New York Knicks 1996-97 Roster and Statistics

Last Updated on September 16, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

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The New York Knicks 1996-97 were led by Patrick Ewing, whose scoring, rebounding, and rim protection anchored both ends of the floor. Larry Johnson provided versatile frontcourt support, while Allan Houston emerged as a reliable perimeter scorer and John Starks added outside shooting and secondary playmaking. The statistics reflect a balanced, defense-oriented team that combined strong interior play, efficient scoring, solid rebounding, and complementary backcourt production.

Roster

NO.	PLAYER NAME	POS	HT	WT	DATE OF BIRTH	COLLEGE
1	Chris Childs	PG	6-3	195	November 20, 1967	Boise State
2	Larry Johnson	SF	6-7	250	March 14, 1969	Odessa College, UNLV
3	John Starks	SG	6-5	180	August 10, 1965	Northern Oklahoma College, Oklahoma Junior College, Oklahoma State
4	Scott Brooks	PG	5-11	165	July 31, 1965	TCU, University of California, Irvine
7	Chris Jent	SF	6-7	220	January 11, 1970	Ohio State
20	Allan Houston	SG	6-6	200	April 20, 1971	Tennessee
21	Charlie Ward	PG	6-2	190	October 12, 1970	Florida State
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
40	Walter McCarty	PF	6-10	230	February 1, 1974	Kentucky
44	John Wallace	SF	6-8	225	February 9, 1974	Syracuse
52	Buck Williams	PF	6-8	215	March 8, 1960	Maryland

Regular Season Per Game

Player	Pos	Age	GP	GS	MP	PTS	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	FGA	FGM	FG%	3PA	3PM	3P%	FTA	FTM	FT%
Patrick Ewing	C	34	78	78	37.0	22.4	10.7	2.0	0.9	2.4	3.4	17.2	8.4	.488	0.1	0.0	.222	7.5	5.6	.754
Allan Houston	SG	25	81	81	33.1	14.8	3.0	2.2	0.5	0.2	2.1	12.7	5.4	.423	4.7	1.8	.385	2.7	2.2	.803
John Starks	SG	31	77	1	26.5	13.8	2.7	2.8	1.2	0.1	2.1	11.1	4.8	.431	5.3	1.9	.369	2.9	2.2	.769
Larry Johnson	SF	27	76	76	34.4	12.8	5.2	2.3	0.8	0.5	1.8	9.7	4.9	.512	1.4	0.4	.324	3.6	2.5	.693
Charles Oakley	PF	33	80	80	35.9	10.8	9.8	2.8	1.4	0.3	2.1	8.7	4.2	.488	0.2	0.1	.263	2.8	2.3	.808
Chris Childs	PG	29	65	61	31.9	9.3	2.9	6.1	1.2	0.2	2.8	7.8	3.2	.414	2.8	1.1	.387	2.3	1.7	.758
Buck Williams	PF	36	74	4	20.2	6.3	5.4	0.7	0.5	0.5	1.1	4.4	2.4	.537	0.0	0.0	.000	2.4	1.6	.642
Charlie Ward	PG	26	79	21	22.3	5.2	2.8	4.1	1.1	0.2	1.9	4.3	1.7	.395	1.9	0.6	.312	1.6	1.2	.760
John Wallace	SF	22	68	6	11.6	4.8	2.3	0.5	0.3	0.4	1.1	3.5	1.8	.517	0.1	0.0	.500	1.6	1.2	.718
Walter McCarty	PF	22	35	0	5.5	1.8	0.7	0.4	0.2	0.3	0.5	1.9	0.7	.382	0.4	0.1	.286	0.4	0.2	.571
Scott Brooks	PG	31	38	0	6.6	1.5	0.5	0.8	0.6	0.0	0.4	1.0	0.5	.487	0.3	0.1	.417	0.4	0.4	.933
Herb Williams	PF	38	21	2	8.8	1.9	1.5	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	2.2	0.9	.391	0.0	0.0	.000	0.2	0.1	.750
Chris Jent	SF	27	3	0	3.3	2.0	0.3	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.0	0.7	.333	1.0	0.7	.667	0.0	0.0
Team Totals			82	82	242.1	95.4	42.5	22.1	7.7	4.6	17.8	75.9	35.1	.463	15.8	5.7	.363	25.8	19.3	.748

