Happiest and Saddest Moments of New York Knicks' Season so Far

Believe it or not, there have been happy moments in this miserable 5-35 season for the New York Knicks. Most of those happy moments were immediately followed by sad ones. But they happened.

Before you decide to skip the rest of the NBA season and take up knitting until pitchers and catchers report to training camp, have a quick look back at the Knicks' season thus far. It hasn't been all bad. Some moments were, dare I say, triumphant.

Happy: Beating Cleveland

Oct. 30, Cleveland: LeBron James' homecoming, the first game of the new-look Cleveland Cavaliers' season. Expectations were high.

After just getting smashed by the Chicago Bulls the night before in an unsurprising loss at home, the Knicks marched right into Cleveland unintimidated. They said, "We're not impressed by your LeBrons, your Kevin Loves and your Kyrie Irvings." They disrupted the Cavs' grand plans and beat them 95-90.

Happy: Outscoring Detroit 36-23 in Q4

Nov. 5, Detroit: Entering the fourth quarter, the Knicks are down 16 to the Pistons, who have led for most of the game. With 4:52 left in regulation, they're still down by 15.

Then, the Knicks suddenly wake up. Amar'e Stoudemire sinks a jumper, draws an and-1 and throws down a slam—seven unanswered points to cut the Pistons' lead in half.

With one minute left, Carmelo Anthony drives in for a layup, and the Knicks are only down by five. The Pistons are rattled. The Knicks are on fire. And it looks like New York is going to bring home a W.

Sad: Outscoring Detroit 36-23 in Q4...and Losing Anyway

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

The Knicks' Shane Larkin buries his face after committing a late turnover on Nov. 5 versus the Detroit Pistons.

It was not to be. After a turnover by Shane Larkin, a missed free throw by Iman Shumpert and a questionable out-of-bounds call by the referees, the clock ticked to 00:00 with the Knicks down 98-95.

After 43 minutes of grueling ineptitude, New York finally had all the momentum, but not enough time. It was the first of many near-wins that broke New York fans' hearts in November.

Happy: 'Melo's 3-Pointer with 2 Seconds Left

Nov. 14, New York: The Knicks and the Utah Jazz have been taking swings at each other all game, but not managing to do any lasting damage. It's a tightly contested match, and New York is spending most of it a few points behind.

With 17 seconds left in regulation, Carmelo Anthony lands a driving layup to bring his team within one point. Cleanthony Early immediately fouls Gordon Hayward, who sinks two free throws and puts Utah up by three.

But there's still time. The Knicks fight for an open look. 'Melo steps behind the arc and banks in a three-pointer with two seconds left on the clock. Carmelo roars, "Let's go!" We're headed to overtime!

Sad: The Next 2 Seconds

Except the game didn't go to overtime. In that last measly two seconds on the clock, the Jazz's Trey Burke dropped in a fadeaway at the buzzer, stealing the win and making all the hearts in Madison Square Garden come to a screeching halt.

Another near-miss.

Happy: J.R. Smith's Clutch Jumper to Force OT

Nov. 26, Dallas: It's the first time Tyson Chandler, Jose Calderon, Shane Larkin and Samuel Dalembert will meet their former teammates since the big offseason trade between the Knicks and the Dallas Mavericks. The Knicks will have to take them on without the help of Carmelo Anthony, inactive due to injury.

Stunningly, New York hangs with the Mavs. With just seconds left in regulation, the Knicks are down by two, and the ball is in the hands of J.R. Smith, who's been struggling to find his shot all night. J.R. is dribbling, jabbing, looking for a way to get free of Al-Farouq Aminu.

He steps inside the arc, launches the fadeaway jumper and sinks it, tying the game with 0.9 seconds left. We're going to OT! For real, this time.

Sad: OT in Dallas

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press/Associated Press

Jose Calderon scored 21 points against the Mavericks on Nov. 26, but it wasn't enough for a victory.

The Knicks could not carry the momentum of J.R. Smith's clutch jumper into overtime. The Mavs outscored the Knicks 14-7, sending them home with their 13th loss of the season.

If only that was the worst it got.

Happy: Knicks' 31-12 Run in Charlotte

USA TODAY Sports

Carmelo Anthony lit it up late in the Knicks' Dec. 5 matchup in Charlotte.

The Charlotte Hornets wanted payback for their defeat to the Knicks in November.

This time, on Dec. 5, the Hornets took an early lead and wouldn't let go. By late in the third quarter, the Knicks had fallen behind by 21 points. They entered Q4 down 85-69.

Then the Knicks' scorers started scoring. J.R. Smith, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Carmelo Anthony suddenly couldn't miss. They chipped away at Charlotte's lead all quarter. With 40 seconds left, 'Melo nailed a triple, and the Knicks finally took the lead, 102-101.

The boys in blue and orange turn up the D. The Hornets' Al Jefferson misses his shot attempt. The Knicks had the ball and the lead with 29 seconds left in regulation.

Sad: Kemba Walker's Buzzer-Beating Layup

With 29 seconds left and up by one, the Knicks eat as much clock as they can. 'Melo finally puts up a jumper, but it's off the mark. Charlotte comes down with the rebound and takes a timeout.

