Knicks Beat Heat, End 7-Game Home Skid

[March 27, 2008]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Jamal Crawford scored 24 points, including the go-ahead jumper with about 2 1/2 minutes left in overtime, and the New York Knicks ended their longest home losing streak in nearly 45 years by beating the Miami Heat 103-96 on Wednesday night.

The Heat erased a six-point deficit in the final 1:30 of regulation by hitting three 3-pointers, including Ricky Davis' tying shot with 6.4 seconds left. Davis opened overtime with another 3, but Miami managed only one free throw the rest of the way.

Zach Randolph had 16 points and 14 rebounds, and David Lee added 15 points and 16 boards for the Knicks, who had dropped a franchise record-tying seven in a row at home for the first time since Nov. 26-Dec. 17, 1963. New York has never dropped eight in a row at home during one season.

Rookie Wilson Chandler had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who had lost five straight overall and 12 of 13.

The Knicks now head out for a five-game road trip. That's probably a welcome break for Isiah Thomas, who has been facing daily questions in New York about speculation that he'll be replaced as team president by Donnie Walsh, who announced earlier this week he's leaving the Indiana Pacers.

Davis finished with 28 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

Madison Square Garden was mostly full but largely quiet, a far cry from the days when these rivals used to battle in intense playoff series. Their only competition this postseason comes May 20 across the river, when both will be in Secaucus, N.J., for the draft lottery.

The Heat have the league's worst record and the Knicks aren't far behind, and the more losses, the better chance of landing the No. 1 pick. Both coaches deftly handled the "tanking" question before the game, saying it was only natural teams with their records would want to look at young players this time of year.

Not that they have much choice. Miami is without Dwyane Wade, Shawn Marion and almost every other recognizable player on its roster, while the Knicks are without starters Stephon Marbury, Eddy Curry and Quentin Richardson.

Notes: The Heat fell to 0-14 on Wednesdays and the odds will be against them Thursday at Detroit. They're 0-9 on that day of the week. ... Perhaps to shield himself from more Walsh questions, Thomas canceled practice Tuesday, then ended shootaround Wednesday after less than 20 minutes, before most reporters had arrived. The press was waiting for him before the game, though, as he was nearly 30 minutes late for his pregame press conference because of traffic caused by a brush fire.

[Associated Press; By BRIAN MAHONEY]

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