Playoff Per Game

Player	Pos	Age	GP	GS	MP	PTS	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	FGA	FGM	FG%	3PA	3PM	3P%	FTA	FTM	FT%
Patrick Ewing	C	34	9	9	39.7	22.6	10.6	1.9	0.3	2.4	3.0	18.6	9.8	.527	0.1	0.0	.000	4.7	3.0	.643
Allan Houston	SG	25	9	9	40.0	19.2	2.6	2.3	0.7	0.3	2.7	14.8	6.4	.436	5.8	2.9	.500	3.9	3.4	.886
John Starks	SG	31	9	1	28.1	14.0	3.4	2.8	1.1	0.0	2.2	11.0	4.9	.444	4.6	1.4	.317	3.4	2.8	.806
Larry Johnson	SF	27	9	9	32.8	13.8	4.0	2.6	0.8	0.1	1.7	8.6	4.8	.558	1.9	0.7	.353	4.2	3.6	.842
Chris Childs	PG	29	10	10	32.8	10.4	4.9	5.9	2.0	0.0	2.8	8.7	3.8	.437	2.6	0.9	.346	2.3	1.9	.826
Charles Oakley	PF	33	10	10	35.8	9.8	8.8	1.6	2.2	0.3	1.8	8.6	3.8	.442	0.1	0.0	.000	2.9	2.2	.759
Buck Williams	PF	36	10	1	19.3	4.3	4.0	0.6	0.3	0.4	0.4	3.5	1.7	.486	0.0	0.0		1.7	0.9	.529
Charlie Ward	PG	26	9	0	20.2	2.2	2.8	4.3	1.4	0.0	1.7	3.0	0.9	.296	1.0	0.1	.111	0.4	0.3	.750
John Wallace	SF	22	4	1	10.0	2.5	1.8	1.3	0.3	0.5	0.5	3.8	1.0	.267	0.3	0.0	.000	0.5	0.5	1.000
Walter McCarty	PF	22	2	0	2.0	2.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.0	0.0	1.0	1.0	1.000	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0
Herb Williams	PF	38	3	0	7.7	1.3	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.7	0.7	.400	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0
Scott Brooks	PG	31	4	0	1.8	0.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.3	.500	0.0	0.0		0.3	0.3	1.000
Team Totals			10	10	240.0	91.2	39.5	21.1	8.6	3.5	15.7	73.5	34.3	.467	14.8	5.5	.372	22.2	17.1	.770

Regular Season Per 36 Mins

Player	Pos	Age	GP	GS	MP	PTS	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	FGA	FGM	FG%	3PA	3PM	3P%	FTA	FTM	FT%
Patrick Ewing	C	34	78	78	2887	21.8	10.4	1.9	0.9	2.4	3.4	16.7	8.2	.488	0.1	0.0	.222	7.3	5.5	.754
Allan Houston	SG	25	81	81	2681	16.1	3.2	2.4	0.6	0.2	2.2	13.9	5.9	.423	5.2	2.0	.385	2.9	2.3	.803
John Starks	SG	31	77	1	2042	18.7	3.6	3.8	1.6	0.2	2.8	15.1	6.5	.431	7.2	2.6	.369	4.0	3.0	.769
Larry Johnson	SF	27	76	76	2613	13.4	5.4	2.4	0.9	0.5	1.9	10.1	5.2	.512	1.4	0.5	.324	3.8	2.6	.693
Charles Oakley	PF	33	80	80	2873	10.8	9.8	2.8	1.4	0.3	2.1	8.7	4.2	.488	0.2	0.1	.263	2.8	2.3	.808
Chris Childs	PG	29	65	61	2076	10.5	3.3	6.9	1.4	0.2	3.1	8.8	3.7	.414	3.1	1.2	.387	2.6	2.0	.758
Buck Williams	PF	36	74	4	1496	11.2	9.6	1.3	1.0	0.9	1.9	7.8	4.2	.537	0.0	0.0	.000	4.3	2.8	.642
Charlie Ward	PG	26	79	21	1763	8.4	4.5	6.7	1.7	0.3	3.0	6.9	2.7	.395	3.1	1.0	.312	2.6	1.9	.760
John Wallace	SF	22	68	6	787	14.9	7.1	1.7	1.0	1.1	3.5	10.8	5.6	.517	0.2	0.1	.500	5.0	3.6	.718
Walter McCarty	PF	22	35	0	192	12.0	4.3	2.4	1.3	1.7	3.2	12.7	4.9	.382	2.6	0.7	.286	2.6	1.5	.571
Scott Brooks	PG	31	38	0	251	8.2	2.6	4.2	3.0	0.0	2.4	5.6	2.7	.487	1.7	0.7	.417	2.2	2.0	.933
Herb Williams	PF	38	21	2	184	7.6	6.1	1.0	0.8	1.0	1.0	9.0	3.5	.391	0.2	0.0	.000	0.8	0.6	.750
Chris Jent	SF	27	3	0	10	21.6	3.6	3.6	0.0	0.0	0.0	21.6	7.2	.333	10.8	7.2	.667	0.0	0.0

