The AP reports: Marvin Williams scored 27 points and Joe Johnson had 23 to help the Atlanta Hawks win their third straight, 114-109 over the New York Knicks on Sunday… Jamal Crawford led the Knicks with 39 points—19 coming in the third quarter—but he was just 2-for-5 from the field in the fourth before his meaningless layup ended the scoring… Johnson, who had a season-high 13 assists, caught Al Horford’s pass from the right wing and laid in a short turnaround for a 105-94 lead with 3:42 remaining… David Lee finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

The AP reports:  After months of inevitability, the New York Knicks made it official, dropping out of playoff contention Friday night by losing to the Toronto Raptors. Chris Bosh had 29 points and 10 rebounds, Rasho Nesterovic added 18 points, and the Raptors beat the Knicks 103-95… Anthony Parker scored 15 for the Raptors, who won their second in a row after losing 11 of their previous 14… Starting for the second straight game, Toronto guard T.J. Ford finished with 10 points and nine assists… Jamal Crawford scored 26 and Jared Jeffries had a career-high 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who have won just two of 15. Quentin Richardson added 20 points and 10 rebounds while David Lee had 15 and 12 for New York.

The AP reports: Jamal Crawford scored 24 points, including the go-ahead jumper with about 2 1/2 minutes left in overtime, and the New York Knicks ended their longest home losing streak in nearly 45 years by beating the Miami Heat 103-96 on Wednesday night… Zach Randolph had 16 points and 14 rebounds, and Lee added 15 points and 16 boards for the Knicks, who had dropped a franchise record-tying seven in a row at home for the first time since Nov. 26-Dec. 17, 1963. Rookie Wilson Chandler had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who had lost five straight overall and 12 of 13… New York outrebounded Miami 69-42… Miami, without Dwyane Wade, Shawn Marion and almost every other recognizable player on its roster, got 21 points from Daequan Cook and 14 from Kasib Powell, who was called up on Saturday.

The AP reports: The New Jersey Nets avoided what could’ve been a humiliating sweep, and managed to stay in the Eastern Conference playoff race for one more day. Vince Carter scored 27 points, Richard Jefferson added 26 and the Nets moved within one game of the final playoff spot in the conference with a 106-91 victory over the New York Knicks on Monday night. The Nets also defeated their cross-Hudson rivals for the first time this season after three losses… Jamal Crawford led the Knicks with 26 points, while Zach Randolph had 17 in his return to New York’s starting lineup. Lee finished with 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, while Wilson Chandler added 12 points for the Knicks.

Cue up some Rocky theme music and get inspired as the Westchester Journal News (Mike Dougherty) quotes Isiah Thomas from Knicks shootaround this morning: “Anytime you’re losing like this and you’re having as tough a year as I’ve had personally and professionally, it’s definitely tough,” Thomas said. “However, you persevere, you overcome, you gain strength, you move on, you knuckle under and you continue fighting. You get your tail kicked and you get back up. My strength and my resolve, if anything, I definitely know that I’m tough enough to take it now. I still feel strong and ready to go out and compete, but I guess there comes a time when you always have to get tested, and the only way you get tested is to really get knocked down. We definitely got knocked down, and I’m strong enough to get back up. If there’s one thing you can be sure of, I’ll never quit and I’ll keep coming back.”

Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh is leaving the team. The Knicks, and possibly the Bucks, reportedly have interest in his services.
The Indianapolis Star (Mike Wells) reports: Indiana Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh announced today he is leaving the franchise. Walsh’s departure means team president Larry Bird will be the sole decision maker in the Pacers’ front office. Walsh, who has been with the Pacers since 1984, has already had conversations with New York about being the Knicks next president if Isiah Thomas is fired. His name has also been linked to the Milwaukee Bucks about their newly vacated general manager position. Walsh voluntarily backed away from day-to-day involvement with the Pacers, leaving Bird in charge of all player personnel moves last summer.
Full info is here.

With 10 points (2-6 FGs, 6-6 FTs) tonight, Malik Allen produced his highest scoring output since 14 points at SAC (1/22) when he was a member of the Nets.
Dallas improved to 16-2 and when shooting at least 50% from the field. Tonight, the Mavericks shot 52.6% (41-78 FGs, 2-6 3FGs) from the field.
New York’s Renaldo Balkman left the bench with 7:30 to go in the 4th quarter (back spasms) and did not return.
The Mavericks dished out a season-high tying 32 assists (led by Jason Kidd’s 9).
The Knicks scored only 31 1st half points – an opponent season low for the 1st half – on 26.1 percent field goal shooting (12-46 FGs, 2-7 3FGs).
The 26.1 percent set an opponent low for FG shooting in a half.
Over the last 2 games, the Mavs are holding their opponents to just 32.5 points in the 1st half. (NJ shot a then-season-low 37.9% FG)
Tonight’s attendance was 20,203 fans (19,200 capacity). The Mavs have sold out 265 consecutive regular season games at AAC and 303 games including the postseason. Dallas currently owns the longest running sellout streak in the NBA. The Sacramento Kings previously held the streak but failed to sellout their home opener this season. The Mavs are now ranked #10 on the all-time NBA sellout streak list.

Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James unleashed 50 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists on the Knicks in Madison Square Garden Wednesday night. But a potentially scary incident went down.
The New York post (Marc Berman) reports: LeBron James lit up the Garden for 50 points last night and, in a frightening moment, got a high-5 and handshake from a crazed fan who raced onto the court in the final seconds. The incident occurred on the Cavaliers’ bench after King James was removed with 23 seconds left to a standing ovation in the Cavs’ 119-105 victory over the Knicks. The fan was removed by Garden security and arrested.

The New York Daily News (Frank Isola) reports: The Knicks will get back to focusing on what really matters to the organization, 100 times more than winning in fact; spinning a story.
Stephon Marbury is expected to be at the Garden tonight for the first time since he had season-ending ankle surgery and after the Daily News reported on Thursday that Isiah Thomas had told Marbury not to attend home games… As for Marbury, he has no interest in being around Thomas or James Dolan and the feeling is mutual. But because the season is already in the toilet and the subject of Marbury’s future and his absence from home games is becoming an issue, the Knicks – who are paying him $180,00 per game – are making Marbury show up for work tonight (now there’s a radical concept) to put an end to the speculation.