Elects to save best for last for Knicks
THE late-game magic and the corresponding euphoria officially have returned, at long last, to the Garden.
The suddenly surging Knicks overcame a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter for the second straight game and knocked off Charlotte as their latest comeback victim with a spirited 118-113 victory at MSG, their sixth in seven games following an 0-3 start to the season.
This time much of the late surge came without budding superstar Kristaps Porzingis, who largely was quiet after pumping in 19 points in the first half and sat for a long stretch before returning to net seven big ones for the Knicks in the closing minutes of the fourth.
“I wanted to get back in, of course, and give that offensive and defensive push for the team at the end,” said Porzingis, who finished with 28, falling just shy of the 30-point mark for only the third time during the team’s 6-4 start. “It felt like I was able to help there, but guys that were in at that moment were doing a great job coming back into the game, playing hard defense, giving energy to everybody in the crowd, (until) I was ready to come in.”
Porzingis, named Monday as the Eastern Conference player of the week, still set the franchise record for the most points through 10 games of a season with an even 300, breaking the previous mark of 298 by Bernard King, who was in attendance, in 1984-85.
But Doug McDermott posted a season-best 20 points off the bench, including a key converted four-point play early in the fourth, with Tim Hardaway Jr. adding 19 for the Knicks.
Second-unit regulars Lance Thomas and Frank Ntilikina also sparked the defensive effort in the fourth, with the rookie point guard playing the entire final quarter – this time, matched against All-Star Kemba Walker – just as he did in Sunday’s comeback win over Indiana.
“It’s a challenge. Frank likes challenges,” Jeff Hornacek said. “He’s young, he’ll be alright. I think it’s his defense with his length and his arms. That’s helpful for us. Plus, I like the experience he’s getting when these games are on the line, the plays he has to make even when you’re tired.”
Malik Monk, the former Kentucky freshman star passed over by the Knicks with the eighth overall draft pick in favor of the French-bred Ntilikina last summer, scored 21 off the bench for Charlotte.
Eighteen of those came in the first half as the Knicks trailed by as many as 15 in the second quarter. They still were behind by 11 to open the fourth, but reserves McDermott and Kyle O’Quinn (12 points) combined for 15 in the first five minutes of the final period to close the gap to four. And three-pointers by Thomas (10 points), Hardaway and another by McDermott drew the Knicks within two with three minutes remaining.
With the home fans again chanting “MVP” for him, Porzingis drained two free throws for the tie with 2:32 to go before his straightaway three at the 1:48 mark provided the Knicks with their first lead since early in the first quarter.
The Latvian big man then sank a driving scoop with the shot clock expiring for a three-point lead with 11 seconds remaining, prompting another eruption from the Garden faithful, and Courtney Lee iced it with two late free throws.
Déjà vu, all over again. Just like Sunday.
“Very similar, very similar situation,” Porzingis said. “Again it was just the good energy. We locked in defensively, we were putting a lot of pressure on them and it went our way again. But we cannot always do this … I think we should try to do a better job from the beginning.
“But you can tell these last couple of games we’re playing our hearts out out there on the floor and that’s what I love about this team. We have a great atmosphere inside of the team and that shows on the court. We stay together throughout the game, we don’t ever give up and then we were able to win those close games.”