Knicks Hope to End Season on a High Note
May 12 2010 11:06AM
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There is only one more game left in the 2009-10 season before the Knicks and
their fans gear up for what they hope to be a very successful offseason.
The Knicks closed out their home schedule with an exciting come-from-behind win over the Washington Wizards on Monday and now will look to end the season on a high note when they head north of the border to take on the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.
The Knicks rallied from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to notch their 29th win of the season with a 114-103 win over Washington. In front of yet another sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks showed their appreciation to their fans by outscoring the Wizards by 19 in the fourth quarter to complete the impressive comeback.
"We did it for sure for the crowd," said Danilo Gallinari, who scored all of his 24 points in the second half. "They came out, a lot of people for the last game with the record that we have. Those are great fans. We had to do it for them."
The Knicks did not qualify for a postseason spot this season, but they still have plenty to look forward to in the upcoming months. Over the previous two seasons, New York has made several trades to create a significant amount of financial flexibility heading into the free-agency period, which begins on July 1. The team also has two second-round picks.
"We're in the position that it'll be either two superstars or a lot of good players," Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni said before the Knicks faced Washington.
The Knicks are clearly upset the season is ending without a postseason run, but there are still several positives to take out of the year. For one, the Knicks' youngsters have showed promise, including Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and Toney Douglas, who has taken full advantage of his increased playing time over the last month of the season.
"And we found Bill Walker, which was unexpected," D'Antoni said.
There is still a lot on the line Wednesday night in Toronto, as the Raptors are fighting for the eighth and final postseason berth in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, Gallinari, Douglas and Walker look to end their season on a high note by stringing together two consecutive wins before heading home for the summer.
The Knicks closed out their home schedule with an exciting come-from-behind win over the Washington Wizards on Monday and now will look to end the season on a high note when they head north of the border to take on the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.
The Knicks rallied from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to notch their 29th win of the season with a 114-103 win over Washington. In front of yet another sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks showed their appreciation to their fans by outscoring the Wizards by 19 in the fourth quarter to complete the impressive comeback.
"We did it for sure for the crowd," said Danilo Gallinari, who scored all of his 24 points in the second half. "They came out, a lot of people for the last game with the record that we have. Those are great fans. We had to do it for them."
The Knicks did not qualify for a postseason spot this season, but they still have plenty to look forward to in the upcoming months. Over the previous two seasons, New York has made several trades to create a significant amount of financial flexibility heading into the free-agency period, which begins on July 1. The team also has two second-round picks.
"We're in the position that it'll be either two superstars or a lot of good players," Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni said before the Knicks faced Washington.
The Knicks are clearly upset the season is ending without a postseason run, but there are still several positives to take out of the year. For one, the Knicks' youngsters have showed promise, including Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and Toney Douglas, who has taken full advantage of his increased playing time over the last month of the season.
"And we found Bill Walker, which was unexpected," D'Antoni said.
There is still a lot on the line Wednesday night in Toronto, as the Raptors are fighting for the eighth and final postseason berth in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, Gallinari, Douglas and Walker look to end their season on a high note by stringing together two consecutive wins before heading home for the summer.
