Knicks Show heart in typical Knicks defeat

CELTICS 118

KNICKS 116

They are not the same ole' Knicks...at least they are not the Knicks that we have grown used to seeing over the last 11 years.

The Knicks were just a Amar'e Stoudemire three pointer with 0.4 of second remaining in regulation from beating the hated Boston Celtics, and making believers out of their cynical fan base.

However, even in defeat the Knicks showed that they will be a team to reckon with.

The Knicks had the Celtics right where they wanted them all night, holding a 90-83 lead heading into the fourth quarter, and even held a 113-111 lead with just two minutes to go in the game.

Stoudemire had his ninth straight 30 point game, scoring 39 on 15-of-22 shooting with 10 boards. He was unstoppable on the nets, as the Celtics just never had an answer to cover him.

Danilo Gallinari, 20 points, and Raymond Felton, 26 points, were right behind Stoudemire.

Now in the final minutes, the Celtics took the lead on a three pointer by Ray Allen to give Boston a 116-113 lead. The Knicks tied it on a three point play by Gallinari as he was fouled on the way to the hoop.

Finally, Paul Pierce scored a on a jumper with .04 to go in the game to give the Celtics a 118-116 lead. The Knicks had one more play. Stoudemire got the basket on the inbounds, and took his shot. It went in to give the Knicks a 119-118 win, but, after further review, Stoudemire held the ball a tenth of a second too long, as the buzzer sounded before he ever released the ball.

The game was awarded to Boston, their 11th win a row, but the Knicks made the statement they needed to make. The Knicks play LeBron James and the Heat on Friday at the Garden.