Camby Proves He’s Worthy

The Knicks showed Marcus Camby the money, and in return he played his best game since arriving in New York.

After signing a $39 million, six-year contract extension earlier in the day, Camby had his most productive effort as a Knick with 19 points and 12 rebounds as New York defeated Washington, 98-86, Thursday night.

“I wasn’t out there playing for a contract before, I was playing for the love of the game,” Camby said. “It’s just a coincidence that I had a great game on the day I signed my contract.”

And on a day when the Knicks had to play without Patrick Ewing, they had little trouble with the Wizards, who had won three of their last four games, but were without the injured Rod Strickland.

The Knicks, one of the league’s worst rebounding teams, beat the Wizards on the boards, 44-34, despite being without Ewing, who is out indefinitely with Achilles’ tendinitis.

“He kept the ball alive on the offensive board, he defensive rebounded better, he guarded Juwan Howard well,” Knicks Coach Jeff Van Gundy said. “And we need all the scoring we can get, so his 19 was great.”

Utah 94, Denver 89--John Stockton made two free throws with 15.2 seconds left and Karl Malone stole the ball from Antonio McDyess on the Nuggets’ final attempt to tie the game at Salt Lake City.

Malone led the Jazz with 28 points and 10 rebounds, despite having to leave briefly in the first half with a strained quadriceps muscle. McDyess scored 39 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter.

Stockton added 16 points, including the two free throws that put Utah ahead 92-89. On Denver’s ensuing possession, Malone stripped McDyess of the ball and was fouled. He made both free throws for the final margin.

Seattle 92, Chicago 83--Less than three years ago they met on the same floor in Chicago for the NBA championship. At best, the SuperSonics and Bulls are now mere shells of what they once were.

The aging SuperSonics, behind 25 points from Gary Payton, broke a five-game losing streak. Payton and Vin Baker each scored eight points in the fourth quarter and Detlef Schrempf made three free throws in the final half-minute.

The Bulls, as they have throughout the season, couldn’t make baskets down the stretch as Randy Brown and Mark Bryant missed shots. Toni Kukoc led the Bulls with 28 points, but had only seven in the second half.

Atlanta 99, Boston 85--The Hawks, who broke a four-game losing streak at Georgia Tech, had all five starters score in double figures for the first time this season. Alan Henderson scored 18, followed by Steve Smith with 17, LaPhonso Ellis with 14 and Mookie Blaylock with 12.

Atlanta Coach Lenny Wilkens had been trying to get the Hawks to run more, and it paid off against Boston. They outscored the Celtics, 24-10, on fast-break points.

Miami 83, Toronto 73--Tim Hardaway sparked a 15-0 run in the third quarter that gave the Heat a 61-47 lead they never relinquished at Miami. It was the Heat’s ninth win in a row at home and 14th in their last 16 games.

Houston 102, Vancouver 91--Hakeem Olajuwon scored 31 points, including nine in the closing minutes, as the Rockets survived a late charge by the Grizzlies at Houston and extended their losing streak to 10 games.

Dallas 93, Orlando 76--Robert Pack scored four of the Mavericks’ first six points in the fourth quarter and Michael Finley’s steal and dunk completed a 12-4 run at Dallas. Orlando could not get closer than 15 points the rest of the way as Dallas snapped a four-game losing streak.

Golden State 89, Minnesota 82--Playing without star point guard Stephon Marbury, who had been traded to the New Jersey Nets in a nine-player, three-team deal hours before the game, the Timberwolves couldn’t handle the Warriors, who extended their winning streak at home to seven games.