Late Rally Falls Short as Bucks Top Knicks

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun

MILWAUKEE — Mo Williams had 30 points, including a running, 20-foot jumper with 3.1 seconds left, and 10 assists to lift the Milwaukee Bucks to a 107–105 victory over the Knicks yesterday to snap a sixgame losing streak.

Williams, who missed the last nine games after spraining his left shoulder in a collision on January 8 at Denver, brought some desperately needed energy and bailed out the struggling Bucks after they nearly blew a 13-point lead with just under 9 minutes to play.

Milwaukee, which had lost 11 of its last 12 and nearly completed its first winless month at home in more than 15 years, outhustled the Knicks for most of the game before New York made a furious rally.

Jamal Crawford, who scored 17 points in the fourth and finished with 26, started by scoring the Knicks’ first 10 points of the final quarter. He picked up his fifth foul with 5:05 left and the Knicks down 91–85, but New York didn’t fold.

Andrew Bogut, who had 18 points and nine rebounds, finished a fast break with a dunk with 1:33 left to make it 102–95, but Stephon Marbury scored the next five points off two free throws and a long 3-pointer to make it 102–100 with a minute to go.

Williams and Marbury traded baskets before Williams hit his running jumper with Marbury tightly defending him with 3.1 seconds to play. Crawford hit an open 3 to make it 106–105 and the Knicks fouled Williams with 0.4 seconds left.

Williams, who meant to miss his second free throw, made it, giving the Knicks a chance to tie or win, but Crawford couldn’t get a 3-pointer off from the corner in time.

Brian Skinner had a season-high, 14 rebounds as Milwaukee held a 46–43 edge against the secondbest rebounding team in the league, even though the Knicks got back Eddy Curry after missing a game with a sore left calf. Curry, averaging 19.4 points and 7.1 rebounds, looked like he was poised for another big game early on. He made his first five shots, but finished with 15 points and four rebounds.

David Lee scored 19 points on 9–for–12 shooting and added 14 rebounds for New York, while Marbury finished with 15 points and Renaldo Balkman added 12.

Ruben Patterson scored 21 points, Charlie Bell had 16, and Earl Boykins 13 for Milwaukee.

Crawford nearly showed up too late to help the Knicks following his career-best 52-point effort against the Heat. He missed his first six shots before scoring on a layup with 1:12 left in the first half.

Williams, still missing starting backcourt mate Michael Redd (strained knee tendon) was quietly having a breakout season before being injured. He is one of three players in the league averaging 17 points, five rebounds, and five assists, along with LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.

Nate Robinson, who hit a 43-foot jumper at the end of the first quarter that was waved off after review, did one better by sinking another shot from beyond halfcourt at the halftime buzzer to pull the Knicks to 52–47.


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