RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
PHOENIX (AP) -- Jason Kidd, the master of the triple-double, had
a dubious quadruple-double this time -- 18 points, 12 rebounds, 10
assists and 14 turnovers.
|  | | Latrell Sprewell said his stiff back felt better Friday night, and he scored 19 points to help the Knicks win. |
Kidd's turnover total tied John Drew's 22-year-old NBA record as
the New York Knicks turned to their trademark tough defense to beat
Phoenix 90-85 and snap the Suns' seven-game winning streak Friday
night.
Afterward, Kidd lashed out at the officiating crew of Joe
DeRosa, David Jones and Michael Smith, lacing his criticism with
profanity.
"They were terrible. I hope I do get fined," Kidd said. "The
reputation of the Phoenix Suns in the past has been soft. We're not
a soft team. We deserve the same calls that the New York Knicks get
and the Miami Heat and all the teams that have this mystique of
playing hard.
"I know I'm tired of that. I don't care about the fine, but
those three referees were terrible."
Kidd's 14 turnovers tied the NBA record set by Drew of Atlanta
on March 1, 1978.
"I didn't take care of the ball the way I should have," Kidd
said. "Between the turnovers and the eight players they had out on
the court, it's hard to beat anybody."
The Knicks never trailed as they ended the Suns' string of 17
consecutive homecourt victories against Eastern Conference teams.
Latrell Sprewell scored nine of his 19 points in the fourth
quarter, when the Suns cut the lead to four on four occasions in
the last 3:37.
Allan Houston scored 21, including 13 in the first half when New
York led by as many as 18. Houston put the game away with four
consecutive free throws in the last 30 seconds. Larry Johnson and
Charlie Ward scored 12 apiece.
Marcus Camby had eight points and 14 rebounds before leaving
with a twisted left ankle with 6:48 to play and the Knicks leading
72-59.
Sprewell said his stiff back felt better, and he was glad to get
into a brief offensive rhythm early in the fourth quarter when he
scored six quick points.
"I went through a little period where I got warm and got a
couple of shots to go down," Sprewell said. "I really feel like I
have to play well for us to be successful. Not that the other guys
can't carry the team, but a lot of it falls on my shoulders --
defensively and offensively."
Shawn Marion had 22 points and 15 rebounds for Phoenix,
including four 3-pointers in the final 13 mhinutes. Cliff Robinson
scored 22, 11 in the fourth quarter. Rodney Rogers added 14 points.
The Suns couldn't recover from a miserable first half in which
they tied a franchise record for fewest points with 27.
"Defensively, in the first half, that's what set the tone,"
Sprewell said. "That pretty much won the game for us, the way we
came out and played."
For the game, Phoenix committed 29 turnovers resulting in 35 New
York points.
"I don't think I've ever seen a team value the ball less than
we did tonight," Suns coach Scott Skiles said. "Since I've been
in Phoenix, that's been the biggest problem. Nobody values the
basketball. We just throw it all over the gym."
Consecutive 3-pointers by Marion, one at the end of the third
quarter and one to start the fourth, cut it to 56-50 with 11:44 to
play. But Sprewell scored six in a 9-0 run that boosted the lead to
69-56 with 8:34 to go.
The Suns went on a 13-4 run after that to cut the lead to 76-72
on Marion's final 3-pointer with 3:37 to play.
Phoenix was down 80-76 when Robinson scored with a minute to
play, but Sprewell sank two free throws with 45.9 seconds to go,
Kidd committed another turnover, and the Suns were finished.
"They kept coming at us but our guys did a good job down the
stretch," New York coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "It's very hard to
overcome our shooting and our rebounding right now, but if you can
defend and force some turnovers, you've got a chance."
Kidd was livid about a call against Robinson for kicking the
ball in a scramble on the Suns' end of the court with Phoenix down
by four.
"The invisible kicked ball was the turning point," Kidd said.
Phoenix's offensive ineptitude was evident throughout the first
half. The Suns shot 34 percent (11-for-32), were 0-for-7 from
3-point range, committed 15 turnovers and were 5-for-10 at the foul
line in the first two quarters.
The Knicks scored 17 in a row, including a 15-0 run to start the
second quarter, to take a 30-12 lead on Chris Childs' 15-footer
with 7:17 to play in the half. New York led 40-27 at the half.
Skiles and Robinson both drew technicals in the game, and Kidd
went nose-to-nose with DeRosa, shoving the ref's arm away at one
point.
Game notes
The Suns activated Tom Gugliotta exactly eight months after
he underwent major reconstructive knee surgery. He didn't score and
had a rebound in three minutes. ... The Knicks were the last
Eastern Conference team to win in Phoenix -- on March 26, 1999. ...
Corie Blount started at center for Phoenix in place of Chris
Dudley, who went on the injured list with a sprained left ankle.
Blount was scoreless with three rebounds.
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NBA Scoreboard
New York Clubhouse
Phoenix Clubhouse
RECAPS
Golden State 92
Indiana 90
Philadelphia 94
Miami 73
Boston 106
Atlanta 99
Detroit 96
Charlotte 89
Minnesota 99
San Antonio 94
Milwaukee 89
Cleveland 76
New York 90
Phoenix 85
Dallas 99
Seattle 95
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