East Rutherford, NJ (Sports Network) - Danilo Gallinari and Al Harrington each scored 17 points, as the New York Knicks held on to defeat the winless New Jersey Nets, 98-91.
The setback extended the worst start in Nets history, as they fell to 0-13. They are now four losses away from matching the worst start in NBA history, as both the 1988-89 expansion Miami Heat and 1999 Clippers began with 17 consecutive losses.
David Lee ended with 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Knicks, who won just their third game of the season, but second in a row, as they were coming off a defeat of Indiana on Wednesday.
Six Knicks finished in double figures, including Wilson Chandler and Larry Hughes, who both totaled 13 points.
New Jersey lost despite getting star guard Devin Harris back in the lineup. Harris had not played since October 30 because of a groin injury, but came off the bench and scored 12 points in a little under 26 minutes.
Chris Douglas-Roberts connected on 11-of-19 shots to pace the Nets with 24 points, while Brook Lopez had 18 points, 12 boards and four blocks in the loss.
The Knicks held a 72-57 lead after Chandler deposited a layup with a little under four minutes left in the third quarter. But they couldn't hold the big lead, as the Nets got back in the contest with a 16-2 run that spanned the final two quarters.
Douglas-Roberts had six points during the rally, including a layup to get New Jersey within 74-73 with under 11 minutes to play.
The teams traded quick bursts, and a Harris jumper at the midway point trimmed the Nets' deficit to 80-78. But they couldn't draw even, despite staying within a possession or two.
A Douglas-Roberts jumper with just under two minutes left had New Jersey within 89-87, but Lee sank a layup on the other end. After Harris missed a floater, Harrington buried a three with 59.9 seconds left to give New York a 94-87 edge, and the Knicks held on for the win from there.
The Knicks held a 29-24 edge after the first quarter, then scored five of the final seven points of the half to take a 52-43 lead into the break.
A Gallinari three followed by two Lee free throws shortly into the third put the Knicks ahead 60-50, and New York continued to play in front. Just past the midway point of the frame, the Knicks ran off six points in a row to go up 68-54.
Game Notes
Chris Duhon had 11 points and eight assists for the Knicks, who sank 22-of-28 free throws...Terrence Williams added 17 points off the bench for the Nets, who made just 4-of-18 three-pointers and went 13-of-19 from the free throw line.