Knicks Let Lead Slip Away Along With Playoff Hopes

Andre Iguodala scored 18 points and blocked Stephon Marbury's potential winning 3-point try, giving the Philadelphia 76ers a 92–90 victory over the Knicks last night.

Kyle Korver added 17 points for the 76ers, who overcame Marbury's big second half. Andre Miller scored 14, including a tough jumper with 7.4 seconds to go.

Marbury scored 28 of his 30 points after halftime, helping New York turn a double-digit deficit into a nine-point lead. But the Knicks couldn't hold it and lost their third straight, falling to 2–9 since coach Isiah Thomas was given a contract extension when New York was in eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

Both teams entered with slim playoff hopes. The Knicks were 10th in the East, 2 1/2 games behind Orlando for the final playoff spot. Philadelphia climbed within a game of New York with its victory.

The Knicks had a final chance after Korver, who came in leading the NBA in free throw shooting at 92%, missed a pair from the line with 2.1 seconds left. But Iguodala got a piece of Marbury's hurried shot behind the arc and time expired.