Knicks 110
Clippers 96
The Knicks needed this, Lenny Wilkens needed this, Tim Thomas needed this. They needed the Clippers, a club that hasn’t played defense since its inception. And last night was no exception.
Stephon Marbury shredded the Clipper D and missed a triple-double by three rebounds (21 points, 10 assists, seven boards).
Six Knicks hit double figures, led by Jamal Crawford’s 19 points, as the Knicks pounded the Clippers 110-96 at the Garden.
With Crawford pouring in perimeter bombs off sweet passes from Marbury, and with Michael Sweetney the recipient of passes deep in the paint, the 2-2 Knicks reached .500 for the first time since Don Chaney’s interim season of 2001-2002.
It also marked the first victory as Met manager for Willie Randolph, who graced the Garden’s celebrity row, receiving a warm ovation.
The Knicks now can breath slightly easier as they head for the vicious four-game road trip – beginning tonight in Indiana, then traversing through the Texas Triangle (San Antonio, Houston and Dallas).
“We thought it was very important to get this win,” said Wilkens. “We didn’t want to go on the road not playing well. The road is tough. We wanted to go on a high note.”
Before the game, with speculation swirling that Wilkens’ job could be in trouble if the Knicks continued to falter, Wilkens admitted the attention, “doesn’t make my job any easier.”
The day began horribly for the franchise when Eddie Robinson’s physical turned up a broken left big toe, squashing their free-agent deal. Robinson’s signing would’ve boded poorly for the struggling Tim Thomas, who entered shooting 30 percent.
On the first possession, Tim Thomas pumped in a 20-footer, then drilled a left-wing trey that put the Knicks up 13-2 before the game was four minutes old.
“Coach called the first play for me,” said Thomas, who had 15 points, making six of eight shots. “It’s what a great coach does to get someone going.”
Thomas, who admitted he’s been bothered by the death of his sister this summer, said he wasn’t concerned Isiah Thomas wanted to bring in Robinson.
“I know in order for us to be successful, I have to be out on the court,” Thomas said.
Marbury was magic, as the Clippers used different defenders, even starting out with shooting guard Corey Maggette.
Marbury finished off the half with a driving buzzer-beater to put the Knicks ahead 60-48. He made several over-the-shoulder and under-the-arm flips during the half.
The Marbury/Crawford connection iced the contest in the third quarter. Marbury swept past high-schooler Shaun Livingston, into the lane and dished into the right corner for Crawford, who buried the 3-pointer to jack the lead to 73-57 with 5:09 left. The Clippers (3-3) were never heard from again.
An active Sweetney, subbing for foul-plagued Nazr Mohammed, had 14 points and nine rebounds – three on the offensive glass – and two blocks. Penny Hardaway added 11 points and even Jerome Williams got involved with 11. The six double-figure scorers, said Wilkens, “shows we’re sharing the ball, not settling.”
Now the challenge begins.
“It’s a very tough road trip, a very good test for us,” Marbury said. “We have to go raise our intensity another level.”
