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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- With the New York Knicks struggling, Larry Johnson led with more than his mouth against the New Jersey Nets.
|  | | Byron Scott, left, Stephon Marbury and Lucious Harris left with long faces after their skid hit seven games. |
Johnson scored 20 points and combined with Allan Houston to lead
a game-breaking third-quarter spurt that carried the Knicks to a
95-71 victory over the Nets on Friday night.
"Every game is critical," said Johnson after the Knicks won for only the second time in six games. "We're not at the top of our game now. We're not strutting against anybody right now. There are no easy victories."
This one might have been the exception as the Knicks built an 18-point lead early in the third quarter and coasted.
Houston finished with 19, Latrell Sprewell added 18 and the
Knicks held New Jersey to two fourth-quarter field goals in sending
the Nets to their seventh straight loss.
"We really needed this win and everybody realized it," said Johnson, who has been the Knicks' inspirational leader in the locker room all season. "We're still trying to find our identity as a team and we're trying to put a run together before the All-Star break."
Despite the lopsided win, Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy sounded
pessimistic after the game. As usual, he prodded the Knicks for a
lack of interest at times and lauded Johnson for trying to keep
them focused.
"Yeah, he's a great leader," Van Gundy said of Johnson. "I just don't know why you have to keep guys interested. It's their job. I don't understand that. It goes to a bigger problem, a league-wide problem. How can you be disinterested in your job?"
With Keith Van Horn sidelined with a virus, the Knicks did an
excellent job of taking Nets point guard Stephon Marbury out of the
game. He scored a team-high 14 points, but he had to work for every
one.
"Those guys play defense," said Marbury, who shot 5-for-14
from the field. "They play together. They help each other. They do
everything it takes to win. It's tough. It's hard to play against three people."
New York, which shot 51 percent from the field, broke the game
open with a 17-6 spurt to start the second half.
Johnson had six points, starting the run with a 17-foot jumper and ending it with a layup that gave the Knicks a 66-48 lead. Houston hit a running 10-footer and a 3-pointer early to excite the pro-Knicks crowd
New Jersey, which led once in the game, managed to close the gap
to 68-59 late in the quarter with an 11-2 spurt.
However, Glen Rice and Houston killed any hopes of a Nets' rally
by hitting jumpers at the shot clock on the Knicks' next two
possessions.
New Jersey shot only 35 percent from the field, making 25 of 72
shots. The Nets were 2-for-15 in the final 12 minutes.
The Nets, who trailed by 11 points in the first quarter, used a
10-2 spurt to take a 37-36 lead on a jumper by Kenyon Martin late
in the second quarter.
Seconds after the basket, the Nets got called for a technical on
an illegal defense and Houston tied the game with a free throw.
Chris Childs followed with a 3-pointer seconds later and the Knicks
eventually left the court leading 49-42.
Houston ended the half by hitting a free throw after Marbury was called for a technical and nailing a nice pull-up jumper in the lane.
The game was over after six minutes of the third quarter.
Game notes
The Nets announced before the game that guard Kendall Gill
would have exploratory surgery on his right knee next week. ... The
sellout was the 18th consecutive for the Nets against the Knicks, a
streak that dates to December 1991. ... New York is 25-3 when
leading after three quarters. ... Knicks newcomer Othella
Harrington had a game-high nine rebounds. ... Knicks center Marcus
Camby missed the second half because of the flu.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
New York Clubhouse
New Jersey Clubhouse
RECAPS
Indiana 103
Denver 94
Orlando 123
Philadelphia 117
Miami 91
Atlanta 80
New York 95
New Jersey 71
Boston 102
Detroit 95
LA Lakers 93
Charlotte 87
Sacramento 105
Vancouver 95
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Allan Houston lights up the Nets for 19 points.
avi: 1143 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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