Knicks rally with 'D,' Douglas but fall to Jazz
Photo credit: Getty Images | Deron Williams drives to the basket against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. (November 9, 2009)
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Nov. 9: Jazz 95, Knicks 93
Mike D'Antoni employed a zone and, finally, someone got into one.
With a 2-3 defense and a hot hand from rookie Toney Douglas, the Knicks erased a 21-point deficit in the second half, but Douglas missed on a potential game-tying leaner at the buzzer in a 95-93 loss to the Utah Jazz last night at the Garden.
The Knicks (1-7) have lost four straight and are now one loss from tying the worst start in franchise history, set in 2003-04.
Douglas scored a career-high 21 points and hit 9-for-14 from the field. Douglas and Larry Hughes combined for the top of the zone defense, which, according to Hughes, "was something new for us." It worked for the Sacramento Kings in the previous game against the Jazz (3-4), so D'Antoni worked it into the plan during Sunday's practice.
It helped, but what really made the difference was the Knicks, after an 0-for-10 effort from three-point range in the first half, started hitting shots. They were 8-for-19 in the second half and after scoring just 31 after two quarters, had 33 in the third.
Chris Duhon (eight points, four assists in 28:11) didn't get off the bench in the entire fourth quarter, as D'Antoni decided to stay with Douglas, who tied the score at 93 when he left Deron Williams (16 assists) in a screen by Jared Jeffries and drove for a layup with 1:36 left in the game. But at the other end of the floor, the Knicks failed to get a body on Mehmet Okur, who scored on a putback with 1:17 left to complete the scoring.
The Knicks had several chances to tie or take the lead but failed miserably in the final minute. Al Harrington missed a three-pointer from the corner with 1:01 left and Hughes had his shot blocked by Ronnie Brewer with 24.9 seconds left. But the Jazz couldn't put the dagger in and the Knicks had one last chance when Wilson Chandler rebounded Brewer's midrange miss with 6.4 seconds left.
Douglas took the inbounds pass and went one-on-one against Williams, who stayed with the rookie and forced him into an off-balance up-and-under. "We did the best we could do," Douglas said of the play.
Carlos Boozer had 23 points and 14 rebounds for the Jazz (3-4), who won at the Garden for the first time since 2004.
