OVERTME: Knicks 117 – Lakers 115
The Knicks last night survived Kobe Bryant’s late-game heroics, Stephon Marbury’s botched free-throw attempt and an ugly incident on their bench in the fourth quarter, when Tim Thomas and Penny Hardaway had to be separated during a vehement argument.
Bryant hit miracle shot in regulation with a game-tying 3-pointer in the dying seconds. But in the final seconds of overtime, needing a bucket, Bryant couldn’t get off his shot as the Knicks held on for a wild 117-115 classic at the Garden.
Bryant (30 points) left the floor in fury after the Lakers’ final play got busted. With 9.9 seconds left, Bryant sped past Kurt Thomas, into the lane, before dishing to Chris Mihm inside.
But Mihm elected to pass back to Bryant underneath the basket. Bryant fumbled the ball with Kurt Thomas on him. He regained, dribbled back outside the paint as the buzzer sounded.
Since the trade deadline, Thomas has played with a ferocity rarely seen earlier, and it’s aided in the Knicks’ three-game winning streak that has tied a season high.
Thomas, who scored on a huge tip-in in the final 40 seconds, finished with a game high and personal season-high 35 points. Marbury redeemed himself in overtime with two game-winning free throws with 12 second to go.
In a strange moment, though, Thomas and Hardaway engaged in a shouting match during a timeout, according to witnesses, apparently over a busted play.
“Just a heat of the battle,” Thomas said. “It’s not going to carry over. We’re both competitors.”
The Knicks were up by 12 points with 1:24 left before the Lakers went on an 13-1 run to close the fourth quarter. The Lakers drained four 3-pointers in the last 50 seconds to post their miracle comeback.
The Lakers got to 106-104 with 19 seconds left when Marbury made just one of two free throws, keeping the Lakers within three. Then Bryant struck gold.
Bryant, booed during pregame intros and early on when he touched the ball, took it on his shoulders, as the Knicks elected not to foul. Bryant got freed from Hardaway on a pick, then drilled his trademark line driver 3-pointer over Kurt Thomas with 4.4 seconds left to tie the score at 106.
The Knicks had one last chance to redeem themselves but Jamal Crawford went 1-on-1 with Bryant and had no success, missing a forced 18 footer with Bryant all over him.
Chucky Atkins opened overtime with a 3-pointer and Bryant converted a 3-point play with 3:01 left as he hit a runner over Tim Thomas. He made the free throw as the Lakers got up by four points.
The Knicks clawed back in the final minute. Jamal Crawford intercepted an Atkins pass and Tim Thomas tied it with a tip-in after Stephon Marbury missed a layup and Kurt Thomas botched the follow.
Then Bryant drove the lane and lost the ball, glaring at the official for a foul. It didn’t come, and the Knicks got it with 26 seconds left. Marbury was fouled 25 feet from the basket Atkins with 12.1 seconds left.
Marbury made the first free throw to put the Knicks up one point, then the Lakers called timeout to ice him. Marbury rattled in the next one, as L.A. called timeout again. Off the inbounds, Hardaway intentionally fouled with 9.9 seconds left, forcing another inbounds.
In regulation, in the final 20 seconds, Hardaway threw a dangerous crosscourt pass to Marbury, who caught it and got fouled. But he missed 1 of 2 with 17.8 seconds left, keeping the Lakers alive.
Bryant was pumped in the first half. On the bench, he chewed out Tierre Brown, yelling “Too much dribbling. Move the ball. They don’t know how to guard it.”
By late in the third quarter, during a timeout with the Knicks ahead 15 points, Bryant sat silently on the bench.
