| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
 GAME FLOW
NEW YORK (AP) -- The first game of the post-Ewing era was a total
humiliation for the New York Knicks.
Allen Iverson scored 25 points, Toni Kukoc went 10-for-12 in
adding 23, and the Philadelphia 76ers did as they pleased Tuesday
night in a 101-72 thumping of the Knicks.
|  | | Toni Kukoc, top, sparked the Sixers with his dominant 23-point effort on 10-for-12 shooting. |
The game was a complete debacle for New York, which played slow,
sloppy basketball and had its worst defeat ever in a season-opener.
The fans started booing in the second quarter as the Knicks fell
behind by 10, and the humiliation reached a peak late in the third
quarter as the crowd chanted "Pat-rick Ew-ing" as the home team
fell behind by 26.
"Down 25 or 30 points, I'm surprised they didn't say anything
worse," Latrell Sprewell said. "We've set the bar so low, I can't
see us not improving."
Nowhere was New York's deficiency more pronounced than in the
middle, where Marcus Camby -- Ewing's replacement in the pivot for
the time being -- was repeatedly scored upon.
Kukoc scored nine points while being guarded by Camby in the
second quarter, and the Sixers found more success by giving the
ball to Theo Ratliff and Tyrone Hill when Camby was switched to
them defensively.
Ratliff added 12 points, Eric Snow had 11 and George Lynch
contributed nine points and 11 rebounds. The Sixers shot 58 percent
from the field.
"We shared the ball and found the right people in the right
places," Kukoc said.
Allan Houston had 21 points but was the only player to find a
rhythm offensively for the Knicks. Sprewell shot 1-for-9 and had
six points, while Glen Rice -- the key player acquired in the trade
that sent Ewing to Seattle -- came off the bench to shoot just
3-for-8 while scoring nine points.
The game started turning Philadelphia's way in the second
quarter as the Knicks looked uncomfortable in their halfcourt sets
and began turning the ball over with regularity.
A 7-0 run ending with a jump hook by Ratliff gave the 76ers a
44-32 lead and brought out the boobirds, and a 5-0 run to start the
second half -- ending with Ratliff making a short hook over Camby --
made it 56-41.
The Knicks committed 10 of their 22 turnovers in the third
quarter, and Philadelphia outscored New York 29-13 in the period to
take an 80-54 lead into the fourth.
Kukoc had consecutive steals and baskets early in the fourth to
increase the lead to 86-54, and the building was three-quarters
empty by the time the final buzzer sounded.
"I thought this game would be a good barometer for where we're
at because everything we don't do particularly well they do well,"
Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "We were exposed tonight."
Game notes
Knicks rookie Lavor Postell has been assigned Ewing's old
locker. Center Vladimir Stepania had it during training camp before
he was cut. ... Sixers president Pat Croce will ride a motorcycle
Sunday at a Toys for Tots benefit in Philadelphia. It will be his
first time back on a bike since he nearly severed his foot in a
motorcycle accident two summers ago. ... The Sixers have asked the
league whether Joe Smith's Larry Bird rights will revert to
Philadelphia if he loses his appeal Thursday before arbitrator
Kenneth Dam. Smith played for the Sixers before joining the
Minnesota Timberwolves prior to the 1998-99 season. Commissioner
David Stern voided Smith's current contract and his two previous
contracts last week. The Sixers won't get an answer from the league
until Dam issues his ruling, which could come as soon as Thursday
night.
| |
ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Philadelphia Clubhouse
New York Clubhouse
RECAPS
Charlotte 106
Atlanta 82
Cleveland 86
New Jersey 82
Orlando 97
Washington 86
Dallas 97
Milwaukee 93
Philadelphia 101
New York 72
Detroit 104
Toronto 95
Sacramento 100
Chicago 81
Minnesota 106
Houston 98
San Antonio 98
Indiana 85
Utah 107
LA Clippers 94
Golden State 96
Phoenix 94
LA Lakers 96
Portland 86
Vancouver 94
Seattle 88
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Jeff Van Gundy says the Knicks deserved to get blown out.
wav: 131 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Latrell Sprewell says the veterans are to blame for the Knicks' poor play.
wav: 129 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
|
