CLEVELAND – The Knicks entered last night’s match at Gund Arena having lost two straight games to the wretched Cavaliers. Oh, how the Knicks would like to have those two games back.
Those games could prove the difference between winning the Atlantic Division and finishing second …. between copping the second seed and playing the mediocre Pistons in Round 1, or facing the dangerous Raptors.
Last night the Knicks faced the Cavs again, looking to even the season series at 2-2, and it probably was too late for a victory to matter. The third seed is likely theirs, as is a first-round date with their worst nightmare – Toronto next Sunday at the Garden.
The Knicks had a lot of wounds to lick as they faced the Cavs in the second night of a back-to-back. The Raptors had used them to mop the floor of Air Canada Centre for the third straight time Friday night, romping 86-71.
This was the worst, though, as the Raptors led by at least 15 points across the final three quarters, getting up by as many as 26 in the third quarter to win the season series 3-1.
Vince Carter didn’t dunk once but still burned the Knicks for 34 points as he hit a number of tough fade-away shots from the perimeter and beyond the 3-point arc. At times, it appeared defenders such as Larry Johnson and Latrell Sprewell were so afraid of getting beaten by a drive, they laid off him a tad too much.
“We don’t want to compete against him,” Knick coach Jeff Van Gundy said when the slaughter was finished. “We’re back on our heels. Give him credit. He’s dominated us four straight times and made it look easy.”
The Raptors are the only team – aside from the Lakers – to manhandle the Knicks all season. The Knicks are officially psyched out, intimidated and in awe of purple dinosaurs not named “Barney.”
Can it change in seven days? That’s the million-dollar question?
“They probably feel they can come into the Garden and win,” Marcus Camby said afterward. “But we’re going to have to hold down the fort.”
Raptor center Antonio Davis, who is used to Knick playoff wars with the Pacers, said, “I hope we’re getting inside their heads. We will need that edge because they are a different team in the playoffs.”
Van Gundy was so desperate after the beating he fell back on his old, blame-me routine.
“It’s my fault,” Van Gundy repeated about three times.
“I haven’t given them a good enough plan that they feel confident they can play against this team. I didn’t give them a clear picture of how good a team we’re playing. We didn’t meet the physical, mental or athletic challenge. I have to make them see that. I’m going to have to do my job better when it comes to playing this team.”
Indeed, this excruciatingly long night could be the foreshadow of an excruciatingly short playoff spring.
“This game is going to stay fresh in our minds,” said Sprewell, who was a hideous 3 of 13 for six points. “Knowing the personality of this group, we’re not going to allow this to happen in the playoffs.”
Strategical changes probably will include a move to the controversial Big Backcourt in the playoffs against the Raptors.
Point guards Charlie Ward and Chris Childs have been useless against the Raptors. Even though 6-foot-6 Toronto point guard Doug Christie didn’t play because of an ankle, 5-5 backup Muggsy Bogues ran the offense well.
Ward, who was blanked and took just one shot, combined with Childs for just two points and six assists. While Van Gundy said the destruction was so complete it wouldn’t have mattered anyway, he didn’t seem opposed to the idea of change.
Meanwhile, the slow but steady deterioration of Allan Houston’s All-Star skills continued Friday. He was miserable on defense, allowing reserve Dell Curry to roam free in the first quarter to score eight points in five minutes.
“I’m clearly not playing up to my potential,” said Houston, who aside from a monster right-handed slam in the first quarter played with no passion and finished with 10 points.
“You’ve got to get around those screens no matter what, especially against a guy like Curry. We played tentative on both ends. We can’t expect to do that and go far in the playoffs.”
Said Van Gundy after the carnage: “What did the score read, 15 points? … They could’ve named the score tonight. They’ve beaten us three straight times very easily. We’re not competitive.”