Knicks' Hopes of Ending Skid Are Dashed at the Buzzer

The Knicks entered Friday's contest against the downtrodden Utah Jazz - yet another weak opponent - with the earnest hope that their moribund start to their season could be reversed.

Surely the Knicks could find a way to come up a spirited victory at Madison Square Garden after six straight losses - including aggravating defeats at the hands of Atlanta and Orlando - against a Jazz team that had won only three games and whom the Knicks had beaten six straight times.

Thanks a spectacular effort from Carmelo Anthony - a game-high 46 points - and Pablo Prigioni, they almost did.

But Trey Burke's jumper from the left corner at the buzzer lifted the Jazz to a 102-100 victory and ruined Anthony's almost-heroics. Anthony shot 16 of 26 from the floor (30 points in the second half), including a 3-point bank shot with 2.3 seconds remaining to tie the score at 100-100. He also was 13 of 16 from the free-throw line.

This time, nailbiting heartbreak was the result for the Knicks, who lost their seventh straight and fell to 1-5 at the Garden and 2-8 overall.

Prigioni, 37, hit two crucial layups and a 3-pointer to put the Knicks ahead by 81-76 early in the fourth quarter, and the path to victory seemed at hand.

After Anthony slammed home a dunk and two free throws, the Knicks trailed by a point with 24.3 seconds left. Anthony then fouled Derrick Favors, who hit both free throws to put Utah up by 98-95. Anthony pulled the Knicks within a point again, at 98-97, with 17.4 seconds remaining before the dramatic final sequences.

The effort was gallant, but virtually from the opening tip, the Knicks had challenges. Iman Shumpert landed awkwardly under the Jazz basket early in the game and was forced to leave the floor. The team said he had sustained a bruised right hip.

It went downhill for the Knicks from there. The Jazz raced to a 21-9 lead and were ahead by 31-23 after the first quarter, paced by 7 points from Gordon Hayward and 5 each from Burke and Alec Burks.

Hayward led the Jazz with 33 total points.

The Knicks managed to tie the contest at 34-34 before the former Knick Steve Novak sunk a 3-pointer to restore the lead.

The Jazz led by 48-47 at the half and went ahead by 65-56 before the Knicks tied the score at 67-67 with 2 minutes 29 seconds left in the third quarter on a smooth jumper by Anthony.

But after a crucial missed free throw by Anthony and another bumbling Knicks possession, Utah's Dante Exum put the Jazz ahead by 3 before Joe Ingles hit a 3-pointer from the right corner.

Utah led by 75-72 heading into the fourth quarter, and a layup by Prigioni finally gave the Knicks a 76-75 lead with 9:29 remaining. Prigioni recovered a loose ball with 8:06 left and put the Knicks up by 78-76 before his 3-pointer.

The Knicks have lost the first three games of the four-game homestand that concludes Sunday against the Denver Nuggets.

The Knicks had losing streaks of seven and nine games last season, when they finished 37-45 and fired Coach Mike Woodson and replaced him with Derek Fisher.

They had won six straight over the Jazz by an average of 17.5 points, with Anthony averaging 31.5 points on 55.3 percent shooting in the two victories last year.

The Jazz, who had dropped nine of 10 at the Garden, were making the fourth stop in a five-game trip. They endured losses to Atlanta and Indiana after defeating Detroit by a point on Nov. 9.

Before the game, Fisher emphasized that records this early in the long season should not be a source of fixation

But it is hard to argue with loss after loss when expectations are high since Phil Jackson took over last summer as team president with visions of the vaunted triangle offense ahead for the Knicks.

'We all must own where we are,' Fisher said. 'But it's too early to start doing math.'

Fisher emphasized that the team's position in the standings gives reason for hope.

'This creates a higher level of optimism for where we are going,' he said.

Judging by the first 10 games, the level of optimism for Knick fans should be very high.

REBOUND

The Knicks gave forward Amar'e Stoudemire the night off for recovery ahead of Sunday's afternoon home contest against Denver. 'We're trying to be smart about this season to make sure he's healthy for 70-plus nights,' Derek Fisher said.

Lokasi:

Share :