Playoff Per 36 Mins

Player	Pos	Age	GP	GS	MP	PTS	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	FGA	FGM	FG%	3PA	3PM	3P%	FTA	FTM	FT%
Patrick Ewing	C	34	9	9	357	20.5	9.6	1.7	0.3	2.2	2.7	16.8	8.9	.527	0.1	0.0	.000	4.2	2.7	.643
Allan Houston	SG	25	9	9	360	17.3	2.3	2.1	0.6	0.3	2.4	13.3	5.8	.436	5.2	2.6	.500	3.5	3.1	.886
John Starks	SG	31	9	1	253	17.9	4.4	3.6	1.4	0.0	2.8	14.1	6.3	.444	5.8	1.8	.317	4.4	3.6	.806
Larry Johnson	SF	27	9	9	295	15.1	4.4	2.8	0.9	0.1	1.8	9.4	5.2	.558	2.1	0.7	.353	4.6	3.9	.842
Chris Childs	PG	29	10	10	328	11.4	5.4	6.5	2.2	0.0	3.1	9.5	4.2	.437	2.9	1.0	.346	2.5	2.1	.826
Charles Oakley	PF	33	10	10	358	9.9	8.8	1.6	2.2	0.3	1.8	8.6	3.8	.442	0.1	0.0	.000	2.9	2.2	.759
John Wallace	SF	22	4	1	40	9.0	6.3	4.5	0.9	1.8	1.8	13.5	3.6	.267	0.9	0.0	.000	1.8	1.8	1.000
Buck Williams	PF	36	10	1	193	8.0	7.5	1.1	0.6	0.7	0.7	6.5	3.2	.486	0.0	0.0		3.2	1.7	.529
Charlie Ward	PG	26	9	0	182	4.0	4.9	7.7	2.6	0.0	3.0	5.3	1.6	.296	1.8	0.2	.111	0.8	0.6	.750
Herb Williams	PF	38	3	0	23	6.3	1.6	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	7.8	3.1	.400	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0
Scott Brooks	PG	31	4	0	7	15.4	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	10.3	5.1	.500	0.0	0.0		5.1	5.1	1.000
Walter McCarty	PF	22	2	0	4	36.0	0.0	0.0	9.0	0.0	0.0	18.0	18.0	1.000	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0