All the Knicks have to do is defend for four seconds, keeping their eyes on the Hornets' star guard, Kemba Walker.

Instead, Pablo Prigioni and Amar'e Stoudemire leave a wide-open path for Walker to stroll to the hoop, land a layup at the buzzer and win the game.

Sad: Shumpert Getting Injured

USA TODAY Sports

Iman Shumpert dislocated his shoulder on Dec. 12, causing a tear that has kept him out since.

Dec. 12, Boston: The Knicks have lost 10 in a row. They're desperate for a win and are fighting hard at both ends of the floor to grab one.

Yet, with 2:40 left in Q2, one of the team's most spirited players, Iman Shumpert, goes down screaming.

While fighting for a loose ball, Shump dislocated his shoulder, causing a tear. Shump left the game in Boston, and he hasn't suited up since—not in blue and orange, not in mustard yellow and maroon.

Happy: Victory in Boston

With Shumpert heading to the locker room and J.R. Smith out with a tear in his plantar fascia, other Knicks had to step up. And they did.

Tim Hardaway Jr. played over 30 minutes and racked up 16 points. Amar'e Stoudemire scored 20, 'Melo had 22 and Jason Smith scored 12, hitting several of his patented mid-range jumpers in the clutch. 

The victory tasted sweet. Cheers were roared. Tears were shed. The Knicks needed a win, and they got it.

In hindsight, it was a bittersweet win for New York. What we didn't know at the time was that we'd just seen Iman Shumpert's last day in a Knicks jersey. We'd also seen the team's last win. It's been 15 straight losses since then.

Happy: Shane Larkin Leaping over Dirk Nowitzki

Associated Press

The Knicks may have lost to the Dallas Mavericks, but Shane Larkin hit his former teammates with at least one highlight.

The Knicks' second meeting with the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 16 was never a close contest. New York's starters began the game so lackluster that head coach Derek Fisher subbed out the entire starting five only seven minutes into the game. The team eventually performed more respectably, but it still lost by 20.

In an otherwise disappointing game, Knicks guard Shane Larkin added a few clips to his highlight reel. Stealing the inbounds pass and running it in for a layup was pretty good.

Launching his 5'11" frame into the air to steal a pass over 7-footer Dirk Nowitzki was superb. When you're feeling down, watch this maneuver over and over until you feel better. It won't take long.

Sad: Bargnani's Second Injury

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press/Associated Press

In his first game this season, Andrea Bargnani took Blake Griffin head-on in L.A. Dec. 31.

Dec. 31, Los Angeles: With the season spiraling out of control, Knicks fans actually began to look forward to the return of Andrea Bargnani. You remember him. He's the 7-foot forward-center who can swish it in from every inch of the court when he isn't injured or having an off night.   

Bargs suffered a season-ending injury last January. He worked hard to return in October, but he was injured again during preseason. Bargnani was finally ready to return on Dec. 31 versus the Los Angeles Clippers. 

In November, that prospect might have been met with trepidation, but by New Year's Eve, fans were willing to pin their hopes on one of the most expensive and least reliable players to wear orange and blue.

Bargnani was solid in his first game back, putting nine points, two assists and four rebounds on the stat sheet in 19 minutes. His second game was not so productive. On Jan. 2, Bargnani only played for two minutes before leaving the game with another injury. He hasn't been back since. 

Regardless of one's opinions of Bargnani as a player, watching him gingerly leave the court was a sad moment to behold for anyone with a soul.

Rumors are now arising that the Knicks are considering releasing Bargnani—if they cannot trade him—according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein and Ian Begley.

Happy: Fan's Calderon Cuddle

In the middle of a sound thrashing by the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 2 at MSG, Knicks guard Jose Calderon went tumbling off the court right into the arms of a fan.

The fan seemed eager to give Calderon some supportive words and a comforting cuddle. Jose was more eager to get back downcourt to throw some defense at Detroit. One can't help but wonder if that fan would be as snuggly with Calderon next time they meet.

Happy: Quincy Acy's Nasty Steal-and-Slam

As time went on, the Knicks' losses went from near-misses to near-blowouts. Yet, in an otherwise depressing 95-82 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 4, Knicks forward Quincy Acy gave New York fans a reason to jump out of the seats.

Acy stole the ball from Brandon Knight, bolted downcourt, dribbled it behind his back to evade Knight and threw it down over Giannis Antetokounmpo for the fast-break slam.

Sad: J.R. and Shump Being Traded

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

Two of the New York Knicks' biggest personalities, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert, were shipped to Cleveland.

When the Knicks traded J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert to the Cleveland Cavaliers for nothing at all, they said goodbye to two of the team's best players and biggest personalities. There may be good business and basketball reasons for the trade, but it was nevertheless an emotional moment in Knicks history.

Shumpert's highs were very high, and his lows were very low. At his best, he was the heart and soul of the team, the quintessential hustler whom all coaches dream of, the sticky defender opponents hated, the indomitable bolt of lightning who could supercharge the team when it was in the doldrums. 

