Ewing Takes Knicks To Playoffs

The New York Knicks finally qualified for the playoffs, and they couldn't have been unhappier.

Upset at blowing several double-digit leads, bitter about the way the crowd treated Patrick Ewing and acting more grumpy than elated, the Knicks locked up a playoff berth Monday night by defeating the Boston Celtics 95-88.

"It was disappointing to me that every time (Ewing) shot the ball there were some murmurs in the crowd. You know, this guy, ever since he got here, has laid it on the line. And he was dominant tonight," coach Jeff Van Gundy said after Ewing, hobbled by a sore Achilles' tendon, summoned the strength to score 27 points and grab a season-high 19 rebounds.

Ewing wasn't happy afterward, either, wearing a scowl that made it seem like the Knicks had missed the playoffs rather than made them.

"I don't care what (the crowd) thinks. I don't care what any of you all think," Ewing said. "Everybody can moan, you all can write about my runners, but I don't care. I'm me, and I'm going to be me."

It took a late 9-0 run spearheaded by Allan Houston for the Knicks to finally put away a Boston team that came back from deficits of 16, 12 and 10 points. They qualified for the postseason for the 12th consecutive year

Ewing had one of his best performances of the season, Houston added 21 points including five during the late 9-0 run Latrell Sprewell had 13 and Charlie Ward had 10 assists.

New York's victory knocked the Charlotte Hornets out of the playoff race.

The Knicks still have a shot at moving up as high as the sixth seed, but they'd need to finish in a three-way tie with Milwaukee and Philadephia for that to happen. The Knicks trail the Bucks and 76ers by 1@1/2 games, and it's possible they'll be locked into the eighth spot by the time they play their final game Wednesday night against Miami.

New York would be the seventh seed if it finished tied with Philadelphia.

The lack of a celebration was a somewhat fitting reaction for a team that never expected it would have to wait until the final three days of the season to clinch a postseason berth.

"With what we've been through this season, all the ups and downs, we finally made it in," Sprewell said. "It's a new season and we're going to try to make the most of it. The East is so wide open this year, I don't know if there are really any underdogs."

"We might not have showed it on the floor, but guys are excited about being there."

It was the fifth win in seven games for New York since general manager Ernie Grunfeld was relieved of his duties a personnel change that could be the first of many if the Knicks perform poorly in the playoffs.

And if they protect leads the way they did against the Celtics, things don't look promising.

Boston used a 10-0 run midway through the fourth quarter to tie the game at 81 before Houston converted a three-point play, Ewing and Sprewell scored in the lane and Houston hit a corner jumper with 2:33 left for a 90-81 lead.

From there, the Knicks let the Celtics get no closer than five and wrapped it up at the foul line.

Paul Pierce and Ron Mercer scored 18 apiece to lead the Celtics.

With Ewing making his first three shots and then passing up a shot to feed a wide-open Houston for a jumper, the Knicks opened a quick 10-0 lead that grew to 16-0 before Boston made its first shot with 6:45 left. But by the end of the quarter, the Celtics were down only three.

Boston took the lead briefly in the second quarter, but the Knicks built their advantage back to 12 early in the third quarter as back-to-back 3-pointers by Larry Johnson and Ward made it 54-42.

Again the Celtics came back, drawing within 60-58 on a 3-pointer by Dana Barros, and again the Knicks responded. A jumper by Ewing made it 71-61 late in the third, and another jumper by Ewing made it 81-71 early in the fourth before the Celtics made their final comeback.

Notes: Celtics coach Rick Pitino sounded pessimistic that Mercer will be back on the team next season, saying the second-year player's salary demands could be more than Boston is willing to pay. "If we can't (sign him), we'll get a very good player back or multiple good players," Pitino said. ... Celtics rookie Paul Pierce said he'd choose Vince Carter of Toronto over Jason Williams of Sacramento for Rookie of the Year. ... Magic Johnson attended the game.

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