Heat 77, Knicks 76NEW YORK -- Anthony Carter's incredible shot from behind the backboard -- which didn't count until an offensive goaltending call was waved off -- gave the Miami Heat a 77-76 overtime victory over the New York Knicks on Friday night.
In a strange finish to one of the best Knicks-Heat playoff games, the fickle bounce of the ball and a rare reversal of a referee's call gave the Heat a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Carter, playing the entire overtime as Tim Hardaway was ineffective, drove along the baseline and faced such a tough angle that he had to launch the ball over the top corner of the backboard. Rising 15 feet in the air, the shot hit the front rim, bounced high and fell through with 2.2 seconds left.
Referee Danny Crawford immediately waved the basket off, ruling that Alonzo Mourning tipped the ball in, bringing Miami's coaching staff sprinting onto the floor. The other referees pulled Crawford aside and told him he made the wrong call, and the basket counted.
The Knicks had one last chance, but the inbounds pass was deflected away from Latrell Sprewell into Jamal Mashburn's hands as time ticked away.
It was one of the oddest endings to any of the 20 playoff games between these teams, which is no small thing in a rivalry that has featured fights, suspensions and last-second bounces -- but never a shot quite like this one by Carter.