Regular Season Totals

Player	Pos	Age	GP	GS	MP	PTS	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	FGA	FGM	FG%	3PA	3PM	3P%	FTA	FTM	FT%
Patrick Ewing	C	34	78	78	2887	1751	834	156	69	189	269	1342	655	.488	9	2	.222	582	439	.754
Allan Houston	SG	25	81	81	2681	1197	240	179	41	18	167	1032	437	.423	384	148	.385	218	175	.803
John Starks	SG	31	77	1	2042	1061	205	217	90	11	158	856	369	.431	407	150	.369	225	173	.769
Larry Johnson	SF	27	76	76	2613	976	393	174	64	36	136	735	376	.512	105	34	.324	274	190	.693
Charles Oakley	PF	33	80	80	2873	864	781	221	111	21	171	694	339	.488	19	5	.263	224	181	.808
Chris Childs	PG	29	65	61	2076	605	191	398	78	11	180	510	211	.414	181	70	.387	149	113	.758
Buck Williams	PF	36	74	4	1496	465	397	53	40	38	79	326	175	.537	1	0	.000	179	115	.642
Charlie Ward	PG	26	79	21	1763	409	220	326	83	15	147	337	133	.395	154	48	.312	125	95	.760
John Wallace	SF	22	68	6	787	325	155	37	21	25	76	236	122	.517	4	2	.500	110	79	.718
Walter McCarty	PF	22	35	0	192	64	23	13	7	9	17	68	26	.382	14	4	.286	14	8	.571
Scott Brooks	PG	31	38	0	251	57	18	29	21	0	17	39	19	.487	12	5	.417	15	14	.933
Herb Williams	PF	38	21	2	184	39	31	5	4	5	5	46	18	.391	1	0	.000	4	3	.750
Chris Jent	SF	27	3	0	10	6	1	1	0	0	0	6	2	.333	3	2	.667	0	0
Team Totals			82	82	19855	7819	3489	1809	629	378	1422	6227	2882	.463	1294	470	.363	2119	1585	.748

Playoff Totals

Player	Pos	Age	GP	GS	MP	PTS	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	FGA	FGM	FG%	3PA	3PM	3P%	FTA	FTM	FT%
Patrick Ewing	C	34	9	9	357	203	95	17	3	22	27	167	88	.527	1	0	.000	42	27	.643
Allan Houston	SG	25	9	9	360	173	23	21	6	3	24	133	58	.436	52	26	.500	35	31	.886
John Starks	SG	31	9	1	253	126	31	25	10	0	20	99	44	.444	41	13	.317	31	25	.806
Larry Johnson	SF	27	9	9	295	124	36	23	7	1	15	77	43	.558	17	6	.353	38	32	.842
Chris Childs	PG	29	10	10	328	104	49	59	20	0	28	87	38	.437	26	9	.346	23	19	.826
Charles Oakley	PF	33	10	10	358	98	88	16	22	3	18	86	38	.442	1	0	.000	29	22	.759
Buck Williams	PF	36	10	1	193	43	40	6	3	4	4	35	17	.486	0	0		17	9	.529
Charlie Ward	PG	26	9	0	182	20	25	39	13	0	15	27	8	.296	9	1	.111	4	3	.750
John Wallace	SF	22	4	1	40	10	7	5	1	2	2	15	4	.267	1	0	.000	2	2	1.000
Herb Williams	PF	38	3	0	23	4	1	0	0	0	0	5	2	.400	0	0		0	0
Walter McCarty	PF	22	2	0	4	4	0	0	1	0	0	2	2	1.000	0	0		0	0
Scott Brooks	PG	31	4	0	7	3	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	.500	0	0		1	1	1.000
Team Totals			10	10	2400	912	395	211	86	35	153	735	343	.467	148	55	.372	222	171	.770

