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GAME DAY PREVIEW Game time: 8:00pm ET Toronto at New York | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Regular-season records
NEW YORK (Ticker) -- The New York Knicks look to take a commanding 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series with the Toronto Raptors, who are hoping superstar forward Vince Carter's second career playoff game is much better than his first. The Knicks squandered a 19-point lead before pulling out an 92-88 triumph over Toronto thanks to a go-ahead 3-pointer by Larry Johnson, some clutch free throws by Chris Childs and a dismal performance by Carter. Toronto's 6-6 All-Star forward misfired on 17-of-20 shots and wound up with 16 points. The Knicks roughed up Carter throughout and Latrell Sprewell threw the superstar down for a flagrant foul in the final minute of play with New York clinging to a three-point lead. But Carter went 1-of-2 at the line and missed a potential tying layup in the following sequence.
"Our defense was very good, but I think Vince Carter missed some shots that he could normally make," New York coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "Great players have tough nights, too." Sprewell and Allan Houston scored 21 points each and Johnson and Patrick Ewing added 15 each for New York, which has advanced beyond the best-of-five first-round each of the previous eight seasons. The Knicks are making their Eastern Conference-leading 13th consecutive playoff appearance, while the Raptors are newcomers to the postseason. Carter's cousin, Tracy McGrady, scored 25 points but missed Toronto's last chance to tie on a jumper with 12.5 seconds to play. Game 3 is Sunday in Toronto.
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