New Orleans 86 - New York 92 OT

NEW YORK (TICKER) -- The New York Knicks and New Orleans Hornets just can't settle things in regulation. This time, it was the Knicks coming out ahead.

Latrell Sprewell scored six of his 19 points in the extra session as the Knicks beat the Hornets, 92-86, in their third overtime meeting this month.

Sprewell, who had just three points in the first half, snapped an 84-84 tie with a layup with 2:57 left in overtime and added a jumper 40 seconds later for a four-point advantage.

"This was huge, especially since we faced this team three times and we've had three overtime games," Sprewell said. "To get a win feels good. It's our second one in a row and we're just trying to build on that. I just couldn't believe it was another overtime game."

Baron Davis attempted to move New Orleans within two points, but had his shot blocked by Kurt Thomas.

"I'm not normally a shot blocker," Thomas said. "I get my hands on a couple of balls. Baron made a good move and came down the lane. I was just able to block or else I was going to get a foul."

New York native Jamal Mashburn's basket pulled New Orleans within 88-86, but Allan Houston hit a jumper in the lane with 12 seconds to go. Mashburn's layup with six seconds remaining went in and out and Howard Eisley made two free throws to seal the win.

"I told our guys that we've got to win this," Knicks coach Don Chaney said. "I looked at Sprewell and said, `We've got to win this game.' Too many times, we've gone into overtime and lost it. It got to that point that we had to win it."

Houston finished with 20 points, but did not score in the second half, while Othella Harrington provided the interior presence the Knicks had been missing all season with 17 points and a season-high 14 rebounds.

After the game, Sprewell responded to the possibility that he might be traded before next Monday's game against Cleveland. The Knicks' $4.5 million disabled player exception for Antonio McDyess' season-ending knee injury before its Monday deadline. There have been published reports that they might package the exception in a deal that might involve Sprewell.

"There's no point in me worrying aobut it," Sprewell said. "I can't control it anyway. I feel where ever I'm at, I'm going to help that team. The goal for me is to try to play and help us win."

Sprewell stated that he "definitely" wanted to stay in New York.

"I love it here," he said. "Playing in the Garden every night, you have fans that are supportive. Everything I've been through here - winning and losing - you develop a relationship and a bond. I have a great life. (But) if I go somewhere else and play, I'll be happy."

New York used an 16-0 run to take a 62-54 lead with 3:03 left in the third quarter. A Harrington layup gave the Knicks a 76-64 advantage with 5:26 remaining in the fourth.

However, New York went into foul trouble, allowing the Hornets rally with a 16-2 spurt. They went ahead by two points on Courtney Alexander's 3-pointer with 2:18 left before Thomas sent the game into overtime with two free throws with 26 seconds to go.

"Kurt had two huge free throws for us and then we were able to get that big shot at the end," Sprewell said. "It was like, 'Here we go again.'"

Mashburn scored 20 points and P.J. Brown added 12 and 11 rebounds for New Orleans, which had won a pair of overtime contests against New York earlier this month.

"We had three overtime games against them. You can't write that type of script," Hornets coach Paul Silas said. "I thought defensively we played well. We could not put the ball in the hoop. That was our undoing. We have to find a way to win some games on the road."

The Hornets lost for only the third time in their last nine games.

The three ties between two opponents in a single season tied a league record last achieved by Miami and Cleveland during the 2001-2002 campaign.

With only four victories, the Knicks won consecutive games for the first time this season. They also gave up a double-digit lead in the second half in their 87-81 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.

"Of late, we've had a slight loss of composure, but we regained it," New York coach Don Chaney said. "That to me means that the team is settling down, playing together and understanding that it's all about execution and patience."

Clarence Weatherspoon grabbed 11 rebounds as New York owned a 53-38 edge on the glass. Lee Nailon collected eight rebounds to go with his 11 points and Eisley dished out 10 assists for the Knicks, who yielded 20 points on a season-high 22 turnovers.

"Rebounding is the key for us," Chaney said. "Our main rebounders are really stepping it up. They realize that we have a weakness because we are small and that rebounding is the key. We had some guys stepping it up really big."

Davis, who averages 17.1 points and 8.5 assists, did not score until late in the third quarter. He finished with 10 points for New Orleans, which shot 40 percent (34-of-85) - going 4-of-13 from 3-point range.

"He traveled on Thursday, had to see a doctor on Friday (for his bad back), and then traveleed again Friday night," Silas said.

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