THERE WAS a made-for-miracles atmosphere to the Garden last night, and not just because one Father Tim Hirten barely missed a million-dollar shot at halftime from the opposite free throw line as part of a TBS promotion. Patrick Ewing got away with a hand-in-the-cookie-jar assist on Larry Johnson’s critical three-pointer with 21.7 seconds remaining before making his trademark 11-foot turnaround jumper with two seconds left that gave the Knicks a magical 83-81 victory over the Pacers.
Father Tim, the associate pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Bayside, did take home $4,000 for his efforts, and considering that he and his sister Maureen Agostinacchio celebrated mass in Israel with Pope John Paul last week and his parents celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary yesterday, this has been some week.
Same goes for the Knicks, who played their fourth game in five nights, including back-to-back thrillers.
A miracle three-point shot by Tim Hardaway had the Heat basking in a one-point overtime victory Sunday in Miami. The Pacers are living large with the best record in the East, which will give them homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs, if they can stay ahead of Miami.
Big deal. It means nothing because it is clear the Knicks are the best team in the East and the balance of power will stay that way until Orlando signs Tim Duncan and Eddie Jones as free agents.
In many ways, Hardaway’s shot was the best thing that could have happened to the Knicks. Once again they were forced to show their resilience and Ewing showed he still has the big shot left in him as he scored nine points in the final 4:51 to equal Latrell Sprewell for game-high honors with 20 points.
After going 0-for-4 in the fourth quarter in the loss to the Heat, Ewing came back huge.
“A lot of people have been making a big thing about the back-to-backs and my age and stuff and I think that’s all mental,” Ewing said after making his shot with two seconds remaining. “I think that’s all mental. I felt good. I was ticked off that we didn’t win [Sunday] and I wanted to come out and rectify that tonight.”
He did that and more. You know he will get such a chance in the playoffs, which start in 11 days, and Jeff Van Gundy has his team right where he wants them. Ewing is fired up like never before, wanting to prove he has championship game. The Knicks are once again underdogs behind the Pacers and Heat, standing in third place in the East. They will gladly assume that role.
“We have a chance to improve over the next 10 days … we need to improve,” said a stern-faced Van Gundy to the assembled print media before the game. Of course, on the way to the interview room, Van Gundy was chuckling with a TV type, but he knows the mask he must wear this time of year, especially in front on his own team — overwrought.
With five games remaining last year in the regular season, the Knicks were in upheaval. They are in such better shape this year it is almost laughable that there are concerns in some quarters that they are not ready for another magnificent playoff run.
The Knicks are by far the class of the East for several reasons. The first and foremost is that they are tough. Look how the Heat wilted last night in Philly, losing 96-80 while the Knicks survived.
Said Sprewell on his way out of the Garden, “As far as I’m concerned all the pieces are working well together, just like last year.”
The Knicks are not scared of the Heat, Pacers or Raptors. Vince Carter is only one superman and until he starts playing defense like Michael Jordan, Toronto is not ready to make a stand in the playoffs. And remember, Van Gundy and his staff are at their best when they play a team again and again.
The Knicks are not even scared of themselves — the only team in the East that can beat them. The key is for Ewing is to play defense, rebound and hit his jumper. The Knicks are also blessed to have Sprewell and Allan Houston, two players who can create.
There were plenty of signs last night that Sprewell is about to take the team into his capable hands again. He was exploding all over the court, scoring 20 on 9-for-14 shooting and handing out five assists, setting the tone for the night with a dunk off the opening tip. The big problem for the Knicks is finding that fourth-quarter team rhythm.
“We still have to continue to get better,” said Houston, who missed three of his four shots in the fourth. “We still have a ways to go.”
The bottom line, though, is the Knicks once again showed their toughness last night in big ways. “I just liked the way we bounced back tonight,” Van Gundy said.
He should. They are in playoff mode.
