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NEW YORK -- A week ago, Courtney Lee was the goat for not taking a potential game-winning shot in the waning seconds of a game the New York Knicks would ultimately lose. On Friday, Lee was the hero, scoring 16 points, including crucial ones down the stretch in New York's 110-107 win over the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden.
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On Jan. 19, Lee thought he heard the voice of a defender so he passed the ball instead of shooting it in the Knicks 113-110 loss to the Washington Wizards. The voice he heard belonged to Washington assistant coach Sidney Lowe who was trying to distract Lee in front of the Wizards bench on the court.
Against Charlotte (23-24), his former team, Lee was focused, scoring nine straight points in the fourth quarter as part of a 17-5 Knicks run. His 3-pointer gave New York a 105-101 lead with 1:19 to play. Carmelo Anthony's fadeaway jumper with 13 seconds remaining sealed the win.
Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis scored 18 points apiece and the Knicks (21-27) received solid play from Brandon Jennings (15 points) and Kyle O'Quinn (10 points, 3 blocks) off the bench.
Kemba Walker, a Bronx, N.Y., native who was named as a reserve to the Eastern Conference All-Star team on Thursday, poured in 31 points with 10 rebounds and five assists for the Hornets. Nicholas Batum contributed 15 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists.
"The bigger stage, the harder he (Walker) plays," said Charlotte coach Steve Clifford.
Knicks guard Derrick Rose left the game with a sprained left ankle midway through the third quarter and didn't return. The Knicks tweeted that x-ray were negative. Rose finished with 13 points and four assists.
"It started with our defense," Lee said of the fourth quarter outburst. "We kept our composure and got into our sets on offense."
The Knicks held Charlotte scoreless for six minutes in the fourth.
"This is one we can build one," Lee added.
The Hornets outscored the Knicks 36-28 in the third for an 87-82 lead. They were 12 of21 from the floor in the quarter and 7 of 7 from the line.
Back-to-back 3-pointers from Batum and Marvin Williams (17) gave Charlotte a 71-67 cushion with 6:38 to go in the third.
Walker tossed in seven straight points in the last 1:25 of the second quarter to pull Charlotte within 54-51 at the break. He scored 16 points in the half and was 7 of 13 from the floor.
Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek credited Jennings with a smart game plan guarding Walker.
"Brandon put a lot of pressure on Kemba (Walker)," Hornacek noted. "He chased him from behind all game.
"But it's really all five guys. That's what wins you games."
A layup from Porzingis allowed the Knicks biggest lead, 54-44, with 2:35 left in the second quarter.
Porzingis hit his first four shots to help New York to a 12-6 edge. The Hornets took their first lead of the quarter, 19-18, on a hook shot from Roy Hibbert, but the Knicks responded with an 11-4 run to close the quarter with a 29-23 advantage.
"I really thought the difference was the beginning of the game," Clifford said. "We started with little physicality and Porzingis got going early."
NOTES: Knicks F Maurice Ndour and C Marshall Plumlee have been assigned to the Westchester Knicks of the D-League. ... Charlotte slipped to 0-7 on the road in January. ... Hornets G Jeremy Lamb was active but didn't play after missing the last seven games with an inflamed metatarsal. ... Charlotte was without C Cody Zeller (quadriceps contusion). ... Charlotte G Kemba Walker has hit the second most 3-pointers in the Eastern Conference this season. ... The Hornets and Knicks split the first two games of this season's series. ... Knicks F Carmelo Anthony's 62 points in a 2014 game.
