John Starks helped the New York Knicks break an NBA record. Then he broke his nose.
Starks' seven 3-pointers were the major share of the Knicks' record-setting 10 in the first half of a 119-87 rout of Miami that pulled the Knicks out of a scoring slump. But Starks finished the half in the locker room, nursing a broken nose courtesy of a collision with the Heat's Brian Shaw, who holds the NBA single-game record with 10 3-pointers.The Knicks were coming off an 86-72 loss to Utah on Saturday night and a four-game stretch in which they averaged 91 points. The slump had New York coach Pat Riley on the warpath.
"The guys were fearful that if we lost, coach would take us back to (training camp in) Charleston," said guard Doc Rivers, who hit two of the Knicks' club-record total of 12 3-pointers. "Nobody wanted that. Fortunately, John got hot."
Starks scored 15 points in the first quarter, 16 in the second and then finished with 37. Wearing a facemask, he did not play in the fourth quarter and missed both of his 3-point attempts in the third period.
"I started off shooting the ball well, and the rest of the team picked up on that and we all shot well," Starks said of his 31-point first half against the Heat.
The Knicks led 64-39 at halftime, nearly matching their total for the entire game against Utah.
Starks' seven first-half 3-pointers matched the NBA record set by John Roche of Denver in 1982 and by Michael Adams, also of Denver, in 1989. The Knicks' 10 first-half 3-pointers eclipsed by one the record for a half by six teams, most recently Philadelphia last March 3.
New York made 10 of 12 3-pointers in the half, including 7 of 8 by Starks, who broke his nose with 18 seconds left in the second quarter.
"He crossed in front of me trying to draw a charge, I tried to cross back the other way to make the basket and we collided," Shaw said of Starks, who was called for a foul on the play. "I wasn't even thinking about how many 3-pointers he had or my record. I told him at halftime that I was sorry it happened."
Pacers 102, Celtics 71
Indiana spoiled number-retirement ceremonies for six Boston Celtics standouts at Hartford Civic Center as Rik Smits scored 27 points, including the Pacers' first 10 of the third quarter.
Dale Davis added 13 points and had 14 rebounds for Indiana, which never trailed and outrebounded the Celtics 49-34.
Larry Bird, Dennis Johnson, Jo Jo White, John Havlicek, Dave Cowens and Don Nelson were honored in the halftime ceremonies. Space was left on the banner for the numbers of Kevin McHale and the late Reggie Lewis.
Spurs 110, Clippers 98
David Robinson scored 28 points and Dennis Rodman grabbed 22 rebounds as San Antonio won at home against Los Angeles for the ninth straight time.