Knicks 105, Clippers 92

By CHRIS SHERIDAN
AP Basketball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) Latrell Sprewell did something that even the purest of 3-point shooters everyone from Mark Price to Larry Bird to Dale Ellis to Craig Hodges to Dell Curry to Kobe Bryant never accomplished.

Sprewell broke the NBA record for most 3-pointers in a game without a miss, going 9-for-9 from behind the arc Tuesday night to lead the New York Knicks past the Los Angeles Clippers 105-92.

``When you're on like that you just throw it up there. It seems like some you look at and say 'It's not going to go,' but the next thing you know it's in the hole. There were a couple of those that did not feel good,'' Sprewell said.

Since the introduction of the 3-point line in 1979-80, the old NBA mark of 8-for-8 was shared by Jeff Hornacek, Sam Perkins and Steve Smith. Sprewell made consecutive 3s midway through the fourth quarter to get the record after New York's 19-point lead had shrunk to nine.

Sprewell finished with a season-high 38 points, shooting 14-for-19 overall. The crowd called for him to take another 3 in the closing minutes, but he did not oblige the one time he had a brief open look with about 35 seconds left.

The record feat is certain to fuel further trade speculation regarding Sprewell, who is well aware his name will be bandied about in trade talks between now and the Feb. 20 trading deadline.

``If I can make any kind of statement referring to the whole trade situation, since I've been off I.R. (injured reserve) I think we've been playing winning basketball,'' he said.

``The team is a couple games over .500, and I really feel like we can be a lot better. That's the thing I would hang my hat on that we've been playing better as a team, not anything I've done individually.''

Sprewell usually brushes off trade speculation by saying he doesn't worry about things he can't control, but he has occasionally gone out of his way to state that he likes playing in New York and would prefer to remain with the Knicks.

His postgame comments Tuesday almost sounded like a ``Don't trade me'' plea.

``Making a plea? Nah. All I'm saying is if I had anything to hang my hat on it's that we've played better since I've been back. That's all I was saying,'' said Sprewell, whose broken right hand caused him to miss the first eight games of the season when the Knicks started 1-7.

Since his return, they are 20-19 to move up to 10th place in the Eastern Conference.

Allan Houston added 20 points and Howard Eisley 11 for the Knicks.

Quentin Richardson scored 19, Elton Brand 16 and Marko Jaric 14 for the Clippers as they lost their fifth straight on the road.

Point guard Andre Miller and the Clippers got off to an awful start, turning the ball over with such regularity that at one point Los Angeles had nine turnovers and three field goals. Miller had four turnovers and a defensive 3-second violation in the first 6 minutes.

``We're going to start playing other people. That's what we're going to do,'' Clippers coach Alvin Gentry said.

Sprewell went 4-for-4 from behind the arc in the third quarter during a 27-12 run that turned a 55-51 lead into an 82-63 advantage. He ended the third quarter with 30 points on 11-for-16 shooting.< ^Notes:@ The NBA record for most 3s in a game is 12 by Kobe Bryant of the Lakers earlier this season. ... Sprewell tied the team record of nine 3s held by himself and John Starks. ... Corey Maggette, an 80 percent foul shooter, missed two technical free throws. Eisley, shooting 92 percent from the line for the season, went 5-for-8 on foul shots.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)