Knicks 101 Rockets 90
HOUSTON — This was not against Hakeem Olajuwon’s Rockets. But with doubts swirling that Patrick Ewing would ever regain his feathery fall-away, he dispelled some of them last night in an explosive and eye-opening first half.
After clanking shot after shot through the first two games
of his return from an Achilles injury, Ewing’s offensive repertoire was back last night in a 20-point explosion during a 101-90 Knick victory over the Rockets — even if Ewing was abusing tubby Thomas Hamilton and Kelvin Cato in the pivot.
Ewing dominated offensively in the first half with 16 points. His 20 points overall were four more than his first two contests combined.
He trotted out an array of post moves and a sweet-as-sugar touch completely absent in the first two games, when he bricked 16 of 19 field-goal attempts.
All aboard the “Ewing is back” bandwagon.
Late Sunday night, Ewing had said, “I’m still a great player,” and yesterday the 37-year-old center showed for a game, at least, that he indeed can still be more than an elite defensive specialist.
In perfect symmetry, Ewing took charge in the first half and flu-ridden Latrell Sprewell (game-high 22 points, 18 after intermission) and Allan Houston (20) took over in the second as the Knicks won their fourth in a row.
What’s more, the dynamo Knicks are looking mighty dangerous at 3-0 with Ewing in the lineup as they moved to a season-best 14-9, having won six of their last seven.
“You can’t focus on just two guys now,” Houston said. “The whole strategy was not letting me and Spree get off. Now Larry [Johnson] is back and Patrick’s back, so now it’s a lot looser.”
Add Johnson’s 10 points and seven assists and you have completion of an offensive masterpiece that prompted coach Jeff Van Gundy to say these rare words: “The offense carried us tonight.”
“I came in thinking I was going to have a good game,” Ewing said. “I thought tonight I was more on balance when I shot the ball with my turnaround instead of leaning back. It’s going to take time to fine-tune my game, and tonight is hopefully the start.”
With Olajuwon out until January after hernia surgery, Ewing finished the first half hitting 6 of his 8 shots, playing 17 minutes as the Knicks took a 48-45 lead.
He took only two shots in the second half, missing both, but made four free throws in the final 2:10 to ensure the Rockets staged no comeback.
You knew this was the night he opened his bag of offensive tricks when in the opening minute he sank a difficult 12-foot fall-away jumper from the left baseline while being swarmed by Hamilton. It was all net as the Knicks took a 2-0 lead.
He then hit an almost identical 12-foot toughie from the left baseline with 5:47 left, and you could see his confidence rise.
“I said Patrick was going to take a couple of games to get his legs,” Houston said. “I think tonight we saw his legs had a little spring.”
Ewing, who played 30 and 28 minutes respectively in the first two games, played the entire first quarter. He was 4 for 5 from the field and 3-for-3 from the foul line in the opening period.
“Once he gets in shape, it’s up to him to make plays,” Sprewell said. “He has three games under his belt now. Granted, it was a young team we played tonight. As we play tougher opponents that’s when the real test will be for him and for the team.”
With 4:34 left in the first, Ewing already had totaled more field goals — three — than he had combined for in his first two games.
With 2:32 left in the first, he had already scored more points — 10 — than he reached in either game. Ewing had seven points in his season debut Friday vs. Philly and nine points Sunday against Boston.
But Ewing, who had five rebounds, cautioned, “It was only one game. I had one good game. I still have to combine my defense and my offense.
“From Day 1, I thought I was ahead of where I was supposed to be,” Ewing added. “I came out and thought I’d be more tired than I was the first game. I’m getting better and better each game.”