NBA PLAYOFFS : Bogues’ Late Shots Lift Hornets, 110-106

Muggsy Bogues picked a fine time to be selfish.

Instead of looking for his teammates as he usually does as the Charlotte Hornets’ point guard, Bogues made a crucial jump shot and added two free throws during the last minute, leading the Hornets to a 110-106 victory over the New York Knicks in double overtime Friday night.

“I wasn’t hesitant tonight,” said the 5-foot-3 Bogues, the NBA’s shortest player. “I was looking for my shot, and the shot felt good. The worst thing you can do is miss. That’s what Doug Collins said. I’m going to keep that in my mind.”

The Hornets got their first victory in the second-round series after losing twice at New York, rallying in regulation before getting clutch free throws from Alonzo Mourning in the first overtime.

Game 4 in the best-of-seven series is Sunday at Charlotte.

After Bogues made a jumper with 53 seconds left in the second overtime, Patrick Ewing missed a jumper with 40 seconds to play. New York’s second chance died when Charles Oakley lost the rebound out of bounds.

With the Knicks forced to foul to have a chance to get the ball back, Bogues went to the line twice during the last 12 seconds. On the second foul, he sealed the victory by making two free throws with 5.5 seconds left.

“I’m just trying to get back into my rhythm again,” said Bogues, who made six of 10 shots and scored 16 points. “I think I’ve been too unselfish. I hit some big shots, and I’ve got to keep taking them.”

Mourning had 34 points and 10 rebounds, and Larry Johnson scored 31 points for Charlotte.

Ewing, who played the last two minutes of regulation and both overtimes with five fouls, scored 26 points and had 14 rebounds. Oakley added 19 points and 13 rebounds, and John Starks scored 19 points.

“We’ve been scrapping the last three games, and it finally paid off in a win,” Charlotte guard Kendall Gill said. “I think we have the momentum now. We know we can beat them in a close game or in overtime.”

Even with his team trailing in the series, Charlotte Coach Allan Bristow found a source for optimism--and concern.

“Game 4 is going to be the toughest game for us to win at home,” Bristow said. “It’s always the second game of a back-to-back that’s the toughest to play. We’ve got to be ready to go.”

Mourning made two free throws with 12 seconds left in the first overtime to tie the score at 102-102. Starks went one-on-one with Bogues, backing him into the lane, but Bogues stripped the ball as time expired.

It looked as though Charlotte’s hopes for victory would again fade during another fourth-quarter collapse. The Knicks went on a 9-0 run, including a crucial three-point shot by Starks with 3:36 left in regulation, for a 90-84 lead.

Bogues scored with 3:15 to play and Johnson made a three-point shot from the right wing with 2:05 left, bringing the Hornets to within 90-89.

Ewing, who had returned at the 2:50 mark, immediately went to work, scoring on a jumper from the right baseline with 1:42 left.