Editing New York Knicks (section)

===2000–2003: downfall===
[[File:Madison Square Garden (MSG) - Full (48124330357).jpg|right|thumb|250px|The current [[Madison Square Garden]] has been the home of the Knicks since 1968.]]
Despite the loss of Ewing, the Knicks remained successful in the regular season, as they posted a 48–34 record under the direction of Houston and Sprewell.<ref>{{cite web |title=2000–01 New York Knicks Roster and Statistics |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NYK/2001.html |publisher=Basketball Reference |access-date=July 4, 2011 |archive-date=August 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810200435/http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NYK/2001.html |url-status=live}}</ref> In the first round of playoff contention, however, New York fell to the [[Toronto Raptors]] in five games, failing to get past the first round of the playoffs for the first time in a decade.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Knicks knocked out |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/2001/playoffs/news/2001/05/04/knicks_side_ap/ |magazine=Sports Illustrated |agency=Associated Press |date=May 4, 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104171028/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/2001/playoffs/news/2001/05/04/knicks_side_ap/ |archive-date=November 4, 2012 |access-date=July 4, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> After a poor start to [[2001–02 New York Knicks season|the season]], the Knicks managed to get above .500 with a 10–9 record.<ref name="Resignation and Decline">{{cite web |title=2001–02 New York Knicks Schedule and Results |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NYK/2002_games.html |publisher=Basketball Reference |access-date=July 4, 2011 |archive-date=August 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818104852/https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NYK/2002_games.html |url-status=live}}</ref> In spite of their recent success, Van Gundy unexpectedly resigned<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/news/2001/12/08/vangundy_quits_ap |title=Out in a New York minute |access-date=November 9, 2012 |archive-date=May 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508023303/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/news/2001/12/08/vangundy_quits_ap/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> as head coach on December 8, 2001, explaining he had "lost focus" and would no longer be able to properly coach the team.<ref>{{cite news |title=Van Gundy quits; Chaney reportedly will finish season |url=http://a.espncdn.com/nba/news/2001/1208/1292090.html |publisher=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=December 8, 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111213035641/http://a.espncdn.com/nba/news/2001/1208/1292090.html |archive-date=December 13, 2011 |access-date=July 4, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The team, which named longtime assistant [[Don Chaney]] as their new head coach, ended the season with a 30–52 record, and for the first time since the 1986–87 season they did not qualify for the playoffs.<ref name="Franchise index"/><ref name="Resignation and Decline"/>

In October 2002, the team elected to extend Chaney's contract for another year.<ref>{{cite news |title=Knicks Extend Chaney's Contract |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-oct-30-sp-nbarep30-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=October 30, 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013121052/http://articles.latimes.com/2002/oct/30/sports/sp-nbarep30 |archive-date=October 13, 2012 |access-date=July 4, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> Rather than rebuilding, the Knicks opted to add veterans to the roster including [[Antonio McDyess]] who had been dealing with knee problems in the preceding years.<ref name="Salary cap woes">{{Citation |title=New York Knicks preseason preview |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/2002/09/04/knicks_preview/ |magazine=Sports Illustrated |author=Hollinger, John |date=September 4, 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104171038/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/2002/09/04/knicks_preview/ |archive-date=November 4, 2012 |access-date=July 4, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="McDyess">{{cite news |title=Pro Basketball; Grim News for Knicks: More Surgery for McDyess |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/18/sports/pro-basketball-grim-news-for-knicks-more-surgery-for-mcdyess.html |work=The New York Times |author=Broussard, Chris |date=April 18, 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720182808/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/18/sports/pro-basketball-grim-news-for-knicks-more-surgery-for-mcdyess.html |archive-date=July 20, 2011 |access-date=July 4, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Furthermore, the Knicks were criticized by many analysts as multiple players on the roster were overpaid in light of their poor performances, causing salary cap problems that would persist until [[Donnie Walsh]] took over as team president.<ref name="Salary cap woes"/><ref>{{cite news |title=James Isn't Knicks' Be-All and End-All |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/28/sports/basketball/28knicks.html |work=The New York Times |author=Beck, Howard |date=June 27, 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031000055/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/28/sports/basketball/28knicks.html |archive-date=October 31, 2015 |access-date=July 4, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> McDyess injured his knee during the team's third preseason game and was subjected to further operations in April 2003 after a [[CT scan]] revealed the injured knee necessitated he undergo bone-graft surgery.<ref name="McDyess"/> The Knicks managed only seven wins in their first twenty games, setting the tone for the rest of the season, which they completed with a 37–45 record; it was their second consecutive season without a playoff appearance.<ref>{{cite web |title=2002–03 New York Knicks Schedule and Results |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NYK/2003_games.html |publisher=Basketball Reference |access-date=July 4, 2011 |archive-date=August 31, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110831205829/http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NYK/2003_games.html |url-status=live}}</ref>