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Curry's follow shot lifts Knicks over Bobcats

Apr 19, 2007 - 4:24 AM CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Eddy Curry and the New York Knicks summed up their season in the final 15 seconds against the lowly Charlotte Bobcats.

Curry converted a follow shot with sixth-tenths of a second left and Malik Rose collected 10 points, a season-high 15 rebounds and a career-high nine assists as the Knicks ended their season with a dramatic 94-93, victory over the Bobcats.

Curry had 28 points and eight rebounds for New York, which snapped a five-game losing streak.

"It was a good win. It is always nice to win the last game," Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said. "I just hope there is some carry-over into next season. I expect them to play hard and I coach hard to the final buzzer. I expect certain things of them just as they expect certain things of me. I just wish we were still playing."

"I'm just glad that we kept playing hard throughout the season even though a lot of other teams would have shut it down a long time ago," Curry said. "I'm lucky to say I was a part of a team like this."

The Knicks have had problems with free-throw shooting and crunch-time defense this season, and it was no different in the waning moments on Wednesday.

"I just hope that next year we have better foul shooting," Thomas said. "We play so hard and do the right things and then we get to the foul line and we've got to convert."

But the enigmatic New York squad has also pulled out some improbable wins.

Rookie Mardy Collins made 1-of-2 foul shots with 15 seconds left to give the Knicks a two-point lead. On the ensuing possession, New York's porous defense was victimized yet again.

Charlotte guard Raymond Felton blew past Collins and converted a three-point play with 10 seconds left to give the Bobcats a 93-92 advantage - setting up Curry's heroics. After Rose missed a short jumper from the right baseline, Curry leapt over Bobcats rookie Walter Herrmann for the tip-in.

"I really wanted to do my part to carry the team," Curry said. "I felt both teams were very competitive tonight. It was an exciting game. I'm happy we were able to come out with a win.

"I saw Nate (Robinson) pass it to Malik and he tried to get it up. I just got into a good position to tip it in."

Herrmann scored 22 points and Brevin Knight collected 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Bobcats, who played their final game for coach Bernie Bickerstaff.

"I wish we could have pulled it out for Coach tonight," Felton said. "We played hard and smart and together but weren't able to pull through."

The team announced earlier this campaign that Bickerstaff would not return as coach but would take a different position with the organization.