Previous Story
Knicks 106, Clippers 78
|
Posted on Dec 06 2000
By CHRIS SHERIDAN
AP Basketball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Glen Rice scored 21 points and Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston added 19 apiece Monday night as the New York Knicks had their highest-scoring game and largest margin of victory this season in a 106-78 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Knicks shot 56 percent, led by 19 at halftime and turned it into a rout early in the third. Los Angeles coach Alvin Gentry didn’t even last that long, getting ejected for two technical fouls late in the second quarter.
Kurt Thomas shot 7-for-8 from the field and added 14 points, and Chris Childs had a season-high 11 assists as the Knicks avenged a four-point loss to the Clippers three weeks ago.
Rice has led the Knicks in scoring all three times they have won by at least 25 points.
Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy said the Clippers would be good enough to contend for a playoff spot if they were in the East, but it sure didn’t look that way.
With Los Angeles playing lethargic defense and repeatedly getting beat inside, the Knicks took over late in the first quarter and didn’t let up until opening a 34-point lead early in the fourth.
Childs checked in with the Knicks leading 25-20 and had five assists over the next 12 minutes as the Knicks used a 32-13 run to open a 24-point lead.
Gentry, who had been complaining throughout the game, got tossed by referee Rodney Mott shortly before the run ended.
Rice had an emphatic two-handed dunk early in the third to make it 64-45, and Sprewell and Rice followed with jumpers.
A 3-pointer by Larry Johnson and a layup by Thomas made it 83-55, and Houston hit a jumper early in the fourth to make it 94-60.
Notes: Rookie Darius Miles led the Clippers with 13 points. … Clippers assistant coach Dennis Johnson filled in after Gentry was ejected. … Luc Longley and Travis Knight checked in with 9:46 left, signaling the start of garbage time. Longley finished with three points and two rebounds in 10 minutes — his more extensive playing time in four games. … New York’s previous season high was 103 points in an overtime victory at Boston. … The Knicks’ previous largest victory was by 25 points against both the Hawks and Grizzlies.
