Knicks, Stoudemire grind out 2-OT win over Pistons
New York Knicks' Amar'e Stoudemire (1) is fouled by Detroit Pistons' Greg Monroe while going to the basket in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Auburn Hills, Mich. (Nov. 28, 2010) Credit: AP Photo/Duane Burleson
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Amar'e Stoudemire called it a battle of wills.
The Knicks' inability to close the door on the Pistons nearly pushed their depleted bench to its limit. But despite missing two injured players, the Knicks gutted out a 125-116 double-overtime victory over Detroit Sunday.
It was their fifth straight road win, their longest streak since the 2000-01 season, and moved the Knicks back to .500 at 9-9.
Stoudemire, who was one of three Knicks starters to play a career high in minutes, scored 37 points and shot 12-for-20 from the field in 54:05. He also tied a season high with 15 rebounds and added seven assists despite an ankle sprain. Raymond Felton, who was suffering from stomach flu symptoms, had 23 points and 11 assists in 53:29.
Danilo Gallinari, who played, 51:40, and Wilson Chandler added 20 points each. Landry Fields had 16 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in a game that lasted 2 hours, 48 minutes. "We knew it was a very important win to get,'' Stoudemire said, "and we got it."
Tayshaun Prince had 31 points, eight rebounds and seven assists and Rodney Stuckey added 29 points for the Pistons.
Gallinari failed to end the game in regulation when he missed a contested three-pointer. But he made up for that in the second overtime, hitting back-to-back threes for a six-point lead, and Chandler's three-pointer made it 118-109 with 2:36 left.
"We would've been halfway to New York if he had done it the first time," coach Mike D'Antoni joked about Gallinari. "He cost us a half-hour, 45 minutes. But at the same time, he did hit some big shots."
Gallinari said with a smile: "The next time I'll make sure I hit that so we can get home."
Without injured guard Toney Douglas (bruised thigh) and Ronny Turiaf (sore knee), the Knicks turned to a bevy of backups, including Bill Walker (six points) and Shawne Williams, who made his debut in the third quarter and scored his only basket of the game - a tip-in of Stoudemire's missed layup - 24 seconds later.
Fields, who had two critical putbacks in overtime and hit a corner three to put the Knicks up 121-111 with 1:24 remaining, played 51:19, the most minutes by a rookie since the Bulls' Derrick Rose in 2009.
"I knew that in the clutch, we were going to go to our big guns, Amar'e and Raymond, for big shots,'' Fields said, "so I know my defender knows that, and if he's not watching me, I can sneak in and get some points, and I did."
The Knicks finished the game 15-for-38 from three-point range to the Pistons' 5-for-13.
The Knicks have been finding ways to win on the road, but bringing that fighting spirit to their own arena hasn't been easy. They're 7-4 on the road and 2-5 at the Garden.
"Now we've got to figure out some way to win at home," D'Antoni said. " . . . Thank goodness we're winning on the road, or else we'd be in real trouble."
