Gallinari, Barron spark Knicks by Celts
April 7, 2010
NEW YORK (AP)—Danilo Gallinari(notes) scored a career-high 31 points, including thego-ahead basket with 36 seconds left, Earl Barron(notes) had 17 points and acareer-best 18 rebounds, and the New York Knicks beat the Boston Celtics 104-101on Tuesday night.
David Lee(notes) had the clinching basket and added 13 points and 11 boards for theKnicks, who won their second straight and temporarily avoided a thirdconsecutive 50-loss season.
Ray Allen(notes) scored 17 points for the Celtics, who blew a chance to tie Atlantafor third place in the Eastern Conference. Kevin Garnett(notes) and Kendrick Perkins(notes)each added 14 for Boston, which botched its final possession and couldn’t get atying 3-point attempt off in the final seconds.
The Celtics followed their victory over Cleveland on Sunday by losing forthe fourth time in five games after leading early in the fourth quarter behind aspark from former Knicks guard Nate Robinson(notes).
Gallinari scored 19 points in the third quarter to give the Knicks an 86-78lead, but Robinson hit a 3-pointer and assisted on Glen Davis’(notes) jumper in theCeltics’ 10-0 run to start the fourth that gave them an 88-86 advantage onMichael Finley’s(notes) 3-pointer.
Robinson hit another jumper for a one-point lead midway through the period,and it stayed tight from there. Gallinari banked in a long jumper—originallycalled a 3-pointer but overturned after replay—for a 102-101 lead with 36seconds left.
Chris Duhon(notes) came up with a steal and set up David Lee’s basket that made it104-101 with 7.3 seconds to play. The Celtics called time but took way too longto swing the ball to the opposite side of the court, where Rasheed Wallace(notes)caught it too late to get off a shot.
With Tracy McGrady(notes) (sore left knee) and Al Harrington(notes) (sore left ankle)joining Wilson Chandler(notes) (sore left groin) on the injured list, the Knicks had tolook deep down the bench for scoring. They found it in Barron, a 7-foot centerwho signed last week from the NBA Development League and was playing his secondgame with New York. He hadn’t started in the NBA since making 15 starts for theMiami Heat in 2007-08, but shot 8 of 13 and spent all night chasing down missedshots against Boston’s frustrated front line.
Robinson was perhaps the Knicks’ most popular player for the last five yearsbefore he was dealt to Boston at the trade deadline. Celtics coach Doc Riverssaid he still considers the 5-foot-9 guard the Celtics’ X-factor heading intothe playoffs, but he benched Robinson on Sunday after playing him only 9 minutesin the previous game.
However, he said before the game Robinson would play Tuesday, in partbecause other Boston players wanted to see Robinson get in.
Robinson checked in—or tried to, anyway—with about 3 1/2 minutes left inthe first quarter to polite, but hardly enthusiastic applause. He was sent offthe court because he was replacing Rajon Rondo(notes), who was shooting a free throw,and had to wait until the next dead ball to officially enter.
The Knicks led throughout most of the first quarter and were ahead 27-21when it ended. Boston shot 63 percent in the second, briefly grabbing the leadlate in the period before New York took a 53-52 edge into halftime.
NOTES: Though Mike Krzyzewski has repeatedly said he’s not interested inleaving national champion Duke for the NBA, Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni won’trule out coaching against him someday. D’Antoni is Krzyzewski’s assistant on theU.S. Olympic team. “He’s still only 62 years old. He’s young, so I have no ideawhat he would do,” D’Antoni said. “Wherever he goes, I do know that he wouldbe successful, if he’s coaching or running a business or whatever he wants todo. He’s just pretty special.” There have been reports this season that the NewJersey Nets would pursue Krzyzewski. … Knicks president Donnie Walsh said hewasn’t sure if he will sign anyone with the Knicks’ available roster spot. Thespot opened Monday when the Knicks waived Cuttino Mobley(notes), who retired lastseason because of a heart condition. The Knicks had to waive him before the endof the season to save the luxury tax on his salary.
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