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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
TORONTO (AP) – Resilient as ever, the New York Knicks didn't
even need Marcus Camby to beat the Toronto Raptors.
Allan Houston, Latrell Sprewell and Charlie Ward hit several
clutch shots in the fourth quarter Sunday as the Knicks shrugged
off the absence of their leading rebounder and shot blocker and
defeated Toronto 97-89.
|  | | Latrell Sprewell, left, drives to the hoop against Toronto's Antonio Davis. |
"When things aren't going well, we respond. Today was another
opportunity to do that," Knicks guard Mark Jackson said.
The Knicks made up for their lack of height by making the most
of every possession. They shot 53 percent from the field, held the
lead for all but a few moments and performed down the stretch like
a playoff-tested team.
After Toronto pulled within two points with 1:46 left, the
Knicks scored the next six points – two each by Sprewell, Houston
and Ward – to lock up the victory and a 2-1 lead in the
best-of-five series.
Game 4 is Wednesday night.
Houston finished with 24 points, Sprewell had 20 and Glen Rice
18. Ward scored all nine of his points in the fourth quarter for
the Knicks, who always seem to play their best when the
circumstances are most dire.
"We've had a lot of experience when we've had to be resilient.
Our experiences in the past have just made us stronger, and we have
guys who have been through it before," Houston said. "Everybody
had a look in their eyes, even on the plane ride up here yesterday.
We knew it wasn't going to be easy but we knew how important this
game was."
This time, the Knicks had to overcome the absence of Camby as he
continues to try to recover from the trauma of having his mother
and two sisters held hostage last Monday. A suspect has been
charged with sexually assaulting one of Camby's sisters.
"I don't know if Marcus is coming back," coach Jeff Van Gundy
said.
Antonio Davis scored 21 points and Vince Carter had 20 for the
Raptors, who shot just 5-for-17 in the fourth quarter.
The Knicks shot 10-for-17 from the field and 7-of-8 from the
line in the fourth while committing just one turnover.
The Knicks held an eight-point lead, 82-74, with just over five
minutes left, but Keon Clark scored six straight points – four on
foul shots – to pull Toronto within two points with 4:04 left.
Carter had a chance to tie with 2½ minutes left, but he missed a
jumper and Oakley threw away the offensive rebound. The Knicks
worked the ball to Houston for a short turnaround jumper and an
88-84 lead with 2:02 left.
Sprewell restored a four-point lead by making two foul shots
with 1:33 left, then forced Carter to take a shot from a poor angle
that hit the top of the backboard.
Houston then hit another jumper, Carter missed a layup and a
putback and Ward knocked down two free throws to give New York a
94-86 lead with 50 seconds left.
"We fought like hell to catch up and it took a lot out of us,"
Carter said. "To win in the playoffs, you have to play a complete
game like we did in Game 2."
The Knicks got off to a fast start and Carter picked up two
fouls in the first 3½ minutes, taking the crowd out of the game.
Toronto committed five fouls and had five turnovers in the first
six minutes and quickly fell behind by nine.
Carter picked up a technical foul for shoving Jackson in the
chest early in the second quarter, and Houston made the free throw
to give the Knicks their first double-digit lead, 30-20.
Carter scored only one point in the second quarter, and the
Raptors continued to trail until early in the third quarter, when
Carter hit two free throws and a 3-pointer and Davis scored on a
post-up following two offensive rebounds to make it 54-54.
New York responded with a 6-0 run and took a 68-67 lead into the
fourth quarter, but Toronto finally took its first lead on a
23-foot jumper by Alvin Williams with 10:27 left. The Knicks
regained the lead on a 3-pointer by Ward that made it 73-72, and
they never trailed again.
"We were small there for a long time – I think 48 minutes,"
Van Gundy said. "I thought we played one of our best games of the
year, and that's what we needed to beat a very good team."
Game notes
NBA commissioner David Stern attended the game and said the
league will look to reduce the amount of off days during the first
round when the league's next television contract begins in the
2002-03 season. ... The game was delayed for six minutes in the
first half after lamp oil spilled at center court during a
performance by a fire-eater. Strangely enough, the fire-eater took
a cigarette break at halftime and asked if anybody had a light.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
New York Clubhouse
Toronto Clubhouse
Raptors-Knicks Series Page
RECAPS
New York 97
Toronto 89
Sacramento 104
Phoenix 96
LA Lakers 99
Portland 86
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Jeff Van Gundy says Glen Rice delivered on Sunday against the Raptors.
wav: 177 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Glen Rice says he played well under pressure.
wav: 105 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Down 2-1, Antonio Davis hopes the Raptors can even the series at home.
wav: 84 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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