Energized Knicks rout Raptors
Jeremy Lin drives against Jose Calderon of the Toronto Raptors. (March 20, 2012) Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Knicks played with an infectious energy in the fourth quarter last night that was sparked by their defense. There were chest-bumping each other, screaming after big defensive stands and waving their arms for the fans to get up.
Everything is different about the Knicks since Mike D'Antoni resigned one week ago Tuesday. The Knicks have won all four games they've played under Mike Woodson and easily. Their latest victory, a 106-87 laugher over the Toronto Raptors at the Garden, really showed how far the Knicks have come in a very short time.
"Right now it's really how hard we're playing out there," Tyson Chandler said. "Earlier in the season, we were coming to the games worrying about the rotation, trying to figure out who's fault it was and this and that. Right now we're taking all the guessing out because guys are playing so hard."
The Knicks, who have won the four games under Woodson by an average of 22.5 points, go for their fifth straight win Wednesday night in Philadelphia against the Atlantic Division-leading 76ers.
The Knicks (22-24) remain in eighth place, half a game up on the Bucks and they're 21/2 games behind seventh-place Boston. They're also four games behind the Sixers, and believe they can lessen the gap.
"I think [Wednesday night] is a huge game," Chandler said. "I think both teams know it."
Earlier in the season, the Knicks might have lost a game like this, to a lesser opponent.
They had already fallen to the Raptors (15-31) once this season, and needed a dizzying finish and Jeremy Lin's game-winning three-pointer to beat them in Toronto last month.
Lin had another big game. But this time the Knicks were in control for most of the night and had a balanced effort.
Amar'e Stoudemire's 22 points and 12 rebounds were both game highs. Lin finished with 18 points and 10 assists and Carmelo Anthony and Chandler each scored 17 points.
The Knicks played an inspired fourth quarter. They pulled away after the Raptors cut a 16-point deficit to eight with 8:24 left.
But the Knicks forced four turnovers over the next 2:30 and took a 95-77 lead after Anthony came up with a steal and fed Chandler in transition for an alley-oop dunk. In the 11-1 run, Steve Novak slapped away a pass and was rewarded on the other end as Lin fed him for a three-pointer. After Stoudemire blocked a layup, the Knicks got possession and Anthony knocked down a 15-foot jumper.
"We did what we had to do from a defensive standpoint," Woodson said. "Make no mistake about it, it was our defense that got us the spurt we needed. That's what good teams are supposed to do. We just got to bottle it up and just continue to do it."
The Knicks have been more committed defensively and more focused overall since the change. Anthony admitted he's been re-energized, which is an indictment on how he played at the end of D'Antoni's time on the bench. But all the Knicks seems to be playing with renewed passion and heart.
They outworked the Raptors all night, pulling down 16 more rebounds total and had a 16-4 edge on the offensive boards. The Knicks held a 20-6 advantage on second-chance points.
"We're a different team right now," Stoudemire said. "We're playing at a higher level at both ends of the court. We're all over teams. "We know what we've got to do to win. Coach Woodson put that ultimatum on us, for us to go out and play hard. We know how great we are from a personnel standpoint. It's just a matter of playing that way."
They have for four games.
