NBA PLAYOFFS : Morris Takes Deep Breaths, Nets Stay Alive

Chris Morris made two free throws with 1.5 seconds to play in overtime, giving the New Jersey Nets a 93-92 victory over the New York Knicks on Wednesday night and keeping the Nets alive in the playoffs.

The Knicks lead the series, 2-1, with the winner to meet the Chicago Bulls in an Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Morris’ free throws came after the Knicks rallied from a 16-point deficit in the second half. The Nets scored only nine points in the fourth quarter on two-of-16 shooting.

“The first shot was a definite must make,” Morris said of the tying free throw. “I took a deep breath, relaxed and it felt good when it left my hand. Then they called time out to try to cool me.

“I didn’t want to go into a second overtime because anything could happen. I went to the line, took another deep breath, relaxed and the ball caught the rim and went in.”

Morris, who scored only eight points and hadn’t taken a free throw before his decisive shots, was a reluctant hero.

“It was a lot of pressure,” he said. “If it happens again, I’ll take it, but I’m not looking to be in that situation. I haven’t ever been in that situation before, not even in high school. You’re either the hero or the goat.”

John Starks’ three-point basket gave the Knicks a 90-89 lead with 1:04 to play in overtime, but reserve forward Armon Gilliam gave the lead back to the Nets with a dunk at the 43-second mark. Patrick Ewing’s baseline jumper once again gave the Knicks a one-point lead, but Charles Oakley couldn’t stop Morris’ baseline drive, forcing him to foul.

Derrick Coleman, who made only 32% of his shots in the first two games of the series, finished with 25 points and 17 rebounds for the Nets. Guard Kenny Anderson had 17 points and 11 assists.

Ewing led the Knicks with 27 points and 14 rebounds.

“We made a nice comeback, but we were a step slow early on,” Knick Coach Pat Riley said.

“We didn’t get going until midway through the third quarter. We just have to go to work for Friday. The rest of this series is going to be a war.”

Anderson, who missed five of six shots in the first two quarters, scored nine points in the first 7:13 of the third as the Nets took their largest lead, 70-54, with 4:07 to play.

A 7-0 run pulled the Knicks to within nine, but New Jersey took a 74-63 lead into the fourth quarter.

Coleman did most of his damage in the first half with 19 points on eight-of-11 shooting, leading the Nets to a 53-42 lead.