|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME FLOW
NEW YORK (AP) -- The Portland Trail Blazers acted like they were
due for a loss, and that's exactly what they got.
|  | | The Knicks' Marcus Camby celebrates after scoring a basket and drawing a foul against Portland on Saturday. |
Marcus Camby, Charlie Ward and the New York Knicks'
league-leading defense brought a screeching halt to Portland's
10-game winning streak, opening a big early lead that held up the
rest of the night in a 91-78 victory Saturday.
"I think it was just time for us to not get a win," Portland's
Steve Smith said. "We've won so many, but we never played tonight
the way we've been playing."
Camby had the bulk of his 16 points and 15 rebounds in the
decisive first half and Ward made four 3-pointers in scoring a
season-high 17 points as New York ended the longest winning streak
in the NBA this season.
The Knicks held the Trail Blazers to their second-lowest point
total of the season in handing them their first loss since Dec. 22.
They also held their opponent under 100 points for the 30th
consecutive game, extending their NBA record.
"They scored pretty easily in that first half and got us down
big, and then we were fighting from behind all night long,"
Blazers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "We had our opportunities to
really make them hear some footsteps, but we weren't able to
convert or get it under 10. You get a team under 10 and they start
to hear it a little bit, but we didn't do a good enough job on
that."
After falling behind 3-2, New York had a 10-0 run to take the
lead for good. Ward hit a 3-point shot with 2:24 left in the first
quarter for a 25-10 lead, and Latrell Sprewell closed the quarter
with a 3 to make it 31-12.
It was a game of catch-up for the Trail Blazers the rest of the
way, and they weren't up to the task against a Knicks defense that
has been holding its opponents to an average of 83.7 points.
Portland, which shoots a league-leading 47.2 percent from the
field, was held under 40 percent by the Knicks.
A pair of foul shots by Dale Davis made it 58-50 midway through
the third quarter, but Ward scored seven points over the rest of
the quarter as the Knicks used a 14-4 run to take a 72-54 lead into
the fourth.
Portland failed to score from the field over the first 4 1/2
minutes of the fourth and fell behind by 23. Greg Anthony hit three
3-pointers the rest of the way and Portland pulled within eight
with under a minute left, but Luc Longley made two free throws with
46 seconds left to restore a double-digit lead and wrap up the
victory.
"I think there are a lot of myths about our team," Knicks
coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "One is that we don't get ready to play
bad teams, which we really have. We lost to Philly and Utah here in
blowouts, so we have bad games, we have good games."
The good has outweighed the bad to such a degree lately that the
Knicks have won eight of their last nine games.
Allan Houston and Sprewell added 12 points apiece as seven
players scored in double figures for New York.
Smith led Portland with 15 points.
Game notes
Rasheed Wallace picked up his league-leading 21st technical
foul early in the fourth quarter. He refused to speak to the media
after the game. ... Scottie Pippen missed his third straight game
with right elbow tendinitis and said he was unsure if he would play
Sunday night at Detroit. ... Glen Rice returned from a four-game
absence and scored 11 points. ... Portland dropped to 17-4 against
the East.
|
|
ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Portland Clubhouse
New York Clubhouse
RECAPS
Phoenix 103
Dallas 86
New York 91
Portland 78
Atlanta 108
LA Clippers 88
Indiana 87
Miami 71
Orlando 111
Golden State 94
Philadelphia 100
San Antonio 83
Sacramento 84
Houston 81
Milwaukee 115
New Jersey 81
Utah 111
LA Lakers 103
Vancouver 119
Cleveland 107
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Mike Dunleavy Official Site
|