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)	37.0	High (1.2)	22.4	10.7	2.0	3.3	101.38	Franchise interior engine and defensive centerpiece, Ewing carried the Knicks through a demanding half-court attack while remaining one of the league’s most important rim protectors. His 22.4 points came largely through post scoring, face-up work and offensive rebounding, while contemporary coverage repeatedly framed him as the player New York ultimately had to ride when games tightened. Washington Post: Ewing and the Knicks’ 1997 title hopes	MVP voting: 8th (1997); All-Star (1997); All-NBA Second Team (1997)
Charles Oakley	Defensive Frontcourt Anchor (1.05)	35.9	Medium (1.1)	10.8	9.8	2.8	1.7	57.98	Defensive frontcourt anchor and physical screen-setter, Oakley gave New York the toughness that allowed Ewing to stay aggressive around the basket. He was also more involved as a passer than the bruiser label suggests, helping initiate offense from the elbows while punishing smaller forwards on the glass. His 9.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists fit a role built around possession control rather than scoring volume. NBA.com: Charles Oakley 1996-97 profile and season context	None
Larry Johnson	Power Forward Creator (1.05)	34.4	Medium (1.1)	12.8	5.2	2.3	1.3	49.90	Power forward creator and physical secondary scorer, Johnson gave the Knicks a very different threat from Ewing, particularly when he could attack from the perimeter or exploit a smaller defender inside. The transition from his Charlotte role was significant: New York used him less as a primary scorer and more as a connective forward who could rebound, pass and create a mismatch without disrupting Ewing’s touches. New York Post: retrospective on the 1996 Knicks draft and roster construction	None
Allan Houston	Starting Perimeter Scoring Specialist (1.05)	33.1	Medium (1.1)	14.8	3.0	2.2	0.7	47.82	Starting perimeter scoring specialist, Houston immediately supplied the Knicks with the shooting gravity they had lacked on the wing. His 38.5% three-point shooting forced defenses to respect him away from Ewing, while his controlled pull-up game gave New York another half-court scoring option. The signing also changed the backcourt hierarchy, moving John Starks into a sixth-man role. Los Angeles Times: Knicks’ 1996-97 backcourt context	None
John Starks	Sixth Man Shotmaking Catalyst (1.05)	26.5	Medium (1.1)	13.8	2.7	2.8	1.3	47.59	Sixth-man shotmaking catalyst, Starks became the Knicks’ primary source of bench energy after Houston took his starting spot. He retained freedom to attack, shoot threes and pressure opposing guards, which made his role unusually aggressive for a reserve. His 84 first-place votes for Sixth Man of the Year showed how strongly voters viewed that change in responsibility. Los Angeles Times: Starks wins Sixth Man of the Year	Sixth Man of the Year (1997)
Chris Childs	Lead Table-Setter (1.05)	31.9	Medium (1.1)	9.3	2.9	6.1	1.4	45.51	Lead table-setter and point-of-attack organizer, Childs became the Knicks’ primary distributor while also providing enough perimeter shooting to keep defenses from collapsing completely onto Ewing. His 6.1 assists were not empty possession counts; Van Gundy trusted him to get the team into its sets and manage tempo, particularly when New York wanted to grind games into the half court. New York Post: Chris Childs on his Knicks playing style and legacy	None
Charlie Ward	Defensive Point Guard Organizer (1.05)	22.3	Medium (1.1)	5.2	2.8	4.1	1.3	30.95	Defensive point guard organizer, Ward gave New York pressure at the point of attack and a second ball-handler who did not need a large scoring workload. His ability to start or come off the bench made him especially useful in Van Gundy’s shifting guard rotation. The physical edge he brought was unmistakable, culminating in the infamous playoff confrontation with Miami’s P.J. Brown. ESPN Archives: Ward and the 1997 Knicks-Heat confrontation	None
