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Monday, Jan. 16
1:00pm
TV: MSG, NBALP
Radio: ESPN 1050
Knicks try to bounce back from first loss of 2006
Preview:NEW YORK (Ticker) - The New York Knicks get little time to reflect on their first loss of the new year.
One day after the end of their season-long six-game winning streak, the Knicks host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday in their first meeting of the season.
In Sunday's 129-103 loss to the Toronto Raptors, New York showed little resemblance to the team that had averaged 114.5 points in its six January victories after finishing 2005 with just seven wins in 28 games.
Eddy Curry scored 20 points, Stephon Marbury had 18 and 13 assists and rookie David Lee 15 and 12 rebounds for the Knicks, who allowed the Raptors to shoot 59 percent (49-of-83) from the floor.
The Timberwolves have lost seven straight road games but enter the contest having won back-to-back contests, including Friday's 103-89 victory over the Denver Nuggets in which Kevin Garnett scored a season-high 31 points and grabbed 15 rebounds and Wally Szczerbiak added 28 points.
Garnett surpassed Hall of Famer Larry Bird for 41st place on the all-time rebound list and needs 19 to reach 9,000. He would also become the 16th player in history with 16,000 points, 9,000 rebounds and 3,500 assists.
The Timberwolves have won six of the last eight meetings against the Knicks, including three of four at Madison Square Garden.
FINAL SCORE
Knicks - 90
Wolves - 96
Box Score
Timberwolves Hold On To Edge Knicks
Recap:NEW YORK, Jan. 16 (Ticker) -- Pint-sized rookie Nate Robinson sparked a comeback with his quickness. But his lack of size cost the New York Knicks in the end.
Troy Hudson's 3-pointer over the 5-9 Robinson barely beat the shot clock with 7.3 seconds left as the Minnesota Timberwolves snapped a seven-game road losing streak with a 96-90 victory over the Knicks.
New York played the last eight minutes without point guard Stephon Marbury, who injured his left shoulder after colliding with Minnesota's Wally Szczerbiak.
Marbury had scored five points in a 16-2 run that helped the Knicks pull within 74-69 with 9:37 left. But just 90 seconds later, he bounced off a pick by Szczerbiak and spent the rest of the day on the bench with a towel on his head.
That forced Knicks coach Larry Brown to use Robinson down the stretch. Timberwolves coach Dwane Casey immediately took advantage of the matchup, calling a play for Hudson, who hit a 3-pointer over Robinson with 6:46 left to give Minnesota an 83-73 lead.
After Szczerbiak hit a pair of free throws to increase the advantage to 86-75, Robinson provided an offensive spark with seven straight points - two layups and a shot from the arc - to pull the Knicks within 86-82 with 4:19 remaining.
But Hudson, who scored 10 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter, hit a short jumper from the left side over Robinson and Szczerbiak scored on a baseline drive, opening the lead to 90-82 with 3:19 to play.
The Knicks responded with an 8-2 run, capped by a pair of free throws by Robinson after he was fouled by Hudson with 32 seconds left that pulled the Knicks within 92-90.
But Casey called on Hudson again to exploit Robinson, and the 6-2 guard drilled a 3-pointer from the left side as the shot clock expired.
After Quentin Richardson missed a 3-pointer for New York, Hudson made 1-of-2 free throws with under a second left.
Kevin Garnett had a superb all-around game with 24 points, 16 rebounds and six assists for Minnesota, which won on the road for the first time since December 7 at Portland. Szczerbiak also scored 24 points.
The Knicks have lost two in a row following a season-high six-game winning streak.
