Knicks’ comeback effort fails short at the buzzer

#Knicks climb back but fall in San Antonio, 100-99. … @kporzee: 28p/11r @carmeloanthony: 20p/12r

A photo posted by New York Knicks 🏀 (@nyknicks) on Jan 8, 2016 at 7:59pm PST

Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks, coming after three straight wins against stronger teams, did their best to end San Antonio Spurs’ home winning streak which lasts since last season. The Spurs were 30-0 at home and 21-0 this season but the Knicks’ confidence was at the higest level. In the end, the game was decided by the final play.

Down by 12 with less than 6 minutes on the clock, the Knicks fought back and went on a 9-0 run while Kristaps Porzingis‘ alley-oop with 32 seconds on the clock cut the lead to a mere point.

Manu Ginobili wasted a jump shot with 17 seconds remaining and that allowed New York to have the final attack. Anthony sees Jose Calderon open and sends him the ball to knock down a three from the corner but his shot bounces off the rim as time expires and the Knicks miss the chance of spoiling the Spurs at home.

We got a good shot and that’s the goal at the end of the game regardless of who gets the shot. I thought Carmelo made the right basketball play in that situation and is not a bad look by Jose at all. I don’t know if we could draw something to get a better look for one of our better shooters than that.

– Derek Fisher

Porzingis was the high scorer of the night, with 28 points to which he added 11 rebounds while Anthony also checked a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Lance Thomas and Langston Galloway combined 21 points off the bench and Arron Afflalo contributed with 12 buckets including a three pointer in the last minute.

The key point of the game however, proved to be the points scored in the paint where San Antonio crushed New York 60-38.

The Knicks are now 18-20 and are heading back to Madison Square Garden to try and get two wins against Milwaukee, on Sunday and against Boston, on Tuesday.