3.9	1.3	1.2	0.7	14.20	Lohaus gave New York a different frontcourt look because he could pull opposing bigs away from the paint and attempt threes, an unusual skill for a reserve power forward of that era. Acquired with Reid in the February deal, he remained a situational piece rather than displacing the team’s established interior rotation. 1995-96 Knicks transaction coverage	—
Herb Williams	Veteran Interior Stabilizer (1.0)	12.6	Low	3.1	1.9	0.6	1.0	13.20	Williams’ value came from veteran positioning, size and familiarity with New York’s physical frontcourt style rather than offensive volume. His role was disrupted by the February trade to Toronto and subsequent return, which explains why his season reads more like situational depth than a stable rotation assignment. 1995-96 Knicks transaction coverage	—
Ron Grandison	Short-Term Frontcourt Depth (1.0)	9.5	Low	3.0	2.2	0.3	0.9	12.80	Grandison was essentially a roster-pressure valve, arriving late in the season on short-term contracts while New York navigated its changing frontcourt personnel. With only six appearances, there is limited contemporary independent coverage of his tactical responsibilities, so his role is best described as emergency depth rather than a conventional rotation position. 1995-96 Knicks transaction coverage	—
Monty Williams	End-of-Rotation Wing (1.0)	4.4	Low	1.4	1.2	0.3	0.1	6.00	Williams was a developmental reserve whose season was cut short by the February trade to San Antonio. His four-point-four minutes per game and fourteen appearances indicate that New York viewed him primarily as depth behind Mason and the veteran wing group rather than as a player with a defined offensive responsibility. 1995-96 Knicks transaction coverage	—
Team Totals	Team	241.8	—	97.2	40.0	22.2	12.5	—	The roster combined Ewing’s interior scoring and rim protection with Mason’s unusually expansive point-forward responsibilities, Harper’s veteran organization and the physical frontcourt presence of Oakley. The midseason coaching and personnel changes altered the rotation, but the team’s defining structure remained built around size, half-court defense and multiple secondary playmakers. Independent retrospective on the 1995-96 Knicks transition	—

HeatingUp Impact Index: Playoff Team Impact Spotlight

Player Name	Role Tier	MPG	Usage Tier	PPG	RPG	APG	STK (SPG + BPG)	Impact Index	Notes	Awards
Patrick Ewing	Franchise Post Anchor (1.1)	41.0	High (1.2)	21.5	10.6	1.9	3.2	98.21	Interior offensive hub and defensive backbone, Ewing remained the Knicks’ most important half-court matchup. Against Chicago he was repeatedly asked to battle Dennis Rodman and Luc Longley inside, while his 3.1 blocks reflected the rim protection New York needed to stay in a series against the 72-win Bulls. Contemporary coverage also highlighted his Game 3 response, when he and John Starks supplied New York’s decisive fourth-quarter and overtime scoring. Washington Post playoff report	NBA All-Star (1996)
Anthony Mason	Point-Forward Offensive Hub (1.1)	43.8	High (1.2)	12.6	7.8	3.3	0.6	64.15	Versatile point-forward and physical matchup piece, Mason was one of the Knicks’ primary connective players throughout the run. New York leaned on his ability to handle the ball, initiate from the forward position and punish smaller defenders, while his huge minutes load showed how heavily Jeff Van Gundy depended on the veteran frontcourt. Independent retrospectives have specifically singled out Mason’s combination of defensive tenacity and offensive playmaking as central to his Knicks identity. ESPN Anthony Mason retrospective	—
John Starks	Primary Perimeter Shot Creator (1.05)	39.3	High (1.2)	16.0	3.6	4.1	1.7	64.01	Aggressive perimeter creator and emotional offensive spark, Starks was asked to manufacture offense whenever the Knicks’ half-court possessions bogged down. His series swung dramatically from an ugly shooting performance in Game 1 to 30 points in the pivotal Game 3 overtime win, where his outside shooting and late-game aggression helped New York become the only team to beat Chicago during the Bulls’ first 15 playoff games. Washington Post Game 3 coverage	—
Charles Oakley	Defensive Frontcourt Enforcer (1.05)	38.5	Medium (1.1)	13.1	8.6	1.8	1.0	56.60	Physical defensive enforcer and rebounding specialist, Oakley gave the Knicks their most confrontational interior presence alongside Ewing and Mason. His job was not simply to collect rebounds; he was expected to make Chicago’s frontcourt uncomfortable, protect the glass and absorb the hard defensive assignments. Contemporary coverage repeatedly framed the series as a brutally physical matchup, with Oakley’s toughness a major part of New York’s identity. El País playoff coverage	—
