Dennis Schroder hit two free throws with six seconds remaining to save a much-needed victory for the Hawks in a game that saw Knicks star Carmelo Anthony ejected.
The final score: Hawks 102, Knicks 98 in overtime.
Schroder’s free throws gave the Hawks a 100-97 lead. Kristaps Porzingis had a chance to tie the game with 3.6 seconds left after he was fouled on a 3-point attempt by Thabo Sefolosha. However, he missed the first attempt. After making the second, he tried to intentionally miss the third but the Knicks were called for a lane violation.
Paul Millsap iced the victory with a pair of free throws with 3.0 seconds left Wednesday night at Philips Arena.
“It’s big time,” Schroder said of the win, the Hawks’ first in their past four home games.
Sefolosha and Kyle Korver hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the extra period as the Hawks built a six-point lead before holding on in the final seconds.
For the Hawks (16-16),Schroder had 27 points and Dwight Howard had a double-double of 16 points and 22 rebounds. They also got double-digit scoring from Korver (13), Millsap (12), Sefolsha (11) and Kent Bazemore (11).
“We just got a good win,” Howard said of a game neither team led by double digits. “It was scrappy. We did a lot of good things on the floor. The defense was pretty good down the stretch.”
For the Knicks (16-15), Derrick Rose had 26 points and Porzingis had 24 points. Rose had a critical turnover in the final seconds when he slipped and lost control of the ball. Sefolosha was credited with the steal by gathering the loose ball and giave it to Schroder who was then fouled before the decisive free throws.
Anthony was ejected with 3:08 remaining in the first half after a run-in with the Sefolosha.
While under the basket, Anthony grabbed Sefolosha around the throat with one hand and then threw an elbow with the other arm.
Sefolosha took exception to the contact and the two had to be separated. Players from both teams continued to argue, including Schroder stepping up to Anthony.
Officials originally called double technical fouls on Anthony and Sefolosha. Before the ball was inbounded, referee Monty McCutchen called for a review of the play. After the review, Anthony was given a Flagrant Foul 2, cause for immediate ejection. It was the eighth time in his career and second time this season that Anthony has been ejected.
“He punched me,” Sefolosha said. “That was a fist right in my face.”
Anthony had 10 points and five rebounds before his ejection.
The Knicks took a 66-65 lead into the fourth quarter.
With the game tied at 85-85, the Hawks had two chances and the Knicks had one chance but neither team could score. Schroder missed twice for the Hawks, including a floater out near the buzzer that bounced off the rim and sent the game into overtime. Rose missed on a drive to the basket before the final sequence of regulation.
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