NBA: New York 109, Charlotte 107

NEW YORK, April 9 (UPI) -- A tip-in by Mardy Collins gave New York a five-point lead with 70 seconds left Wednesday and the Knicks held on to defeat Charlotte 109-107.

The outcome ensured this would not be the first Knicks team to lose 60 games in a season.

Fred Jones scored 15 points for New York, including a three-pointer with 3:47 remaining that put the Knicks in front for good. Jones, however, missed a layup with 2.3 seconds left, giving the Bobcats a chance to tie it or win it at the buzzer.

Emeka Okafor received an inbounds pass, but his jumper from just outside the foul line was deflected.

Jamal Crawford led New York with 18 points. It was the Knicks' third straight win after they had lost five in a row.

Charlotte, which had won its previous four road games, got 25 points from Jason Richardson and 24 from Okafor.

New York let a 19-point, second-quarter lead slip away and trailed by two when Jones hit his key three-pointer.