J.R. Smith was a controversial guy. He fooled around on and off the court in ways that the league took issue with. He untied opponents' shoelaces. He asked ladies on Twitter if they wanted "the pipe." That's exactly why he belongs in New York, not Ohio.

J.R. haters' main criticisms were that he was a ball hog with poor shot selection. Those things were true, for a while. Yet, over the past year, Smith made huge strides in both areas.

He may abandon his newfound passing skills and launch the ball every time he touches it while he's in Cleveland, but he had them in New York, and it's time to be magnanimous about it.

Sad: Dropping Beneath the Sixers

Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 5: Tony Wroten #8 and K.J. McDaniels #14 of the Philadelphia 76ers react in front of Kevin Love #0 of the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 5, 2015 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Cav

On Jan. 5, while the Knicks were plummeting to another loss—with the Memphis Grizzlies filling the role of victor this time—the Philadelphia 76ers were defeating the Cavaliers.

And thus, terrible Philly moved ahead of dreadful New York, making the Knicks officially the worst-ranked team in the league. 

The difference is this: The Sixers planned it this way; the Knicks didn't.

Happy: Travis Wear's Crazy Shot

Jan. 9, New York: The Houston Rockets beat up the Knicks on the court, and the TNT commentators beat them up during halftime. Despite that, the Knicks' young guns found opportunities to show a bit of flash.

In the first quarter, rookie Cleanthony Early whipped the ball to undrafted rookie Travis Wear, who nearly lost the ball to a Rocket in his face. Wear secured the rock just long enough to take a sidestep and knock down a fadeaway, fallback, fall-all-over-the-place triple off the glass as the shot clock expired.

Wear is possibly the best catch-and-shoot scorer in New York, tailor-made for bailing his team out of the shot-clock violations its veteran point guards are so fond of. Wear ended the game with 21 points—a ray of sunshine in an otherwise demeaning loss.

Happy: Langston Galloway's Globetrotter Style

Knicks guard Langston Galloway has been making a beautiful spectacle of himself ever since the Knicks called him up from the D-League and signed him to a 10-day contract. 

Galloway threw down the NBA's official "Dunk of the Night," a nasty putback slam. Then he teamed up with two of the Knicks' other young guns for a bit of Harlem Globetrotter antics on Jan. 8.

Galloway came up with a steal and drove it downcourt with Shane Larkin and Cleanthony Early at his side. Without slowing a step, Galloway whipped it to Larkin with a behind-the-back bounce pass, Larkin lobbed it up to Early and Early pounded it through the hoop.

Sad: Spoiled Rich Boys Thinking They're Clever

USA TODAY Sports

The "fans" who paid $1,700 to sit courtside with bags on their heads are a disgrace.

Jan. 8, New York: It's sad that someone (probably an indulgent, wealthy parent) spent $1,700 apiece on courtside tickets, just so these five clowns could mock the team they are supposedly fans of.

They sat in the front row with paper bags over their heads, where the players, coaches and national viewing audience could see them. They drew attention to themselves in a sickening attempt at irony. 

They are not fans. They are not clever. They are not scholars and patriots making a bold statement against tyranny. They are a disgrace. And they probably know nothing about ball. And I hate them. And so should you.

Sad: Reading About One Really Unfortunate Knicks Fan

USA TODAY Sports

Spike Lee's got nothing on another unfortunate Knicks fan.

Dropping $1,700 per ticket for those paper-bag shenanigans is shameful. Dropping $25,000 to see every Knicks game, home and away, this season of all seasons, is just a shame.

Marc Berman of the New York Post told the story of a man who did just that. Dennis Doyle lost his job as a lawyer and decided to draw $25,000 out of his savings to be there in person for every Knicks game this season, even the one being played in London on Jan. 15. As Berman put it:

"That, for those uninitiated in the team’s losing ways, is the financial investment equivalent of hiding one’s money under the mattress—and then setting it on fire."

Doyle has said that he is committed to seeing it through, regardless of how badly the team flounders through the next three months.

Sure, he's a lawyer who can afford to spend $25,000 and goof off at basketball games when most of us would be pinching pennies and highlighting the want ads. But he's still a devoted fan with very bad luck, and he deserves our sympathies.

Happy: Realizing It's All a Bad Dream

USA TODAY Sports

It was all a dream! (I used to read Word Up! magazine.) The Knicks are No. 1 in the East, everyone's healthy and Jose Calderon is really good. 

J.R. Smith is dropping 30 points on Cleveland, not for them. Everyone on the roster was voted onto the All-Star team. Derek Fisher has already been awarded Coach of the Year. Madison Square Garden is giving away free season tickets to anyone who can spell Antetokounmpo.

Those losses were not lost. Those tears were not shed. Those souls were not crushed.

To those Knicks fans still watching every game until 00:00, I applaud you and call you "brother." We will endure. To the fainter of heart, I recommend just taking a little nap from now until October. When you wake up, this will all be over.

All stats and game logs are from NBA.com/Stats. Follow Sara Peters on Twitter @3FromThe7.