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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
CHICAGO (AP) -- In the old days, the Knicks and Bulls played
rock'em, sock'em basketball full of floor burns, confrontations and
heated stares.
The post-Michael Jordan Bulls are no longer contenders. The
post-Patrick Ewing Knicks still think they are. But when the teams
met for the first time this season Friday night, it didn't matter.
"We didn't expect it to be an easy game," said Allan Houston,
whose clutch 3-pointer with 36 seconds to go -- his only basket of
the final quarter -- sparked New York's 91-86 victory.
"This was more of mental challenge for us," Houston added.
"We look at a team's record and we know in this league it doesn't
mean anything."
The Knicks blew an early 17-point lead before regrouping to give
Jeff Van Gundy his 200th regular season victory, making him the
59th NBA coach to reach that plateau.
Michael Ruffin's followup basket with just under a minute left
got the Bulls within 86-85. But the Knicks worked the ball around
the court and found Houston open in the right corner and his jumper
made it 89-85.
"I wasn't expecting to get the ball, that they were going to
leave me open for a wide-open 3," Houston said. "But I was
ready for it."
After Ron Artest made 1 of 2 free throws, Larry Johnson got
behind the Chicago defense and was fouled by Elton Brand. He made
both with 27 seconds to go for a five-point lead.
Houston, who shot just 7-of-20, finished with 26 points, while
Johnson had 24 for the Knicks.
Brand led the Bulls with 26 points, Artest added 18 and Ron
Mercer 16.
The Bulls, now 2-14, had won their first road game Thursday
night in Atlanta, but couldn't pull off what would have been their
biggest win of the season a night later.
"We got behind 17 and it could have been a blowout," Brand
said. "Then we played three solid quarters. For some reason Allan
Houston was open in the corner. A big-time player hit a big-time
shot."
New York blew a 17-point first-quarter lead and then trailed by
five late in the third quarter. Houston scored six points and Kurt
Thomas got an offensive rebound basket as the Knicks regained a
one-point lead headed into the final period.
The Knicks opened up a 27-10 first-quarter lead before the Bulls
rallied behind the hustle of rookie Khalid El-Amin and staggered
New York with a 32-14 run featuring a 3-pointer and layup off a
steal from Artest that gave Chicago a one-point lead.
Jumpers by Rice and Johnson helped the Knicks regain a 51-46
halftime lead.
Kurt Thomas picked up his second technical and was ejected with
5:50 to go and the Knicks leading 77-76.
Game notes
Bulls guard A.J. Guyton, placed on the injured list Friday
with a right knee sprain, will miss four to six weeks. Josh Voskuhl
was activated to take his place on the roster. ... Luc Longley,
center on the Bulls' last three championship teams, came to town
with the Knicks. How does he view his former team and its
struggles? "I guess I'm sad for the fans most of all. They had it
good for a long time. Now it's not the case. That's what happens
when you chose to rebuild." Longley went into the Bulls locker
room after the game to visit with assistant coach Bill Cartwright.
... The Knicks have beaten the Bulls four straight. ...Latrell
Sprewell, who took a hard spill in the second quarter after going
over Ruffin's back after a fake, scored only two second-half
points.
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Philadelphia 95
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Utah 94
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New York 91
Chicago 86
Indiana 86
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