Tannen Maury/EPA
Carmelo Anthony scores 32 points on 13 for 26 shooting to go along with his 10 boards vs. Bucks.
NY KNICKS 111, MILWAUKEE BUCKS 107
MILWAUKEE â€" The Knicks didn’t nail down a playoff berth last night but they took one giant step in securing entry into the postseason for the second straight year.
With J.R. Smith emerging as the unlikely hero, the Knicks overcame an eight-point fourth quarter deficit to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 111-107 in a game with huge playoff ramifications. The Knicks improved to 30-28 and moved two games ahead of the Bucks for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks with 32 points but it was Smith’s eight points in the final period, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:04 remaining that was the difference. Smith finished with 14 points and Tyson Chandler added 19 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks. Iman Shumpert scored 16 and held Monta Ellis to six fourth quarter points.
Ellis scored 35 points including a 3-pointer with 1:45 left that gave Milwaukee a 105-103 lead. But the Bucks made just one of their last five shots and Steve Novak’s two free throws with 19.4 seconds left sealed the win.
The Knicks remain a game behind seventh place Philadelphia with eight games left starting with tomorrow’s home game against Washington. Mike Woodson’s team held Milwaukee to 19 fourth quarter points as Mike Dunleavy missed all six shots in the quarter and Brandon Jennings made just one of five. The two had scored a combined 41 points through three quarters only to be held to two points when it mattered most.
The key for the Knicks was stopping Ellis and Jennings, who were poor when the Bucks and their revamped lineup visited the Garden two weeks ago. The duo shot a combined 8-for-36 and played as if they had no interest in co-existing with the other.
That changed last night, however, with Ellis producing eight first half field goals and Jennings six. The Knicks came out flying in the opening period and led by as many as 14 but they imploded defensively in the second quarter Milwaukee drew even by halftime.
Anthony was again a force, scoring 15 points on 11 shots and this time he got help with Shumpert and Chandler each scoring 13. Anthony appeared to injure his wrist when Luc Mbah Moute slapped down on Anthony shooting hand. Anthony grimaced before calmly stepping to the line and making both free throws.
He began the third quarter by making two quick shots but Anthony missed his next three and worse still he was whistled for his fourth foul with 5:22 left in the period. Woodson took a gamble by not subbing for his All Star forward. It’s not uncommon for coaches to leave their best player in the game in similar situations. There is a level of trust and there is also a sense that a referee won’t call a fifth foul unless it is an obvious call.
But with the Knicks leading 77-72, the Bucks scored six straight points including Jennings’ lay-up after Anthony committed a turnover. Woodson immediately called time out and when play resumed Anthony was still on the floor. Anthony’s long three as the shot clock expired tied it at 78 but Jennings answered with a three and Milwaukee closed out the quarter on a 10-6 run.
In fact, Milwaukee’s lead was 88-82 when J.R. Smith fouled Mike Dunleavy in the act of shooting a three. Shumpert’s driving lay-up at the buzzer made it 88-84.
Woodson had taken Anthony out with 2:02 left in the third and kept him on the bench for just for the first 74 seconds of the fourth. Anthony had yet to attempt a shot before trying to run around a Jared Jeffries screen and hitting his left wrist. Anthony originally injured his non-shooting hand in a loss to Memphis. Anthony was so upset over hitting it again that he slammed the ball down and drew a technical.
Jennings failed to convert the free throw and on the Knicks next two possessions Chandler produced a dunk and Anthony’s three-point play made it 94-91 with eight minutes left. Anthony then missed a three that would have tied it. He was struggling with his shot but his teammates came through. Novak’s 3-pointer tied it at 96 and after Ellis’ 3-point play gave Milwaukee a 99-96 lead, Smith answered with a three off of a long offensive rebound.
Smith and Shumpert then produced the game’s most important play when Jennings casually dribbled the ball over midcourt in order to call time out. However, Smith’s pressure defense forced Jennings to turn into Shumpert, who stole the ball. Although Shumpert missed a driving lay-up, Smith recover the loose ball, was fouled and his two free throws with 3:16 left put the Knicks ahead 101-99.
Scott Skiles finally got the time out he wanted and after although the Knicks eventually went ahead 103-100 on Anthony’s put back, Ekpe Udoh’s jumper made it a one-point game. Udoh then blocked Shumpert’s lay-up which resulted in Ellis hitting an open three from the top of the circle with 1:45 to play.
Anthony hit a turnaround jumper to tie it and after Mbah Moute’s put back gave the Bucks a 107-105 lead, Smith calmly sank a long three with 1:04 left. The Bucks had three chances on their next possession to take the lead, including two Dunleavy shots that barely touched iron. The 40 second possession resulted in no point and instead Smith again was in the right position to grab the rebound. Novak’s two free throws made it 110-107.
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