Buck Williams	Veteran Rebounding Stabilizer (1.0)	20.2	Low (1.0)	6.3	5.4	0.7	1.0	26.80	Veteran rebounding stabilizer, Williams gave New York reliable interior minutes without needing plays called for him. His value came through screens, offensive rebounding, physical post defense and smart positioning, which fit a veteran-heavy team that often wanted to win possessions rather than chase scoring. He also opened the season as part of the Knicks’ preferred starting group before Oakley reclaimed the spot. Daily Knicks: 1996-97 Knicks roster construction and season history	None
John Wallace	Rookie Frontcourt Scoring Reserve (1.0)	11.6	Low (1.0)	4.8	2.3	0.5	0.7	16.60	Rookie frontcourt scoring reserve, Wallace arrived with considerable offensive pedigree after carrying Syracuse to the 1996 NCAA championship game. New York could use his face-up scoring and size in short bursts, but the veteran frontcourt left little room for extended minutes. His 51.7% shooting showed why the Knicks viewed him as a useful offensive prospect even in a tightly controlled rookie role. Syracuse University: John Wallace 1996 profile	None
Herb Williams	Veteran Interior Emergency Option (1.0)	8.8	Low (1.0)	1.9	1.5	0.2	0.4	8.00	Veteran interior emergency option, Williams supplied experience and positional size behind Ewing and the veteran forwards. His role was mostly matchup- and injury-dependent, with limited offensive responsibility. After years as a useful rotation big, he was essentially being asked to preserve structure for short stretches rather than provide regular production. RealGM: Herb Williams’ 1996-97 Knicks timeline	None
Scott Brooks	Veteran Backup Floor General (1.0)	6.6	Low (1.0)	1.5	0.5	0.8	0.6	6.80	Veteran backup floor general, Brooks brought a steady hand to an already crowded point-guard rotation. His role was narrowly defined by his experience and ability to organize possessions without demanding touches, and he occasionally provided a shooting threat from deep. With Childs and Ward handling the meaningful minutes, Brooks’ contribution was primarily situational.	None
Walter McCarty	Rookie Energy Forward (1.0)	5.5	Low (1.0)	1.8	0.7	0.4	0.5	6.80	Rookie energy forward, McCarty entered one of the league’s deepest veteran frontcourts and understood that patience would be part of his first NBA season. He later recalled learning directly from Ewing, Johnson and Oakley during practices, including demanding physical drills designed to test whether the young players would stand up to the veterans. Posting and Toasting: Walter McCarty on his 1996-97 rookie season	None
Chris Jent	Deep-Rotation Shooting Forward (1.0)	3.3	Low (1.0)	2.0	0.3	0.3	0.0	5.20	Deep-rotation shooting forward, Jent’s opportunity was extremely limited on a roster already crowded with established forwards and guards. His value was essentially situational spacing and perimeter depth rather than sustained creation. The Knicks waived him in January, underscoring how little room there was for an end-of-bench player to establish a regular role.	None
Team Totals	New York Knicks Team Total	242.1	—	95.4	42.5	22.1	12.3	—	The 1996-97 Knicks were built around Ewing’s interior scoring and rim protection, with Oakley and Johnson supplying physical forward play and Houston adding perimeter spacing. Starks’ move to the second unit gave New York a genuine scoring weapon off the bench, while Childs and Ward supplied complementary playmaking and point-of-attack defense. The result was a rugged team that won 57 games and ranked among the league’s strongest defensive groups.	57-25; Eastern Conference Semifinals (1997)

