TORONTO – It would be a dream come true for Chris Childs if the Raptors and Knicks meet for the second straight year in the first round of the playoffs. This time, he feels the boys from Canada would reverse matters.
Yes, Childs wants the Knicks in the postseason as badly as he wanted them yesterday in helping lead the Raptors to a 98-88 victory at Air Canada Center. Toronto leads the regular-season series 3-0.
“It would be like having Christmas all over again,” Childs said. “It would be nice to face them. I mean any time, early or late. It would be something to play them when it’s all on the line. Line up against them and go to war. I like our chances.”
It can happen if the Knicks stay at No. 4 seed and Toronto moves from six to five.
Childs, traded 11 days ago after five seasons with the Knicks, outplayed both Mark Jackson, his successor, and Charlie Ward. Childs finished with 12 points in 26 minutes. Jackson scored four points in 27 minutes but had just three assists.
In the fourth quarter, Jeff Van Gundy unleashed Latrell Sprewell at point guard in the big alignment. Spree posted up Childs twice in succession and Childs harassed him into missing.
“They can’t post me up, they can try,” Childs said. “But I’m a fighter.”
Childs entered the game with 1:40 left in the first period to a nice ovation from his new fans. Jackson also got cheered during intros.
In one of his best games of the season, Childs was locked in overdrive the entire game. He stared down the Knick bench twice after making shots, talked some trash with Spree and Glen Rice.
After making the first of two free throws in the final seconds, Childs went over to the basket and touched the rim. He also called a brief team meeting at the free-throw line on another occasion. When it was over, he waved on the crowd to cheer louder.
“I’m smiling more now than I have in the past five years,” Childs said.
It was uncertain if Van Gundy were upset at Childs’ showboating, but when asked about the extra passion he brought to the game, Van Gundy said, dripping with sarcasm, “I think that was the main factor in them winning.”
When asked about Childs’ remarks about desperately wanting to beat the Knicks, Jackson said, “I have passion every night. I want to win every night.”
