Late Burst in OT Helps Knicks End 9-Game Skid
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INDIANAPOLIS – Michael Sweetney scored a career-high 20 points and hit a rebound basket in the final second of overtime yesterday, and the Knicks beat the Indiana Pacers 113-112, capping their longest losing streak in 20 years at nine games.
The Pacers, who had a season-best six-game winning streak end, were ahead 112-106 with a minute left after a driving layup by Reggie Miller, who led Indiana with 34 points.
But Sweetney, whose previous high was 19 points three times this season, scored a basket and free throw to pull the Knicks within three points. Jerome Williams then stole the ball from Stephen Jackson, and Stephon Marbury hit a layup to cut the lead to one with 31 seconds to go.
Marbury, who had 17 points and a season-high 19 assists, missed a free throw that would have tied the game. But the Knicks got the ball back when Indiana was called for a 24-second violation on the next possession. After a timeout, Marbury drove into the lane and missed, but Sweetney was there for the rebound and put the ball back up for the winning basket.
Officials looked at a replay and determined the shot was good, and the Knicks huddled at midcourt to celebrate.
Jamal Crawford led New York with 32 points. Kurt Thomas, whose second 3-pointer of the season with 12 seconds left in regulation sent the game to overtime, added 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Jackson finished with 27 points for Indiana, while Anthony Johnson added 18 points and a career-high 16 assists.
The Knicks, saddled with their longest losing streak since they lost 12 straight in 1985, hit eight of their first nine shots and took a 19-11 first-quarter lead before Thomas went out with his second foul midway through the period.
Even then, New York continued hitting, and an 8-0 run on consecutive baskets by Crawford, Marbury, Sweetney, and Marbury again gave the Knicks their biggest lead at 30-17.
Indiana closed to 51-48 at halftime and tied the game twice late in the third quarter before Crawford and Sweetney scored six points each in a 12-0 run. Jackson and Johnson combined for 23 points in the fourth quarter as Indiana came back again.
Two free throws by Miller gave the Pacers a 104-101 lead before Thomas hit his tying 3-pointer.
