The 1995–96 NBA season was the 50th season for the Knicks in the National Basketball Association in New York City, New York. After Pat Riley left to coach the Miami Heat, the Knicks hired Don Nelson and won ten of their first twelve games. However, the team never seemed to get under Nelson down the stretch, as he was replaced by long time assistant Jeff Van Gundy after 59 games. At midseason, the Knicks traded Charles D. Smith to the San Antonio Spurs for J.R. Reid, and dealt Doug Christie to the Toronto Raptors for Willie Anderson. Under Van Gundy, the Knicks finished the season playing around .500 to post a 47–35 record, second in the Atlantic Division, with Patrick Ewing being selected for the 1996 NBA All-Star Game.

In the first round of the playoffs, the Knicks swept the 4th-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in three straight games. However, they would lose four games to one to the Chicago Bulls in the semifinals. Following the season, Anthony Mason was traded to the Charlotte Hornets,Derek Harper re-signed as a free agent with the Dallas Mavericks,Hubert Davis was traded to the Toronto Raptors, and Reid and Anderson were both released.