NBA FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
NEW YORK 19 26 22 19 86
ATLANTA 20 25 20 13 78 FINAL
HIGH SCORERS: NYK - LATRELL SPREWELL 18, PATRICK EWING 16, LARRY JOHNSON
13
ATL - MOOKIE BLAYLOCK 28, GRANT LONG 19, TYRONE CORBIN 7
HIGH REBOUND: NYK - PATRICK EWING 8, LARRY JOHNSON 8
ATL - DIKEMBE MUTOMBO 21, CHRIS CRAWFORD 6
HIGH ASSISTS: NYK - CHRIS CHILDS 5, CHARLIE WARD 4
ATL - MOOKIE BLAYLOCK 4, GRANT LONG 2
ATT: 21,673
Extended Box
NEW YORK (86) AT ATLANTA (78)
NEW YORK
REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===
JOHNSON F 39 4-10 4-5 3 5 8 3 4 0 1 13
THOMAS F 22 3-6 0-0 2 1 3 0 5 0 0 6
EWING C 37 7-14 2-2 2 6 8 1 2 0 1 16
HOUSTON G 32 4-9 2-2 0 4 4 1 3 0 2 10
WARD G 21 2-8 0-0 2 1 3 4 2 3 2 5
CAMBY 19 4-6 1-2 2 3 5 0 3 1 2 9
CHILDS 27 2-8 3-4 3 1 4 5 1 1 0 7
DUDLEY 11 1-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 2
SPREWELL 32 6-15 6-7 1 4 5 3 1 0 1 18
BRUNSON DNP - COACH'S DECISION
WILLIAMS DNP - COACH'S DECISION
WINGATE DNP - COACH'S DECISION
TOTALS 240 33-77 18-22 15 25 40 17 24 5 9 86
(.429) (.818) TEAM REBS: 6 TOTAL TO: 10(7 PTS)
ATLANTA
REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===
CRAWFORD F 31 3-15 0-0 4 2 6 0 1 0 1 6
HENDERSON F 31 2-8 1-2 0 5 5 0 2 0 1 5
MUTOMBO C 39 3-7 0-2 7 14 21 0 4 0 4 6
BLAYLOCK G 36 10-18 3-3 0 2 2 4 2 0 5 28
SHEPPARD G 18 2-4 0-0 1 1 2 1 0 1 0 5
CORBIN 29 2-9 1-2 2 2 4 1 2 1 1 7
JOHNSON 18 0-3 2-2 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 2
LONG 29 4-6 11-11 2 1 3 2 3 0 2 19
MCLEOD 3 0-2 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0
WEST 6 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0
GRAY DNP - COACH'S DECISION
TOTALS 240 26-72 18-22 16 28 44 9 17 3 16 78
(.361) (.818) TEAM REBS: 8 TOTAL TO: 18(22 PTS)
NEW YORK 19 26 22 19 - 86
ATLANTA 20 25 20 13 - 78
BLOCKED SHOTS: NEW YORK - EWING 2, JOHNSON, DUDLEY. ATLANTA - MUTOMBO 3.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: NEW YORK 2-10 (.200), JOHNSON 1-1, HOUSTON 0-1, WARD
1-5, CHILDS 0-2, SPREWELL 0-1. ATLANTA 8-19 (.421), CRAWFORD 0-1, BLAYLOCK
5-9, SHEPPARD 1-2, CORBIN 2-6, LONG 0-1.
TECHNICALS: NEW YORK - ILLEGAL DEFENSE.
OFFICIALS: JOE FORTE, NOLAN FINE, RODNEY MOTT.
A - 21,673. T - 2:12.
Box Score
NEW YORK (86)
fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
Johnson 39 4-10 4-5 3-8 3 4 13
Thomas 22 3-6 0-0 2-3 0 5 6
Ewing 37 7-14 2-2 2-8 1 2 16
Houston 32 4-9 2-2 0-4 1 3 10
Ward 21 2-8 0-0 2-3 4 2 5
Camby 19 4-6 1-2 2-5 0 3 9
Childs 27 2-8 3-4 3-4 5 1 7
Dudley 11 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 3 2
Sprewell 32 6-15 6-7 1-5 3 1 18
Brunson DNP - coach's decision
Williams DNP - coach's decision
Wingate DNP - coach's decision
_______________________________________________
TOTALS 240 33-77 18-22 15-40 17 24 86
_______________________________________________
Percentages: FG-.429, FT-.818. 3-Point Goals:
2-10, .200 (Johnson 1-1, Houston 0-1, Ward 1-5,
Childs 0-2, Sprewell 0-1). Team rebounds: 6.
Blocked shots: 4 (Ewing 2, Johnson, Dudley).
Turnovers: 10 (Camby 2, Houston 2, Ward 2, Ewing,
Johnson, Sprewell). Steals: 5 (Ward 3, Camby,
Childs).
