Stephon Marbury was the first to joyously greet Jamal Crawford as the Knicks’ sore-shouldered point guard in the tan double-breasted suit bounded onto the court laughing. Marbury chest-bumped Crawford, who got a big embrace from Eddy Curry.
“I told [Marbury], ‘Be careful, you don’t to get reinjured,’ ” Crawford joked.
It was the first joke in the Knicks locker room in weeks. The whole Garden was up on its feet in a deafening roar after Crawford hit the game-winning, awkward-looking, foul-line jumper with three seconds left to break their 10-game losing streak with a 98-96 victory over the Raptors entering the All-Star break.
It had been a long, long time a giddy feeling enveloped the World’s Most Famous Arena.
“Certainly, I’m happy for the team. They can go home and enjoy this game and hopefully be re-energized,” Larry Brown said. “But for me, I’m going to figure out ways to coach better. I feel a lot better with this win because I think in that locker room they needed something positive to happen.
“I know the players need a break. Maybe it will be an opportunity to start over, start fresh.”
The last-second win does not change their Team Titanic status. The Knicks have been the shame of the city this season, entering the break with a 15-37 record – second worst in the league.
After losing 16 of 17 games before last night’s win, perhaps some consistent winning comes after the break, because Marbury is expected back for their next game on Wednesday against Miami.
Last night’s was their first win playing without Marbury – now 1-10 without their captain.
“He told me he’s coming back” said Jalen Rose, yet to play with Marbury.
The victory also was the first for Rose in a Knick uniform after playing in six straight losses. Rose, after a scoreless, foul-filled first half, came on with 17 points vs. his old team.
Curry, who before the game told Brown he felt he was letting the team down, had a very active 18 points with four blocks.
Locked in a down-to-the-wire affair, Crawford won it with an ugly-looking, pull-up, one-handed jumper from the left section of the foul line, with Mike James in his face.
“If there’s a face that isn’t here [after the break], it will probably be mine from the all the rumors. I hope everybody’s still here, me included,” said Crawford, mentioned prominently in trade talks.
Queens product Charlie Villanueva’s wide-open, left-wing 3-pointer tied the score at 96 with 17.4 seconds left. Brown elected not to call a timeout.
Crawford, playing with a bad back that forced him out of the Dallas rout, brought the ball upcourt and took it to James and drained the shot for a 98-96 lead.
The Raptors had one last gasp, but James (22 points, nine assists) flung up a desperation airball from 26 feet off the inbounds pass.
Things did not look good down the stretch. Ex-Knick Antonio Davis set a blistering pick that sent 5-9 Nate Robinson to the floor as James danced to the basket for a layup, bringing Toronto within one 94-93 with 38.4 seconds left.
“It was all right,” Robinson said. “I played football.”
But Curry, demanding the ball, got a pass inside for a key layup anD a 96-93 lead with 30 seconds left.