|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME FLOW
NEW YORK (AP) – The Knicks weren't all that great in their final
game of the season, just good enough to secure home-court advantage
in the first round of the playoffs.
|  | | Kurt Thomas, left, gave an all-out effort against Mikki Moore and the Pistons with the Knicks needing a win for homecourt advantage in the playoffs. |
Needing a victory to lock up the fourth seed in the Eastern
Conference, the Knicks got big games from big men Kurt Thomas and
seldom-used Felton Spencer to hold off the Detroit Pistons 94-88
Wednesday night.
Although they continued their season-long trend of playing
inconsistently and down to the level of their opponent, the Knicks
did enough down the stretch to gain a victory they absolutely
needed.
New York will play Toronto, which defeated the Knicks 3-1 in the
season series, in a first-round matchup beginning Sunday. Had they
lost to Detroit, the Knicks would have had to go to Toronto to play
Games 1 and 2 at the Air Canada Center.
The Knicks swept the Raptors in a first-round series last
season.
"If we're playing our best, we can compete with anybody,"
coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "They are a better team than they were
last year, we're a different team, and we know how close last
year's series was. Although it was a sweep, it came down to one
possession in all three games."
If Jerry Stackhouse had found his shooting touch, this one might
have ended differently. Stackhouse shot just 6-for-21, while
backcourt partner Chucky Atkins was equally bad, shooting just
2-for-9.
The Pistons trailed just 91-85 entering the final minute, but
Atkins rushed a 3-pointer that missed badly. After Charlie Ward
missed a shot for New York, Atkins made one of two from the line to
make it a five-point game.
Atkins made it 92-88 on a layup with 22 seconds remaining, but
Sprewell made a pair from the line two seconds later and Barros
missed an off-balance jumper to end Detroit's last chance.
"It was our fourth game in five nights in four different
cities, and it would have been easy to pack it in," Pistons coach
George Irvine said. "But we battled all the way, and I'm proud of
the fact that we gave them a game."
Thomas, starting in place of injured center Marcus Camby
(bruised hip), had 20 points and 14 rebounds. Spencer, who had
scored only 24 points all season, had a season-high 15.
Allan Houston added 18 and Glen Rice 15 for the Knicks, who
qualified for the playoffs for the 14th consecutive year. New York
hasn't been knocked out in the first round since 1991.
Stackhouse finished with 22 points for the Pistons, whose 32-50
record represented a drop of 10 victories from last season -- Grant
Hill's last in Detroit.
The Knicks led by six late in the third quarter when the final
score of the Raptors-Wizards game went up on the out-of-town
scoreboard, and the Pistons got their deficit down to four before
Rice hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to make it 78-69 entering the
fourth.
With Spencer scoring 15 points before the second quarter was
three minutes old, the Knicks opened a double-digit lead as
Stackhouse was missing nine of his first 10 shots.
"It was my best game in a couple of seasons, because this is
the first time I've really had an opportunity to go out there and
play and get involved," Spencer said. "It was fun."
Houston also finished the first half with 15 to help the Knicks
to a 60-49 halftime lead.
Game notes
Rookie referee Courtney Kirkland ejected Joe Smith but then
quickly changed his mind after Smith flung the ball at him while
falling out of bounds early in the fourth quarter. Van Gundy ripped
Kirkland after the game for his "arrogance." ... The Knicks
placed Camby on the injured list before the game and activated
swingman Lavor Postell. ... Irvine said he expects to return next
season. He said there was no chance he would resign, even if
management asked him to.
 Send this story to a friend
|
|
ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Detroit Clubhouse
New York Clubhouse
RECAPS
Charlotte 97
Boston 92
Chicago 92
Philadelphia 86
Toronto 98
Washington 92
Indiana 105
Cleveland 101
New York 94
Detroit 88
Miami 103
Orlando 91
Dallas 120
Minnesota 100
Denver 110
Sacramento 100
Seattle 105
San Antonio 67
AUDIO/VIDEO
 The Knicks' Charlie Ward penetrates and dishes to Kurt Thomas.
avi: 570 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Glen Rice drives to the hoop for two of his 15 points.
avi: 635 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
|