ATLANTA (78)
fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
Crawford 31 3-15 0-0 4-6 0 1 6
Henderson 31 2-8 1-2 0-5 0 2 5
Mutombo 39 3-7 0-2 7-21 0 4 6
Blaylock 36 10-18 3-3 0-2 4 2 28
Sheppard 18 2-4 0-0 1-2 1 0 5
Corbin 29 2-9 1-2 2-4 1 2 7
Johnson 18 0-3 2-2 0-1 1 1 2
Long 29 4-6 11-11 2-3 2 3 19
Mcleod 3 0-2 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
West 6 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 2 0
Gray DNP - coach's decision
_______________________________________________
TOTALS 240 26-72 18-22 16-44 9 17 78
_______________________________________________
Percentages: FG-.361, FT-.818. 3-Point Goals:
8-19, .421 (Crawford 0-1, Blaylock 5-9, Sheppard
1-2, Corbin 2-6, Long 0-1). Team rebounds: 8.
Blocked shots: 3 (Mutombo 3). Turnovers: 18
(Blaylock 5, Mutombo 4, Long 2, Corbin, Crawford,
Henderson, Johnson, Mcleod). Steals: 3 (Corbin,
Mcleod, Sheppard).
____________________________________________
New York 19 26 22 19 - 86
Atlanta 20 25 20 13 - 78
____________________________________________
Technical fouls: New York 1 (Illegal Defense,
7:32 3rd). Flagrant fouls: None. A: 21,673. T:
2:12. Officials: Joe Forte, Nolan Fine, Rodney
Mott.
Game Story
ATLANTA (Ticker) -- The New York Knicks played with desperation,
intensity and toughness. More importantly, they hit crucial
jumpers and did not commit a turnover in the fourth quarter of
an 86-78 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
Patrick Ewing made two important jumpers in the final four
minutes and the Knicks' defense clamped down on Atlanta in the
waning moments to record a much-needed victory, just two days
after the low point of a disappointing season.
"Any win is important," said Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy. "We
played well at both ends, but we can't exhale. We can't forget
why we played well. One thing that makes it look better is that
the ball went in the basket. That's good."
Ewing's jumper from the right wing with 3:59 to play capped a
9-2 spurt and gave New York an 80-71 lead. Atlanta proceeded to
fight back, closing within 82-76 on two free throws by Grant
Long, who was 11-of-11 from the foul line.
Dikembe Mutombo missed two foul shots with 2 1/2 minutes
remaining that could have brought the Hawks even closer, and
Ewing gave the Knicks some breathing room with a 13-footer from
the right corner that made it 84-76 with 47 seconds left.
"I thought the ball movement was great and the last play made to
Patrick was typical of our night," Van Gundy added. "We moved
the ball well, we made the open looks that we got, we played
strong defensively."
Ewing finished with 16 points and Latrell Sprewell led the way
with 18 for New York, which suffered an embarrassing 106-82 loss
at Charlotte on Wednesday. The Knicks tied Toronto for the final
Eastern Conference playoff spot.
"It was a must win the way we have been playing the last few
weeks," said Ewing. "We haven't been playing particularly well.
It feels good to get one and hopefully we can start from here
making these next few games our season."
Mookie Blaylock netted a season-high 28 points and Long
contributed 19 for Atlanta, which has dropped two straight
following a three-game winning streak.
"I think we gave them too many second shots," said Blaylock. "We
cut that down and we're back in the ballgame and we win the
ballgame. They got a lot of second shots and we can't win that
way."
Two free throws by Long and a layup from Chris Crawford brought
the Hawks within 71-69 with 8:44 left after they had trailed by
six just moments earlier. But Chris Childs, who played a steady
game with seven points, five assists and no turnovers, hit a
short jumper to begin the 9-2 spurt.
"I thought he played a great game," Ewing said of Childs. "He's
been consistent for us all season. He just did what he has been
doing all along."
Larry Johnson hit the first of two free throws, and after
Crawford scored in the lane, Johnson's bank shot gave the Knicks
a 76-71 lead. Sprewell followed with two free throws and
Ewing's jumper provided the Knicks with a nine-point advantage.
Atlanta tried desperately to mount a comeback but were not able
to shake New York's pressure defense in the final two minutes.
Blaylock missed two 3-point attempts and Crawford and Tyrone
Corbin both misfired from beyond the arc.
Blaylock also missed a six-footer with 25 seconds to play after
Childs had connected on a pair of free throws to give the Knicks
an 86-76 advantage and control of the game.
The Knicks were also bolstered by the return of forward Marcus
Camby, who had missed the last three games with a strained left
groin. He had nine points and five rebounds in 19 minutes for
New York, which shot 43 percent (33-of-77) while committing just
10 turnovers.
Mutombo grabbed 21 rebounds and Blaylock dished out four assists
for the Hawks, who connected on just 36 percent (26-of-72) of
their field goals and had 18 miscues leading to 20 New York
points. Atlanta did hold a 44-40 advantage on the boards.
"We shot 36 percent or something like that. If we can't make
shots, then it's going to be real difficult," said Hawks coach
Lenny Wilkens. "We had some opportunities, but we needed a
little more firepower. Of course, when we're not making shots,
then our execution falls off."
