by Stop Mike Lupica on January 16 at 11:42PM
The Knicks are rocking the throwback jerseys. They look very early 90's. Like "Greg Anthony coming off the bench in a suit and with a cast on his wrist, looking to beat some Phoenix Sun heads".The Nets open up hitting their first four shots (9-2 lead). I guess these guys aren't tired from a long road trip or anything. Damn Nets won't be mailing it in tonight....
Sean Williams opens up with 10 of the first 17 points for the Nets (Nets lead 17-10).
Stephon Marbury's was interviewed before the game, on questions regarding his bone spurs. They showed his responses to those questions, and the whole time he's anwsering, he has this "Why you asking such stupid questions" vibe he's giving off.
Sigh. Poor defense again, as the Nets open up 11/15 FGs, and have a 23-13 lead with 4:30 left in the 1st. They might score 30 in the first quarter. If so, that would be the 12th time that a team has scored 30 in the first against the Knicks so far this season (38 games).
Jason Kidd had 4 points (2/2 shooting) and 10 assists in the first quarter, as the Nets lead 33-18. 10 assists! The record for assists in a game is 30, by Scott Skiles; Kidd is on pace for 40 assists.
By the way, that's the second time this season a point guard has had 10 assists against the Knicks in the first quarter - Chauncey Billups also did this to the Knicks earlier this season.
The Knicks start cutting into the lead (16 at one point) in the second, thanks to Nate Robinson's defense on Jason Kidd (not creating easy shots as much now). The Knicks' offense also improves, thanks to better team passing this quarter. At one point in the second, the Knicks had 9 turnovers versus 6 assists, according to the announcers. From that point on, the Knicks got only assists and no turnovers for the rest of the quarter. Not coincidentally, they got back into the game.
After a Crawford three, Robinson gets a quick steal, and dishes to Crawford, who hits the shot to cut the lead to 51-48. It's nice to see the Knicks not quitting.
After a Vince Carter airball, Robinson drives all the way to the hoop before the Nets can set up their defense. He gets fouled, and hits both free throws to cut it to 53-52. A Josh Boone layup puts the Nets up three, though. 55-52 at the half.
3rd Quarter:
A nice entry pass from Crawford to Curry leads to a three point play, and the Knicks first lead of the game, 57-55. A Randolph jumper completes the 7-0 run, and puts them up 59-55. Kidd hits a three to end the run.
Crawford's long arms as a point guard comes in handy on this one play in the third - first he steals the pass from Boone to Kidd, gets into the open court, and gets fouled by Kidd, but completes the play. He hits the free throw to put the Knicks up 70-62. He has 17 points now, with six assists, and best of all, no turnovers.
After a Vince Carter three, guess who matches with a three of his own? Crawford. 73-65. The Knicks now have 17 assists to 9 turnovers. That's right, they haven't turned the ball over in more than a quarter, while racking up 11 assists since that point they were 16 points behind the Nets.
The Nets have a lot of Big East alumni on their bench - Josh Boone, Malik Allen, Marcus Williams, Sean Williams.
Robinson just needs to play point guard more. His ability to push the ball up whenever he feels like he can beat the opposing team back is... a nice advantage.
Jefferson gets fouled by Richardson, who had something to say about it (Jefferson throw a bit of a lame elbow after the play). Jefferson then pushed Richardson, and the teams start jawing a bit. Isiah has to come out and hold Nate back. Yo, Nate... everyone knows you are ready to throw down... chill, son. Chill. Be easy.
Crawford fifth three-pointer, with 34 seconds left, puts the Knicks up 86-78. That's how the third quarter will end.
4th Quarter:
After a missed layup by Kidd, Nate Robinson gets open for a three. Crawford (of course) hits him with the pass, and... swish. 94-79 with 9:00 to go. Wow, what a turnaround. From 16 down to 15 up, in about 20 minutes.
After a timeout, though, the Nets start creeping back. Boone with a three point play, to cut it to 12. Nate and Jamal play "let's make the extra pass" one too many times, and Lee can't finish the play. Carter hits a deuce, and it's 94-84 with 8:00 to go.
After Sean Williams misses a shot, Crawford again gives the Knicks some breathing room. 96-84.
Back to back possessions end in offensive interference, and the Nets take advantage, cutting it to 97-95, with 4:44 to go in the fourth.
Curry shorts it. On the Nets end, Sean WIlliams is killing the glass, grabbing board after board. Jefferson ties the game up at 97. Crawford gets blocked by Sean Williams. As it has been all season long, the shotblocking center is causing havoc against the Knicks.
Richardson gets bailed out by a Jefferson foul. He hits one out of two. 98-97, 3:15 left. A Nets tip makes it 99-98 Nets with 2:40 to go.
Randolph gets fouled by Williams, and hits both with 2:27 to go. 100-99 Knicks.
Offensive interference negates a bucket for the Nets. With under two to go, the Knicks go to Randolph, who dribbles into a double team, and gets stripped. Don't force it, holmes.
Jefferson gets fouled on a reach in, and hits one of two. 100-100 with 1:42 left.
Crawford banks it in with a 3 seconds left on the shot clock. 102-100.
Sean WIlliams gets fouled by Crawford at the 1:10 mark. He hits both. 102-102.
Crawford nails a three (#6!), making it 105-102 with 57.5 seconds to go. It wasn't a good shot, by the way. Not that it ever matters with Jamal.
The Nets get desperate - Carter throws a pass off the glass to himself, gets it out to Kidd, who just misses the open three. Randolph grabs the rebound with 38 second to go, and Jefferson fouls him for no apparent reason. Jefferson fouls out, and Randolph hits both. The Knicks are 26/28 from the line tonight, with both misses being Curry. 107-102 with 38 ticks to go.
Carter misses the jumper, and Fred Jones grabs the rebound. He gets fouled, and has an opportunity to ice the game. He hits both. 109-102. That should do it.
Here's a new one... the Knick fans at the Izod Center are chanting "New York Knicks! New York Knicks!" They should be chanting "Portland Trail Blazers", because right now, that's the goal the Knicks should have. Namely, to go on a long winning streak, the kind that hopefully will get them back within sight of .500.
Someone pointed out that it was around this time of the season two years ago that the Knicks won six games in a row under Larry Brown, during that season. Just saying....
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SML, I want to jump on board, but besides Nate growth I don't see much that would indicate a longterm change. I think that we are experiencing that Larry Brown stretch,,,