RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
BOSTON (AP) -- Allan Houston had one of the best offensive games
of his career. It took strong defense, though, for the Knicks to
beat the Celtics.
Houston scored 37 points as New York beat Boston 103-101 in
overtime Friday night. The Knicks might have fallen short if Marcus
Camby hadn't blocked five shots and Charlie Ward hadn't stolen the
ball from Antoine Walker with 10.9 seconds left.
|  | | Paul Pierce poured in 35 points for the Celtics Friday night. |
"We found ways to get stops," Houston said. "I came into this
game not thinking about my shot and sometimes that's when you do
your best."
He made 13 of 20 shots, including all five 3-pointers. He
matched his scoring high in his five seasons with New York and was
one shy of his career high set with Detroit.
But it took Ward's thievery to preserve the lead.
"I knew he (Walker) wasn't going to pass, especially down
low," said Ward, who had 11 points and 12 assists. "I took a
chance and it worked out."
The score was tied at 99 after Houston and Paul Pierce, who
scored 36, traded 3-pointers. Camby, who had 16 points and 17
rebounds, then made a layup. With 28 seconds remaining, Larry
Johnson blocked Walker's shot.
Then Walker, who scored 25, got the ball and backed toward the
basket on the right side. Ward flashed over from the left, stole
the ball, and was fouled by Vitaly Potapenko with 7.9 seconds to
go.
"You saw what happened," said Walker, who wasn't eager to
discuss the play. "He stole the ball."
Ward made both shots as the Knicks, playing without Latrell
Sprewell and Chris Childs, ended a five-game losing streak in
Boston.
Sprewell missed his second game with back spasms, and Childs sat
out his first with a bruised right hamstring. Their teammates took
up the slack, just as Camby made up for the absence in the middle
of Patrick Ewing, now with Seattle.
"It was Allan's night. He was huge," Camby said. "A couple of
games, he's been carrying us."
After Ward's free throws, Rick Brunson made two for the Celtics
with 1.5 seconds remaining.
The Celtics played most of the game without their top two point
guards. Kenny Anderson is expected to miss six weeks with a
fractured jaw, and Randy Brown limped off the court with 3:47 left
in the first half after reinjuring his groin and returned for only
the first 2:46 of the third quarter.
Brunson, a former Knick signed Monday, went the rest of the way.
Brown will go on the injured list, and Chris Herren, another point
guard, will come off it before Saturday night's game in
Philadelphia, coach Rick Pitino said.
"We had to stay limited in the offenses we could run," Walker
said. "It's tough for Rick in a close game to be thrown into the
fire."
Boston forced overtime when Chris Carr entered the game for the
first time with nine seconds left in the fourth quarter and hit a
3-pointer with 4.7 seconds on the clock.
"We were fortunate to knock down the 3 late in the game, but we
can't let it come down to that," Pierce said.
The Celtics had rallied after Houston's two free throws put New
York ahead 90-85 with 1:43 left in the fourth quarter. Potapenko
and Pierce each hit two free throws, closing the margin to 90-89
with 53 seconds left.
Potapenko then missed a short jumper and Glen Rice scored on a
fastbreak layup for a 92-89 lead with 9.7 seconds remaining in the
quarter.
Houston, who had 23 points in the first half, was held to one in
the third quarter, but the Knicks led 68-65 heading into the
fourth.
Game
notes
The Knicks had the third lowest average in points allowed
entering the game, 86.8. ... Rice, who had 10 points, was scoreless
until making a layup with 1:38 left in the third quarter. ... The
Celtics made 2 of 8 shots in overtime, while the Knicks went
4-for-5. ... New York is 3-0 on the road and 4-2 overall. ...
Walker and Pierce took 41 of Boston's 77 shots.
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NBA Scoreboard
New York Clubhouse
Boston Clubhouse
RECAPS
Toronto 115
Cleveland 88
Indiana 86
Washington 74
New York 103
Boston 101
Dallas 79
San Antonio 77
Miami 87
Utah 80
Sacramento 114
Golden State 107
LA Clippers 115
Atlanta 106
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