Who says Danilo Gallinari can’t play defense?
Gallinari wasn’t able to make his free throws in the final 20 seconds to seal the deal, but he did something better – something no Knick ever does in this era.
Gallinari blocked a shot to win a game.
Gallinari missed three free throws to give the Bobcats a chance, but he redeemed himself. Trailing by two, 96-94, with 9.3 seconds left, Acie Law was inserted for the first time and whirled downcourt, aiming for a coast-to-coast layup.
PHOTOS: KNICKS BEAT BOBCATS, 98-94
At the last moment, the 6-foot-11 Gallinari swatted the layup attempt off the glass with 4.9 seconds left, preserving the Knicks’ 98-94 Garden victory.
The Knicks are now 6-3 since Nate Robinson’s benching and moved to 10-17, avenging their heartbreaking final-second 94-87 loss to Charlotte last Tuesday.
“I knew he was going for a layup, and I was waiting for the right time for me to jump and I did it,” Gallinari said. “A real good play.”
Gallinari finished with 21 points and hit back-to-back 3-pointers late in the fourth to give the Knicks a cushion. But he was 2 of 5 from the free-throw line in the last 20 seconds, nearly costing the club the game.
“He hit some big shots, some 3’s. He just missed foul shots, uncharacteristically,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “He just missed them, but it all worked out.”
Al Harrington’s tip-in with 1:37 left put the Knicks up by seven before they nearly blew it, like they blew it in Charlotte. And Gallinari would have been the goat.
“I don’t want to miss like that,” Gallinari said. “I got so mad at myself. I should not miss like that, but we won, so I’m happy.”
Though the Bobcats were playing without injured Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson departed midway through the third with back spasms, this was a good victory for the Knicks, who have held their last seven opponents to under 100 points, and now they win one with a block.
The Knicks have decreased the pace and increased their win total, winning seven of their last 10 games and are 9-8 since a franchise-worst 1-9 start.
“I don’t care,” D’Antoni said about winning games in the 90’s. “I’ve just got to figure out the best way to play, and this is the best way.”
Wilson Chandler, who had a terrible start to the season, also had a big night for the Knicks, scoring a team-high 26 points, making 9 of 17 shots. Chandler hit a mammoth right-corner 3-pointer with 3:08 left that put the Knicks up 92-87.
“Wilson’s been playing super,” D’Antoni said. “He’s hitting big shots all the time.”
It also was another successful day for comebacking Jonathan Bender, who racked up 11 points in 14:42, making 3 of 4 shots, in his second game. Bender hit two corner treys and is playing with poise, leading D’Antoni to give up on center Eddy Curry for now. Curry sat for the second straight game.
Their turnaround is stunning and almost surreal, doing it without one of their top scorers in Robinson.
“Whether it’s a coincidence or not, it’s tough to say,” David Lee said. “Nate’s been my friend here for five years. Whether I wear a “Nate should play” T-shirt is not going to change their decision.”
Larry Hughes missed his third consecutive game with a strained groin and Robinson was still pinned to the bench.
“We’re playing better this way,” D’Antoni said.