by Stop Mike Lupica on March 4 at 2:39AM
Huh? The Knicks were getting stomped by the Hawks, trailing 31-15 after the first. They looked lethargic, as they always do in the second game of a back-to-back, especially when they win the first. Curry was off tonight, from the get go, and it seemed like a lost cause.
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In the second, the Knicks actually dominated the Hawks far more than the score indicated. We at SML don't really like complaining about officiating; we feel it often balances out, and bad calls are the crutch of the weak who can't muster up the balls to admit they got beat. But, especially considering the Knicks won, it seems necessary to point out that tonight's game seemed to be called in favor of the Hawks. The only statistic to back this claim is that the Knicks attempted 36 FT to Atlanta's 34; while this might seem to indicate an evenly called game, keep in mind that the Knicks routinely attempt far more FT than their opponents.
That second quarter featured a few calls that seemed off - a 24 second violation wiped out a 3-pointer by Marty Collins; an offensive foul was called on a dunk by Jeffries in which the Hawk player seemed to be in the restricted area; and most obviously, Malik Rose was somehow called for a foul when he took an elbow to the face from a Hawk on what was clearly an offensive foul.
Complaints about the refs aside, in the fourth the Knicks took over and went small to get back in the game. They eliminated a double figure lead by going with a lineup that featured three point guards (!) and two rookies: Marbury, Francis, Marty Collins, Balkman, and, at center I guess, Jared Jeffries. This lineup was necessiated by the injuries to Crawford, Lee, and Robinson, plus Q-Rich's back injury flared up early in the first half, limiting Isiah's options. The small lineup worked, since Atlanta doesn't have any strong low-post players; the Knicks were able to get outside, pressure the shooters, and get into passing lanes and force turnovers. Plus Collins, like Balkman and Jeffries, is a strong defensive player. Despite giving up the size, the Knicks were able to maintain a rebound edge, thanks to Balkman's rebounding prowess (we've said it before, but Balkman is as good as Lee at rebounding and hustling) and the Knicks guards. Marbury, Francis and Collins combined for 14 rebounds, not bad for a bunch of point guards.
Nothing needs to be said here about Marbury; he had another amazing game, swishing threes and hitting big baskets every single time it seemed the Knicks need one. Francis was also productive in the second half, driving hard and getting fouls called. Francis and Marbury got to the line a combined 24 times.
This win gives the Knicks two in a row, and a chance to get some momentum going. Their next game is Tuesday at home against Seattle. Despite having Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis playing together again (though Ray Allen may be hobbled by spurs, and may not make it to NY), Seattle is very beatable. And the Knicks have been great at home. If they can rest up, get Lee and maybe Q-Rich back, and beat the Sonics, they will have a three game winning streak and can continue to get back into the playoff picture. As it stands now, the Knicks are one game behind the Nets, who lost tonight. The Magic also lost tonight, as did the Pacers (now at .500 and tied with the Heat for the 6th spot). We told ya the Pacers would fall to .500 a few weeks ago, didn't we? Anyway, big win, which if it can continue, might lead the Knicks back to the playoffs....
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