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SPORTS / WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
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NBA
Gallinari's 31 points help Knicks defeat Celtics.104-101
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — Danilo Gallinari scored a career-high 31 points, including the go-ahead basket with 36 seconds left, Earl Barron had 17 points and a career-best 18 rebounds, and the New York Knicks beat the Boston Celtics 104-101 Tuesday night.
David Lee had the clinching basket and added 13 points and 11 boards for the Knicks, who won their second straight and temporarily avoided a third consecutive 50-loss season.
Ray Allen scored 17 points for the Celtics, who blew a chance to tie Atlanta for third place in the Eastern Conference. Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins each added
14 for Boston, which botched its final possession and couldn't get a tying three-point attempt off in the final sec-
The Celtics followed their victory over Cleveland Sunday by losing for the fourth time in five games after leading early in the
three-pointer and assisted on Glen Davis' jumper in the Celtics' 10-0 run to start the fourth that gave
New York's win against Boston allowed the Knicks to avoid their third consecutive 50-loss season.
fourth quarter behind a spark from former Knicks guard Nate Robinson.
Gallinari scored 19 points in the third quarter to give the Knicks an 86-78 lead, but Robinson hit a
them an 88-86 advantage on Michael Finley's three-pointer.
Gallinari banked in a long jumper — originally called a three-pointer but overturned after replay — for a 102-101 lead with 36 seconds left.
Chris Duhon came up with a
steal and set up David Lee's basket that made it 104-101 with 7.3 seconds to play. The Celtics called time, but took way too long to swing the ball to the opposite side of the court, where Rasheed Wallace caught it too late to get off a shot.
With Tracy McGrady (sore left knee) and Al Harrington (sore left ankle) joining Wilson Chandler (sore left groin) on the injured list, the Knicks had to look deep down the bench for scoring. They found it in Barron, a 7-foot center who signed last week from the NBA Development League and was playing his second game with New York.
He hadn't started in the NBA since making 15 starts for the
Miami Heat in 2007-08, but shot 8 of 13 and spent all night chasing down missed shots against Boston's frustrated front line.
The Knicks led throughout most of the first quarter and were ahead 27-21 when it ended.
Boston shot 63 percent in the second, briefly grabbing the lead late in the period before New York took a 53-52 edge into halftime.
NOTES: Though Mike Krzyzewski has repeatedly said he's not interested in leaving national champion Duke for the NBA, Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni won't rule out coaching against him someday. D'Antoni is Krzyzewski's assistant on the U.S. Olympic team.
"He's still only 62 years old. He's young, so I have no idea what he would do," D'Antoni said. "Wherever he goes, I do know that he would be successful, if he's coaching or running a business or whatever he wants to do. He's just pretty special."
There have been reports this season that the New Jersey Nets would pursue Kryzyzewski. Knicks president Donnie Walsh said he wasn't sure if he would sign anyone with the Knicks' available roster spot. The spot opened Monday when the Knicks waived Cuttino Mobley, who retired last season because of a heart condition. The Knicks had to waive him before the end of the season to save the luxury tax on his salary.
VOLLEYBALL
Kansas plays three exhibition games
Kansas volleyball will be in action today with three exhibition matches against Central Missouri State, Rockhurst and Washburn. The matches will start at 5 p.m. at the Horeisi Family Athletics Center
The Jayhawks went (16-14, 8-12) in the 2009 season, which was their best season since 2006. Kansas will lose four seniors in May, but will bring in four new players in the fall, including two top 100 recruits.
Kansas will also run drills with Iowa Saturday before playing the team in an exhibition match at 1 p.m. All events are free to the public.
— Zach Get2
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Collins wins award and named finalist
Adding to his long list of post-season awards, Sherron Collins received the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Tuesday. Collins was also named a finalist for the John R. Wooden All-American award.
The Naismith
award goes to seniors 6-foot and shorter, who excel in both academics and athletics. The Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award is named in honor of Dr. James Naismith's daughter-in-law.
Collins is the first Kansas player to win the award. The winner is selected by a panel from the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
During the past week Collins has accepted three other awards.
Collins was one of four winners of the NABC Senior Achievement Award, was named consensus All-America First Team Saturday and won the Lute Olson Player of the Year Award Friday.
Corey Thibodeaux
MLB
Orioles fall to Rays at Tropicana Field
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Carl Crawford drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single in the ninth inning to give the Tampa Bay Rays a 4-3 season-opening victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night.
Adam Jones, Luke Scott and Matt Wieters homered for the Orioles, who were unable to put the game away because of a lack of timely hitting with runners in scoring position.
Evan Longoria homered in the sixth for the Rays, who loaded the bases in the ninth against Baltimore's new closer, Michael Gonzalez, with a single, double and an intentional walk. Crawford lined a 1-0 pitch into right field, driving in the winning runs before a sellout crowd of 36,973 at Tropicana Field.
Rafael Soriano (1-0) got the win, despite struggling to get through the top of the ninth for Tampa Bay.
Associated Press