Knicks top Bobcats again for 5-game win streak
Amare Stoudemire and Raymond Felton react to a call during their game against the Charlotte Bobcats. (Nov. 24, 2010) Credit: Getty Images
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - When you keep bending, eventually you break. So far the Knicks haven't and, as a result, neither has their winning streak. Amar'e Stoudemire came up with the game-saving play when he blocked a dunk attempt by Stephen Jackson with 34.2 seconds left and the Knicks leading by one to preserve what became a 99-95 win over the Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena and what is now a run of five straight victories.
"I saw him coming, he was going to try me," said Stoudemire, who finished with six blocked shots to go along with 20 points. "He normally goes up strong, but I was able to time it perfectly."
Rookie Landry Fields hit one of two from the line on the ensuing possession and his second miss went to Tyrus Thomas, but Raymond Felton stole the rebound and fed Danilo Gallinari, who was fouled. Gallinari hit both free throws to complete the scoring for the Knicks (8-8), who move back to .500 after a 3-8 start. The last time the Knicks were at the .500 mark 16 games into the season was in 2008-09, D'Antoni's first season.
"The good news is we have a five-game winning streak," D'Antoni said. "The bad news is, we're .500. So let's be real and try to get the win on Saturday."
The Knicks host the Atlanta Hawks at the Garden on Saturday, looking to extend the streak to six, which hasn't been done since 2005-06, when Larry Brown was the coach. The Knicks completed a home-and-home sweep over Brown's Bobcats, who lost Tuesday at the Garden, 110-107.
Felton, who purchased about 300 tickets for family and friends for his homecoming game in Charlotte, led the Knicks with 23 points and 13 assists, along with six turnovers. Wilson Chandler added 21 points, including a three-pointer with 2:54 left when the Bobcats were surging. Chandler's play down the stretch was doubly important because Ronny Turiaf, who is such a big part of the Knick defensive effort, stayed on the bench with a sore knee. Turiaf, who missed three games with a sprained knee, said he could have played, but Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni said he "didn't want to push it."
Tyrus Thomas had 26 points and 11 rebounds to lead Charlotte (5-10), which managed to take the lead at 95-94 on his three-point play with 1:29 left. But Stoudemire answered 10 seconds later by drawing a foul on Thomas for a pair of free throws to put the Knicks back on top at 96-95.
The Knicks, who lead the NBA in blocks (126), had 11 for the game.
The Knicks built a 14-point lead (81-67) late in the third quarter, but the Bobcats went on a 19-6 run that started with 39.6 seconds left in the third and carried into the fourth to close the deficit to 87-86 after a back door cut by D.J. Augustin with 4:15 left. In every game during this streak, the Knicks have had double-digit leads in the second half and saw each dwindle for tight finishes. But it hasn't cost them yet.
"We need to get better closing games out, but we're still finishing them," Felton said. "That's a good thing. That's why we're on a five-game winning streak."
The Knicks swept a home-and-home series against any opponent for the first time in nine years. The last time the Knicks came away with a home-and-home sweep was against the Atlanta Hawks from Nov. 26 to 28, 2001.
