BASKETBALL Knicks knock off Pacers
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This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from June 1999.
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"We were able to make plays down the stretch." Hampered by Achillestendon and rib injuries, Ewing had trouble defending the bigger Rik Smits, who overcame his own slow start to score eight points in a 2 1/2-minute span, helping Indiana take an 87-82 lead with 2:20 remaining.
Scoreless since early in the third quarter, Ewing responded with a finger roll around Smits, who fouled out 36 seconds later. Allan Houston's two free throws made it a one-point game. Working against the smaller Antonio Davis, Ewing drew a foul and made two free throws with 51 seconds left.
Mark Jackson tied it by making 1-of-2 foul shots but Ewing rebounded the miss and was fouled by Davis. He made two more foul shots with 29 seconds left, putting the Knicks ahead for good at 90-88. Long-time Knicks-killer Reggie Miller missed a 3-pointer with Houston guarding him and Ewing closing in on him and Chris Childs made two foul shots with 12 seconds to go to put New York up by four.
With the Knicks protecting against the three-pointer and the foul, Davis dunked. Childs split a pair of free throws, giving the Pacers one more chance with a three-point margin. But Jackson shot an airball from the corner with his foot on the arc. Ewing has been criticised for missing clutch shots in the past, especially from the free throw line. "Every miss has been well chronicled and every make has been overlooked," said New York coach Jeff Van Gundy. "Sure he's missed some big shots but you know why? Because he's taken some. And tonight again, he made his free throws, he made the big shot that cut it from five to three, he was jumping out on Miller on an Achilles that most guys wouldn't play on." Miller agreed. "We tried to do everything to ice him out there (on his free throws). He made all net. He's been getting a lot of unwarranted criticism in New York. He's been the backbone of that team for a lot of years. "It seems he's always proving the media and the crowd wrong there in New York. It should be the other way around. He's been there so much for them."
Houston scored 19 points and Latrell Sprewell again was a sparkplug off the bench, adding 16 pointsfor New York, the first eighth-seeded team to reach the conference finals. For the third straight series, the Knicks began with a road win. Miller scored 19 points for the Pacers, who lost for the first time in eight playoff games this season. Indiana had won 12 straight home postseason games in the last two years under coach Larry Bird. "We had some good looks, we just couldn't score," said Bird. "That was our problem. Their defence had a lot to do with it." It was a rough game for Jackson, a New York native and former Knick.
Although he had 11 assists, he made just 1-of-8 shots, missing a pair of short hooks and a free throw after Indiana opened its late lead and dribbling into the corner on the final possession. The Knicks have won six straight playoff games. Game 2 is Tuesday at Indiana. Despite six days off, Ewing still appeared slow. He made only 4-of-13 shots but battled for 10 rebounds and sank all eight of his free throws. "The guy is really out there on no legs," said backup point guard Chris Childs, who was battling the flu himself.
"He's just a true warrior. When people say warrior they should look up Patrick Ewing because he goes out there every night."
"I'm all banged up but --" Ewing said, laughing and shrugging, then adding that during the game his shoulder was hurt and he was kneed in the quadriceps.
"I don't think there's any other body part that could hurt him now," said Van Gundy. "I don't think there's any left, unfortunately."
