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This post is the post where I show you, instead of tell you, what happened in the Knicks game, so here you go. Here's the first 3 quarters:
The Knicks couldn't make shots, they couldn't get stops, and each time they finally did both of those things in sequence, they got called for some kind of arcane "breathing near ballhandler" foul. It was frustrating, and it felt like one of those occasional snow globes of flakiness and random variance that every team must go through a few times out of 82. Those losses happen.
And then here's some video from after the third quarter:
Close contest here @TheGarden! UTA 80 NYK 74 8:27 4Q. #Knicks shooting 51%. #NYKvsUTA pic.twitter.com/P8qcZq0RnO
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 21, 2016
REPLAY: @DWXXIII with the monster dunk! #NYKvsUTA pic.twitter.com/bdEKlHeSmD
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 21, 2016
REPLAY: @carmeloanthony crushes this jam! We're locked at 87-87 here @TheGarden w/ 3:16 left in the 4Q. pic.twitter.com/FtqLTzYOIM
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 21, 2016
Carmelo Anthony got a heap of late buckets and made no fewer than 3 brilliant crosscourt passes for late buckets. Robin Lopez finished a season-topping performance with several tip-ins and one deadly hook. Derrick Williams and Langston Galloway each made up for boners with some huge buckets, the best of which was the Williams multi-tap above. I fist-pumped so hard I nearly clipped off my ear.
With all of that, the Knicks finally cut into the lead they'd allowed with a dead mid-second quarter. They pulled ahead late with those big Melo plays, but because the Jazz wouldn't miss, and because poor, sweet Kristaps Porzingis bit on a pump fake and gave Gordon Hayward three late free throws, the game went to overtime. And it just got better! The Jazz refused to go away, but New York finally outworked 'em with stops, great work on the offensive glass, and the necessary free throws.
It was so bad, and then it was so great. Recap to come!