Garnett hits winner for C's in OT against Knicks

By Adam Zagoria, for NBA.com
Posted Sunday November 22, 2009 6:28PM

NEW YORK (NBA.com exclusive) -- Kevin Garnett made just three of his first 14 shot attempts against the Knicks on Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden, so he wasn't completely surprised when he found himself all alone 19 feet from the basket on his 15th.

"I knew I hadn't made a shot, so [shoot] I wouldn't even guard myself, either," Garnett said.

Garnett drained a wide-open 19-foot jumper off a pass from Paul Pierce as time expired to give the Celtics a 107-105 overtime victory against the Knicks before a crowd of 19,763 that included Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg and Brooke Shields. Garnett grimaced and stuck his fist in the air in celebration.

"Tonight we put some plays together and when it counted, I hit a shot," said Garnett, who finished with 10 points and seven rebounds as the Celtics improved to 10-4.

"You're talking about a Hall of Fame player," said Pierce, who led all scorers with 33 points, nine rebounds and six assists. "He's missed millions of shots and he's going to keep playing and keep shooting the ball. Given an opportunity he stepped up big for our team when we needed it."

After winning two straight games against Indiana and New Jersey, the Knicks dropped to 3-10 overall and 1-7 at home and now face a three-game West Coast swing. They are 0-3 in overtime games.

Kendrick Perkins added 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Celtics. Rajon Rondo scored 14 points and dished 10 assists. And Eddie House had 10 points.

The Celtics outscored the Knicks 9-7 in the overtime period.

Boston called a full timeout with the game tied at 105 and Celtics coach Doc Rivers had initially wanted to run a misdirection play, but Pierce convinced him to change his mind.

"He said, 'If I can get the floor flat, I'm going to get to the basket or get KG a shot,'" Rivers said. "Sometimes, the coach is a good listener, but honestly Paul called that play."

Pierce dribbled to his right against Wilson Chandler but Knicks center David Lee opted to follow Pierce to impede his progress to the basket instead of trying to jump out on Garnett.

Al Harrington also failed to rotate over to cover Garnett, leaving him wide open.

The Knicks had a foul to give but didn't use it.

"Well Pierce and Garnett pick and roll the previous 80 plays it felt like," said Lee, who put up 22 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. "We had talked about waiting and stopping Pierce's progress and we did that and didn't think they would have time to throw back and still get a shot off. I am expecting Pierce to try and make a move and pull up. Good play by them and it is just unfortunate to lose a game like this. We knew we had a foul to give and we didn't get one."

The Celtics led by as many as 14 points in the third period but the Knicks outscored the visitors 29-10 to close out the quarter with an 82-77 lead. Harrington scored 11 of his team-high 30 points in the period, including three 3-pointers.

"Al's a bull, man," Garnett said. "Al gets to the basket on a lot of people...He's become an offensive force for them. He's been able to flourish and blossom into something nice for them offensively." New York led by as many seven points in the fourth quarter after Nate Robinson hit a 3-pointer to put the Knicks up 86-79.

With the game tied at 98 at the end of regulation, Rondo missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer but replays showed the shot came off after the shot clock expired.

"We didn't execute," Rondo said. "We were supposed to make a couple of cuts, and I waited too late so I didn't have time to drive so I had to shoot the shot."

Pierce scored Boston's first seven points of the overtime, including a drive that put the Celtics up 105-101.

But Harrington scored on a beautiful baseline reverse layup and Lee scored off a pick-and-roll dunk to tie the game at 105.

Despite the loss, there were some bright spots for the Knicks.

One day after getting into head coach Mike D'Antoni's doghouse because he nearly hit a 3-pointer for the wrong team against the Nets, Robinson scored 19 points off the bench for the Knicks, hitting 3-for-6 from beyond the arc.

"Coach [D'Antoni] just said to 'Go out there and be you,'" Robinson said. "I took his advice and my teammates encouraged me to be myself and just play the game for what it is and just have fun."

On the other hand, Knicks center Eddy Curry scored six points and grabbed three rebounds in nearly 16 minutes in his third game of the season, but he was called for a flagrant foul type 1 after whacking Rondo in the back of the head in the fourth quarter.

Curry had just missed a layup and Rondo grabbed the defensive rebound. Curry said he was looking for Perkins, with whom he had been battling but, but Perkins wasn't near him at the time.

"[Rondo] was there," Curry said. "Honestly, nothing against Rondo. He was there. Perkins was nowhere. Rondo got the rebound after I missed it. It was stupid." He added: "I hope to not get suspended but we'll see what happens."

• Celtics: Allen, Davis, Walker
• Knicks: Jeffries, Mobley

• Celtics: Wallace
• Knicks: --

• Lead Changes: 14
• Times Tied: 14

• Arena: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
• Officials: #15 Bennett Salvatore, #45 Joe Forte, #11 Phil Robinson
• Attendance: 19763
• Duration: 2:49