Sprewell scored eight fourth-quarter points but could not convert a pair of runners in the final 28 seconds, including a potential tying shot as time ran out, as the New York Knicks fell to the Detroit Pistons, 99-97.
Corliss Williamson scored a season-high 24 points and Jerry Stackhouse had a career-high 13 assists to go with 19 points for Detroit.
However, Stackhouse misfired on the second of two free throws with 6.7 seconds left, giving Sprewell and the Knicks a chance to tie without a 3-pointer.
 Othella Harrington picks up floor burns and the ball against Detroit. Tom Pidgeon NBAE/Getty Images |
"I got a great look at the end," said Sprewell. "I can't be mad at that one. In some other games, I got a couple of shots off at the end that I didn't like, but this last one is one I'm going to have to live with."
The Knicks fell to 1-2 under coach Don Chaney, who guided the Pistons for two seasons (1993-95).
"I felt Sprewell was the right choice in that situation because he had been getting to the basket real strong in the fourth quarter," Chaney said. "I was hoping he could get a layup or get fouled."
In Tuesday's overtime loss to Boston, Sprewell scored a career-high 49 points but missed a free throw in the waning moments of regulation that would have sealed the win.
On Thursday, he brought the Knicks within 96-95 by converting a runner with 60 seconds to play but could not hit another moments later that would have put New York ahead.
Sprewell finished with 22 points, marking the seventh straight game he has led New York in scoring. Former Piston Allan Houston added 19 points for the Knicks, who have dropped two straight for the first time since mid-November.
"This is what we always want to do, give ourselves a chance to win every game," Houston said. "The thing is, we have to start winning some of these."
Ben Wallace collected 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Pistons, who won for the fifth time in six outings.
"I thought it was a hard-played game, a playoff-type game," Pistons coach Rick Carlisle said. "There is some familiarity now. We played these guys not that long ago. Tonight we got a little lucky. We got a few lucky bounces and hit some shots."
The game was tight throughout and the biggest lead of nine points belonged to Detroit early in the second quarter. The Pistons led, 47-42, at halftime and took a 75-73 lead into the final 12 minutes.
New York took a brief 83-82 edge on Marcus Camby's baseline jumper with just under seven minutes left, but Williamson responded with a follow shot to put Detroit ahead for good and added a bank shot for an 86-83 lead with 5:53 to play.
After a pair of 3-pointers by Robinson pushed the advantage to 92-87, the Knicks put together a quick 6-2 burst, climbing within a point on two free throws by Sprewell. Stackhouse went 2-of-2 from the line to make it 96-93 with 1:14 left.
"We got the stops we needed and we managed to hit our free throws at the end," Stackhouse said. "I was mad I missed that last one, though. We're having a great time. A game like this gives us so much confidence."
The Pistons stayed ahead of the Knicks for most of the night by going 9-of-24 from 3-point range. They shot 44 percent (34-of-77) overall and held a 41-39 advantage on the boards.
"I think now that we have confidence and we're getting more and more comfortable with each other, guys are committed to doing the dirty work, like getting rebounds, playing defense, taking the charge," said Wallace.
Jackson had one of his best offensive games of the season with 18 points and six assists for the Knicks, who shot 46 percent (39-of-85) but just 3-of-11 from the arc.