Blackman’s Key Basket Lifts Knicks to 3-1 Lead : NBA playoffs: With Ewing guarded, New York gets clutch shot from veteran guard to beat Charlotte, 94-92.

Rolando Blackman knows who the New York Knicks are supposed to turn to in a pinch--and it isn’t him.

Blackman was the hero anyway Sunday at Charlotte, N.C., making a 20-foot shot with 5.4 seconds left to give the Knicks a 94-92 victory over the Charlotte Hornets and a 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

“The play was to find Patrick,” Blackman said, referring to center Patrick Ewing. “And then when Patrick can’t get it, then he finds all the rest of us helpers.”

Blackman, who entered the game shooting 31% in the playoffs, took a pass from Hubert Davis and released the winning shot barely before the 24-second clock expired.

After Charlotte took a timeout, Muggsy Bogues lost the ball trying to go down the lane. Ewing scooped it up to secure the victory, although the Knicks scored only 14 points during the fourth quarter.

Game 5 of the best-of-seven series will be played Tuesday at New York. Although one victory from clinching the series, Coach Pat Riley didn’t celebrate.

“We can’t be pleased with how we played and how we handled pressure,” Riley said.

Ewing finished with 28 points and 10 rebounds.