Knicks 104
Sonics 101
SEATTLE – Yesterday afternoon, Seattle’s Rainier Beach High named its basketball gym “Crawford Court” in honor of Jamal Crawford. Last night, he made Key Arena his court, too.
The Knicks’ guard had a Rainier Beach flashback in spearheading the Knicks’ second-half comeback to begin their West Coast trip in style. He scored all of his season-high 31 points in the second half as the Knicks beat the Sonics, 104-101, rallying the Knicks from a 13-point second-quarter deficit.
The Knicks, who trailed 40-27 midway through the second quarter, moved to 6-11 and face the Clippers in Los Angeles tonight.
Crawford, who had 19 points in the fourth quarter, made all four of his free throws in the final 22 seconds to clinch the win. His last two, with 14 seconds left and the Knicks up one, jacked the lead to four points.
Crawford said it was his best outing ever against Seattle. Coupled with the court dedication, it was one of his greatest days in the NBA.
“To dedicate the court, it’s one of my greatest highlights,” Crawford said. “When I’m dead and gone, it still will be Crawford Court. I had 31 here a couple of years ago [with the Bulls], but we lost. So this was the most efficient and we won, so it’s the best.”
Crawford’s performance overshadowed the more hyped return of 5-foot-9 rookie Nate Robinson, also a Rainier High grad. The former Washington star received a standing ovation during player introductions.
Robinson had a solid all-around game, scoring 10 points and drawing a charge on Danny Fortson.
“He’s been excited for so long,” Crawford said. “The first thing we talked about when he came to New York was going home and playing.”
There’s nothing like a victory to wipe out the distractions. The Knicks again were a team in flux as Quentin Richardson left the squad indefinitely after his brother was murdered in Chicago. And the new face in the locker room belonged to Qyntel Woods, who was signed yesterday despite his long rap sheet.
With 2:35 left, Stephon Marbury drove and dished to the right corner for Crawford, who bagged it for a 94-86 lead.
Marbury hit a huge dagger with 26 seconds left from the top of the key that put the lead back to four points at 100-96. Crawford, who donated $100,000 to his alma mater to refurbish its basketball court, started the second half and played all 24 minutes. He was a real mensch before the game in the Knick locker room, too.
Brown planned on starting Crawford and Robinson last night against their hometown team, bringing Marbury off the bench. Brown then changed his mind after a conversation with the two Seattle natives.
Brown has a ritual of starting guys in their hometowns. Both Crawford and Robinson asked Brown to start Marbury, who had a streak of 261 straight starts. Robinson and Marbury started and Crawford came off the bench in Brown’s 11th different starting lineup in 16 games.
“I didn’t realize Steph had a streak going,” Brown said. “And both Jamal and Nate came to me and said [starting’s] not that important to them.”
Crawford’s 3-pointer from up top put the Knicks ahead 85-80 with 5:29 left and hit another runner in the lane for a 91-86 lead with 3:48 left.
Rallying from 13 points down, the Knicks outscored Seattle 30-22 in the third Quarter with Crawford and Robinson put the finishing touches on the comeback.
marc.berman@nypost.com