Derek Harper	Veteran Point-of-Attack Organizer (1.05)	36.6	Medium (1.1)	10.0	2.1	4.8	1.4	42.27	Veteran floor general and primary defensive organizer, Harper carried a particularly demanding assignment against Michael Jordan while also being responsible for settling New York’s offense. He guarded Jordan for long stretches and remained a trusted starter despite the offensive limitations that surfaced against Chicago. Harper’s bruised shoulder and strained neck late in the series further illustrated how much physical responsibility he was carrying. Straits Times playoff report	—
Hubert Davis	Perimeter Spacing Specialist (1.0)	18.1	Low (1.0)	6.6	1.5	0.5	0.0	17.20	Floor-spacing specialist and secondary scoring option, Davis supplied a very different offensive look from New York’s bruising starting group. He was used as a reserve shooter rather than a creator, with his value tied to stretching the defense and making the occasional open jumper around Ewing’s interior touches. His limited role became particularly apparent against Chicago, where he never entered the starting group despite remaining part of the playoff rotation. Bleacher Report Hubert Davis retrospective	—
Charlie Ward	Defensive Change-of-Pace Guard (1.0)	13.1	Low (1.0)	4.6	1.3	2.4	1.6	19.80	Defensive change-of-pace guard, Ward gave New York fresh legs and ball pressure when the veteran backcourt needed relief. His most useful playoff stretch came in Game 3 against Chicago, when he played 20 minutes and produced an energetic two-way contribution while Harper struggled offensively. That willingness to provide pressure defense and secondary playmaking made him a useful situational piece despite coming off the bench. Land of Basketball playoff series record	—
Gary Grant	Emergency Ballhandling Reserve (1.0)	8.0	Low (1.0)	6.0	3.0	0.0	1.0	20.00	Emergency ballhandling reserve with almost no sustained playoff role, Grant was used only briefly when New York needed another veteran guard. The limited independent coverage available from the series does not support a broader tactical description, so his impact is best viewed as situational depth rather than a meaningful part of the regular rotation.	Limited contemporary independent coverage available; his playoff role was largely situational.
Willie Anderson	Defensive Utility Wing (1.0)	16.0	Low (1.0)	5.3	2.3	0.3	1.0	17.80	Defensive utility wing and veteran reserve, Anderson was valued more for perimeter defense and lineup flexibility than offensive creation. His role expanded enough to produce 22 minutes in the deciding Game 5 against Chicago, where he contributed two steals and five rebounds while New York’s main starters were forced into heavy workloads. The Knicks had acquired him during the season specifically as part of a reshaped veteran rotation. RealGM 1995-96 transaction record	—
J.R. Reid	Interior Matchup Reserve (1.0)	7.0	Low (1.0)	2.0	1.0	1.0	0.0	8.00	Interior matchup reserve, Reid never established a meaningful playoff rotation role after arriving in the midseason frontcourt reshuffle. His lone playoff appearance came against Chicago, reflecting how little the Knicks trusted their reserve bigs once the postseason tightened into a short rotation around Ewing, Mason and Oakley. Contemporary coverage of the roster transition offers only limited player-specific discussion of Reid’s playoff responsibilities.	Limited contemporary independent coverage available; one-game playoff role was strictly situational.
Herb Williams	Veteran Interior Insurance (1.0)	6.6	Low (1.0)	1.8	0.0	0.0	0.4	4.40	Veteran interior insurance, Williams provided experience and size when New York needed a short spell from its primary frontcourt. His minutes were extremely limited, and the Knicks increasingly relied on Ewing, Mason and Oakley as the postseason progressed. Independent reporting around the series portrays the New York frontcourt as one of its defining strengths, leaving Williams primarily in an emergency-support role. El País Knicks-Bulls playoff coverage	—
Ron Grandison	End-of-Rotation Frontcourt Depth (1.0)	1.5	Low (1.0)	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.00	End-of-rotation frontcourt depth, Grandison saw only token postseason action and was not part of the Knicks’ regular playoff rotation. Contemporary independent coverage provides very little player-specific analysis of his role, so there is no reliable basis for assigning him a larger tactical responsibility than emergency depth behind New York’s established frontcourt trio. Land of Basketball Game 5 coverage	—
Team Totals	—	243.1	—	88.6	37.0	18.6	10.3	—	**New York’s playoff identity was built around an enormous frontcourt workload: Ewing, Mason and Oakley all averaged more than 38 minutes, while the offense depended heavily on Ewing’s post presence, Mason’s point-forward skills and Starks’ perimeter shot creation. The Knicks swept Cleveland before pushing Chicago to five games, but the lack of offensive depth and creativity ultimately left the veteran core carrying too much of the burden against the eventual champions. Los Angeles Times Bulls-Knicks series retrospective	—