The Garden scoreboard lit up with the Giants’ final defensive stand during a Knick timeout with 5:55 left in the second quarter. The referees delayed resumption of the Knicks-Pistons game as long as they could, calling for a ballboy to mop up an invisible wet spot.
As the Giants advanced to the NFC championship game with a game-clinching interception, the Garden fans, in a surreal scene, gave Big Blue a standing ovation just as Eddy Curry shot a free throw. Isiah Thomas was on the bench laughing.
Amazingly, the Knicks would also receive a standing ovation by the time the stunning night was through.
The Giants’ good feel rubbed off on the reeling Knicks. Incredibly, the Knicks played like winners, also, for one bizarre evening as they thumped the powerhouse Pistons, 89-65, to temporarily quell the furor of Thomas’ shaky job status.
Curry wound up missing both free throws but laughed about it afterward.
“It was a good distraction,” Curry said. “I blame the Giants for missing those free throws.”
The Knicks were a cohesive unit for a change and all the players dressed by their lockers, instead of hiding in the trainer’s room. Zach Randolph, benched in the second half Friday after his bench tiff with Thomas, erupted for 25 points on 11-of -18 shooting.
“He passed out of the double team,” Thomas said for the first time this season. “He made honest plays tonight. He was a great teammate tonight. He is a great player but we have to learn how to do is learn how to win.”
It’s probably too late, as Team Titanic II moved to 10-26. But at least the arena wasn’t filled with boos and “Fire Isiah” chants. They committed a season-low seven turnovers and harassed Detroit into 30.7 percent shooting.
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In recent days, Thomas’ public rhetoric has smacked of defeatism as the end of his reign seems more in focus, with speculation owner James Dolan is thinking of an exit strategy.
On speculation he won’t finish the season, Thomas said, “There’s speculation about a coach’s job no matter who you are, whether you are successful coach, winning coach, losing coach, good year, bad year. Speculation comes with the job.”