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Paul Millsap, Atlanta Hawks outlast New York Knicks in four overtimes

By Stan Awtrey, The Sports Xchange
Kristaps Porzingis defends Atlanta Hawks' Paul Millsap. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
Kristaps Porzingis defends Atlanta Hawks' Paul Millsap. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

ATLANTA -- Once they started playing overtimes, there was no way Atlanta forward Paul Millsap was going to come off the court.

The veteran matched a team record by playing 60 minutes, including 20 minutes in overtime -- and had season highs with 37 points and 19 rebounds to help the Atlanta Hawks outlast the New York Knicks 142-139 in quadruple overtime on Sunday at Philips Arena.

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"There was no chance I was coming out," Millsap said. "I've never played 60 minutes of basketball."

Millsap scored the go-ahead basket in the fourth overtime. He grabbed the rebound after Tim Hardaway Jr. missed a drive and powered the ball in as the shot clock was running out to put the Hawks ahead to stay with 11.4 seconds remaining.

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"He seemed like he was in a good place," Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer said. "I asked him a couple times how he was feeling and he said OK. He did not want to come out and I'm going with Paul in that case."

Atlanta point guard Dennis Schroder made one of two free throws with 10.2 seconds left, which gave New York one more opportunity to tie the game. New York's Courtney Lee missed two 3-pointers in the final 7.8 seconds.

"They made a lot of big shots," New York coach Jeff Hornacek said. "We had a couple of looks to send it to a fifth overtime. (I'm) proud of the guys the way they kept playing. They played through a lot of things tonight. We just didn't come away with the victory, but again it was a great effort."

It was the first quadruple-overtime game in the NBA since Atlanta beat Utah on March 25, 2012 when Millsap scored 25 points in 52 minutes for the Jazz. It was the first for the Knicks since Jan. 23, 1951 against the Rochester Royals.

Atlanta (28-20) got 24 points, seven rebounds and nine rebounds from Kent Bazemore, 23 points and a career-high 15 assists from Schroder, and 19 points and 13 rebounds from Dwight Howard, who fouled out in the second overtime. Hardaway scored 19 with eight assists, but was 0-for-9 on 3-pointers.

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Atlanta missed 12 free throws, prompting Hardaway to say, "We definitely need to get in the gym and work on our free throws."

He missed three, as did Schroder.

Anthony, who had scored 41 on two other occasions. He was 18-for-36 from the floor with six rebounds and four assists before fouling out with 12.9 seconds left in the third overtime.

"Carmelo is a tough matchup," Budenholzer said. "He was just shooting it so well and scoring it over guys that didn't have more size. He was managing to score no matter who was on him."

New York forward Kristaps Porzingis, who scored 15 before fouling out, said, "Melo can always make big shots. We have guys that can step up when Melo's fouled out and Derrick (Rose) is not there. It was nice to see guys making big plays and keeping us in the game. We kept on fighting but we just came up short.

Brandon Jennings scored 18 with 11 assists and Lee scored 17 with nine rebounds Justin Holiday scored 15 on five 3-pointers. Joakim Noah, who also fouled out, had 14 rebounds.

The Knicks sent the game into overtime when Anthony scored on a drive to the basket with 2.6 seconds left to tie it at 104-104. The Hawks missed a chance to win at the buzzer when Millsap's driving right-handed hook shot bounced off the rim.

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New York forced a second overtime when Anthony made a baseline jumper with 6.9 seconds left to tie the game at 119-119. Schroder missed a 3-point shot and Howard's over-the-shoulder toss went wide at the buzzer.

Lee sent the game to a third overtime when he connected on a long 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds remaining. Atlanta had a chance to ice the game with 12.9 seconds left but Schroder missed a free throw to complete a three-point play that would have given the Hawks a four-point lead. The Knicks blocked Hardaway's long jumper as time expired.

New York had a two-point lead with 14.2 seconds on a putback by Mindaugas Kuzminskas, only to have Atlanta tie it on a wild driving left-handed basket by Schroder. Lee missed a contested baseline jump at the buzzer.

New York led 65-61 at halftime and held a nine-point lead early in the third. Atlanta scored 15 straight points and took a 78-77 lead on Mike Dunleavy's jumper with 3:44 left in the third and took an 83-81 lead into the fourth.

Atlanta led 97-92 when Howard missed two free throws with 4:29 left. New York, aided by a pair of Schroder turnovers, went on a 7-0 run and took a 99-97 lead on Jennings' 3-pointer with 2:31 remaining.

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NOTES: X-rays of New York G Derrick Rose's left ankle were negative, but he was not available. Rose hurt the ankle when he stepped on the foot of Charlotte's Kemba Walker on Friday. ... Atlanta was without G Thabo Sefolosha, who was sidelined with a left groin injury. He was replaced in the lineup by Tim Hardaway Jr. ... The Hawks signed Lamar Patterson to a 10-day contract. He replaces Gary Neal, whose 10-day contract expired. ... Hawks F Mike Muscala required three stitches in his chin, the result of an elbow absorbed during?Friday's loss to Washington.

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