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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
NEW YORK (AP) – Two miracle shots were enough, so the Knicks
didn't let the Mavericks attempt a third.
After watching Dallas tie the game with last-second shots at the
end of regulation and the first overtime, New York committed a
strategic intentional foul to make sure it didn't happen again.
|  | | Allan Houston's foul on Michael Finley at the end of the second OT allowed the Knicks to avoid another Mavs miracle shot. |
Allan Houston fouled Michael Finley with 0.8 seconds left in the
second overtime, preventing the Mavericks from attempting a
game-tying 3-pointer as the Knicks beat Dallas 96-93 Wednesday
night.
"It was a huge win for us, actually, since I understand
Milwaukee and Philly lost," Houston said. "This was a game where
we could have been deflated by those shots, but Jeff (Van Gundy)
kept saying 'Put it behind you.'
"We really wanted this game going into the (All-Star) break,
and we refused to let those shots get us down."
The Knicks improved to 5-0 in overtime games, but only after
Finley tied the game with an off-balance 15-footer at the buzzer in
regulation and Howard Eisley made a 3-pointer with one second left
to send it to double-overtime.
Latrell Sprewell had 20 points, 11 rebounds and five assists,
Houston added 18 points and seven assists, and Marcus Camby had 15
points and 15 rebounds for New York.
Finley had 21 points to lead the Mavericks, who had their
three-game winning streak snapped and lost for the first time in 26
games this season in which they took a lead into the fourth
quarter.
"You saw us as what we are – cardiac kids, push it to the wire
and get into these overtime situations," acting Mavericks head
coach Donn Nelson said. "We just weren't able to close it."
Houston hit an 8-footer with 47 seconds left in the second
overtime to tie it, and Sprewell then picked off an errant pass by
Finley and was fouled driving to the bucket. His two foul shots
gave New York a 95-93 lead with 23.9 seconds left.
The Mavericks then got the ball to Finley in the left corner,
and his jumper over Glen Rice barely scraped the rim. Sprewell was
fouled and hit just one of two free throws with 5.9 seconds left,
leaving the score 96-93 and giving the Mavs one last chance.
Dallas got the ball into Finley's hands, and Houston grabbed him
around the waist just past midcourt with 0.8 seconds left.
"We're up three, so rather than give them a clear shot at a
3-pointer we make them shoot some free throws," Houston said. "We
were fortunate that a lot of time came off the clock, because they
didn't have much time. They held the ball for a couple of seconds
before seeing Finley at halfcourt, so that cost them."
Finley missed the first free throw and intentionally missed the
second, and the Knicks inbounded cleanly to run out the clock.
Dallas owner Mark Cuban, making his first visit to Madison
Square Garden, jumped onto the scorer's table and rolled around
gleefully on his back after Finley sent it to overtime.
Cuban's response was enthusiastic but a bit more subdued after
Eisley hit his 3-pointer in the first overtime. After Dallas lost,
however, he walked off hanging his head.
"I'll remember the fun of the game itself, and I'll wonder why
they kept announcing the score. People in New York, can't they read
numbers?" Cuban asked. "It was a special experience, I was
excited to come here and it was worth every minute of it."
The Knicks trailed for much of the fourth quarter, but Larry
Johnson hit a 3-pointer with 36 seconds left to tie it at 78.
Eisley missed for Dallas at the other end, and Houston hit a
6-footer with 8.6 seconds left to give the Knicks a two-point lead.
Dirk Nowitzki missed a 12-footer with the clock running out, but
the ball went out of bounds off New York with 0.6 seconds left to
give Finley the chance to tie it.
Game notes
Knicks forward Othella Harrington did not play as Van Gundy
went with an eight-man rotation. Point guards Charlie Ward and
Chris Childs both sat out the two overtimes. ... Greg Buckner
started for Dallas as point guard Steve Nash missed his third
straight game with a sore left hamstring. ... Nelson said it is
"not out of the realm of possibility" that Chinese center Wang
Zhi-Zhi could join the team in late March or early April. Wang must
first secure a release from the Chinese Army. ... The Mavericks
haven't won at the Garden since 1990. ... The Knicks improved to
12-6 against teams from the West. Dallas dropped to 16-6 against
Eastern Conference teams.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Dallas Clubhouse
New York Clubhouse
RECAPS
Boston 94
Milwaukee 91
Houston 112
Philadelphia 87
San Antonio 107
Cleveland 89
New York 96
Dallas 93
Orlando 107
Washington 98
Minnesota 117
Sacramento 88
Portland 97
Seattle 80
Golden State 89
LA Clippers 88
LA Lakers 85
Phoenix 83
Utah 92
Vancouver 82
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