Rockets beat Knicks 92-91 at buzzer
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-01-22 12:13

Scott Padgett hit an off-balance, one-hander from just inside the free-throw line at the buzzer to give the Houston Rockets a 92-91 victory over the slumping New York Knicks on Friday night.

Tracy McGrady scored 35 points, six on two 3-pointers in Houston's 13-0 run at the start of the second half, to help the Rockets win for the fifth time in their last seven games and hand the Knicks their ninth loss in 10 games.

Houston Rockets center Yao Ming, guard Tracy McGrady (1) and guard Jon Barry (20) celebrate after forward Scott Padgett made a last second shot to beat the New York Knicks 92-91 in their NBA game in New York's Madison Square Garden, January 21, 2005. [Reuters]

New York's Michael Sweetney scored four straight points to cut the Rockets' lead to one with 2:14 remaining, and the Knicks took the lead on Jerome Williams' two free throws with 1:51 left. After Stephon Marbury made two more free throws to give the Knicks a 91-88 lead, Yao Ming countered with an inside basket for Houston to make it 91-90.

The Knicks had a chance to put the game away with a basket, but gave the Rockets a chance with a shot-clock violation. Padgett got the ball after the Knicks swarmed McGrady and just beat the buzzer with his winning shot.

McGrady was 5-of-12 from 3-point range, 13-of-27 overall from the field and had five assists and six rebounds in the All-Star's only appearance at Madison Square Garden this season. Yao added 22 points and 12 rebounds, and Padgett finished with 12 points. Marbury led the Knicks with 20, and Jamal Crawford had 18.

The Rockets, coming off a 108-99 victory Thursday night in McGrady's return to Orlando, outscored the Knicks 31-17 in the third quarter to take a 72-63 lead.

The Knicks' third-quarter meltdown came two days after they unraveled in the fourth quarter in a 17-point loss in Toronto. In that game, the Raptors outscored the Knicks 17-2 in the final 4:55.

Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy faced the Knicks at Madison Square Garden for the second time since resigning as New York's coach in 2001. In his first game back last January, the Rockets routed the Knicks 111-79 a week before Don Chaney was fired as New York's coach. This time, Lenny Wilkens was in danger of losing his job, just a year after the Hall of Fame player and coach replaced Chaney.

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