Knicks 96-Hawks 98 01.28.00

Player of the Game:EWING-10Pts,15Rebs,2Bs Best Scorer:Allan Houston-22 Best Rebounder:Patrick Ewing-15 Best Passer:Charlie Ward-6

ATLANTA-When Allan Houston missed a key free throw, the biggest sigh of relief came from Atlanta's Alan Henderson. Isaiah Rider made a pair of free throws with eight seconds left in overtime and the Hawks held off the New York Knicks 98-96 Friday night. The Knicks trailed 98-95 when Houston, who led New York with 22 points but missed a final shot in regulation, was fouled on a 3-point try by Henderson with three seconds remaining. Houston made the first free throw, but missed the second. "When he missed it, I said 'whew,"' said an obviously relieved Henderson. "I tried to make it (the foul) before he shot," said Henderson. "I reached out and he hit my arm." Houston missed the third one one intentionally, but the Hawks got the rebound for their third straight win. "It's very disappointing," said Houston, who was shooting 83 percent from the line coming into the game and had made 4-of-4 before the miss. "I'm a great free throw shooter. I've got to make those," he said. "Most of the times I'm going to make them." Rider's two foul shots put the Hawks ahead 97-95. After Henderson blocked a shot by New York's Latrell Sprewell, Dikembe Mutombo made one of two free throws with four seconds left. Rider led Atlanta with 22 points. He made all eight of his free throws, but made only 6-of-25 shots from the field. Mutombo had 24 rebounds 13 off the offensive boards with 18 points and four blocked shots. Henderson had 16 points and Bimbo Coles added 14. Sprewell had 21 for the Knicks. Charlie Ward added 16 points and Patrick Ewing had 10 points and 15 rebounds. The Knicks had tied it in regulation at 91 when Sprewell scored with 13 seconds left after Ewing stole an inbounds pass from Henderson. Both teams had a chance to win it in regulation. Atlanta's Jason Terry missed a 15-foot jumper with seven seconds left and Houston's 15-footer rimmed out with two seconds left. The Knicks had taken a 74-64 lead with 1:01 left in the third period on a basket by Sprewell. Atlanta came back to go ahead 80-79 on a basket by Lorenzo Wright. The two teams were never separated by more than two points the rest of regulation before a near-capacity crowd of 18,596.