NBA PLAYOFFS : Knicks Win, Resume Rivalry With Pacers

The New York Knicks brushed off the Cleveland Cavaliers, 93-80, Thursday night behind 30 points from Derek Harper, winning their first-round series 3-1, then quickly turned their attention to their opponent for Round 2: the Indiana Pacers.

“Just the rivalry over the last two years and how competitive the two teams are will create some sparks,” Knick Coach Pat Riley said. “We know them pretty well.”

The Pacers, coming off a first-round sweep of the Atlanta Hawks, were bounced from the playoffs by the Knicks each of the last two seasons. New York won three of four games against Indiana this season.

“Making the extra pass was the key tonight, and I think it’s going to be very important in the next series,” Harper said, “because whenever we make those passes, we’re a very dangerous team.”

Knick guards kept the pressure off their big men by making 13 three-point shots, a team playoff record. Harper led the way with seven, one shy of Dan Majerle’s NBA playoff record of eight; John Starks sank five, and Greg Anthony had one.

“We felt if we went inside, they would just double-team everything, so we wanted to get players free outside and try that,” Harper said. “It was there tonight.”

Charles Smith scored 17 points, and Starks had 15 for the Knicks. Patrick Ewing, who has been hampered by a sore hamstring, picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter and finished with nine points and 13 rebounds.

Bobby Phills scored 20 points and Mark Price 18 for the Cavaliers.

“Usually, we can clamp down on a team, hold them down when we need to,” said Cleveland’s John Williams, who was booed several times for missing open jumpers in the second half. “But they made big shots. They played like a championship team. They just kept pounding and pounding.”