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 Interior Engine (1.1)	39.7	High (1.2)	22.6	10.6	1.9	2.7	99.79	Franchise interior engine, Ewing was the Knicks’ clear offensive focal point and defensive backbone throughout the series. He repeatedly carried the scoring burden against Miami’s physical front line, while his rebounding and rim protection kept New York competitive in the slower half-court games. His 17 rebounds in Game 7 came in a losing effort, but the performance captured how heavily New York depended on him. (New York Post)	None
Allan Houston	Primary Perimeter Scoring Engine (1.05)	40.0	High (1.2)	19.2	2.6	2.3	1.0	63.25	Primary perimeter scoring engine, Houston gave the Knicks a badly needed outside threat alongside Ewing. His 50.0% three-point shooting in the series was particularly important because Miami could not simply collapse around Ewing, and he erupted for 27 points in Game 1. Houston was also suspended for Game 6 after leaving the bench during the Game 5 altercation, removing one of New York’s most productive scorers at a critical moment. (Wikipedia)	None
Chris Childs	Playoff Floor General (1.05)	32.8	Medium (1.1)	10.4	4.9	5.9	2.0	53.59	Playoff floor general, Childs was trusted with the bulk of New York’s secondary creation and became especially important when the suspensions disrupted the rotation. He combined ball pressure with enough shooting to stay playable away from the ball, and his 5.9 assists reflected a genuine organizing role rather than simple possession management. (Basketball Reference)	None
Charles Oakley	Interior Defensive Enforcer (1.05)	35.8	Medium (1.1)	9.8	8.8	1.6	2.5	52.44	Interior defensive enforcer, Oakley supplied the screens, rebounding and physical resistance that allowed Ewing to operate as the primary scorer. His 2.2 steals per game in the series also show how active he was away from the glass. The Miami matchup repeatedly became a physical battle, and Oakley’s confrontation with Alonzo Mourning before the larger Game 5 incident was typical of the edge he brought to the Knicks. (Posting and Toasting)	None
Larry Johnson	Physical Secondary Creator (1.05)	32.8	Medium (1.1)	13.8	4.0	2.6	0.9	49.20	Physical secondary creator, Johnson gave New York a useful counter when Miami loaded up on Ewing. He could attack smaller defenders, facilitate from the forward position and stretch the floor enough to prevent the Knicks from becoming entirely post-oriented. His involvement in the Game 5 bench-clearing incident led to a suspension for Game 7, removing another important offensive piece when New York was trying to protect a 3-2 series lead. (Wikipedia)	None
John Starks	Sixth-Man Shotmaking Catalyst (1.05)	28.1	Medium (1.1)	14.0	3.4	2.8	1.1	49.20	Sixth-man shotmaking catalyst, Starks remained one of New York’s most aggressive offensive players despite starting only once. He attacked Miami’s perimeter defense with pull-ups and threes, while his 14.0 playoff scoring average gave the second unit legitimate firepower. His 21 points in Game 4 helped New York regain control of the series before the suspensions changed the matchup. (Wikipedia)	None
Charlie Ward	Defensive Point-of-Attack Specialist (1.0)	20.2	Low (1.0)	2.2	2.8	4.3	1.4	21.40	Defensive point-of-attack specialist, Ward’s value came from ball pressure, passing and willingness to absorb difficult defensive assignments rather than scoring. His 4.3 assists and 1.4 steals fit that role, but the series became defined by his collision with P.J. Brown in Game 5. Ward was suspended as a consequence, leaving New York without its defensive-minded starting point guard for a crucial portion of the series. (youtube.com)	None
Buck Williams	Veteran Frontcourt Stabilizer (1.0)	19.3	Low (1.0)	4.3	4.0	0.6	0.7	19.20	Veteran frontcourt stabilizer, Williams gave New York another physical rebounder and interior defender without needing offensive touches. His minutes became more important whenever the Knicks needed size around Ewing and Oakley, particularly as suspensions thinned the rotation. He was a classic possession-by-possession contributor whose value came from screens, positioning and second chances rather than designed offense. (Basketball Reference)	None
John Wallace	Rookie Frontcourt Scoring Reserve (1.0)	10.0	Low (1.0)	2.5	1.8	1.3	0.8	12.80	Rookie frontcourt scoring reserve, Wallace was thrown into a difficult playoff environment against Miami’s veteran physicality. His minutes were brief, but he showed enough offensive versatility to be used as a change-of-pace forward, including a 10-point effort in the series. The Knicks ultimately relied far more heavily on their established veteran frontcourt. (Basketball Reference)	None
Walter McCarty	Emergency Stretch-Forward Option (1.0)	2.0	Low (1.0)	2.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	5.00	Emergency stretch-forward option, McCarty barely entered the playoff rotation but did provide a small dose of size and shooting when New York needed another body. His entire playoff contribution amounted to only two games, illustrating how little trust the Knicks had in their rookie depth compared with their veteran core. His later recollections describe that playoff run as an important learning experience alongside Ewing, Johnson and Oakley. (Posting and Toasting)	None
Herb Williams	Veteran Interior Insurance (1.0)	7.7	Low (1.0)	1.3	0.3	0.0	0.0	3.20	Veteran interior insurance, Williams was used only in short stretches when New York needed another experienced big. His role was fundamentally about preserving size and defensive structure rather than generating offense, and the three-game workload shows how tightly Jeff Van Gundy managed the veteran rotation. (StatMuse)	None
Scott Brooks	Deep-Rotation Ball Handler (1.0)	1.8	Low (1.0)	0.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.60	Deep-rotation ball handler, Brooks saw only token minutes as New York leaned heavily on Childs and Ward for its point-guard work. His playoff assignment was essentially emergency depth, with no meaningful offensive creation responsibility.	None
Team Totals	New York Knicks Playoff Total	240.0	—	91.2	39.5	21.1	12.1	—	**The Knicks’ playoff formula was built around Ewing’s interior scoring, Houston’s perimeter shooting and a veteran frontcourt designed to make every possession physical. New York led Miami 3-1 before the Game 5 altercation triggered suspensions to five Knicks players across the final games. Without Ewing and Houston in Game 6 and Johnson and Starks unavailable for Game 7, the Knicks lost the series despite having controlled much of the matchup. (Wikipedia)	Eastern Conference Semifinals (1997)