Knicks End Streak With Defense

They drew charging fouls, came up with steals at crucial moments and forced a key 24-second violation.

The New York Knicks got back to doing what they used to do best--making timely defensive stops--and avoided their first five-game home losing streak since 1986 by defeating the Toronto Raptors, 102-94, Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

Allan Houston scored a season-high 34 points, including a three-point play with 3:05 left that ended Toronto’s final rally.

New York played without Marcus Camby, who is out because of a sore toe, and had a 20-point lead in the first quarter before holding off the Raptors after they had pulled within one point twice in the fourth quarter.

“We had a nice cushion to play with, and that was the difference in the game,” said Latrell Sprewell, who scored 21 points and helped hold Vince Carter to two points in the first half and 15 total.

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Raptor assistant Stan Albeck was in stable condition at a Toronto hospital, two days after suffering a stroke in the locker room before a game against the Miami Heat. The stroke left Albeck, 70, paralyzed on the right side and “unable to speak significantly,” said Dr. Douglas Richards, the team physician. Richards said the stroke was not life-threatening.