NEW YORK _ Tim Hardaway Jr. stormed off the court with his head down, making no eye contact with anyone as he headed to the locker room.
Hardaway left before talking to the media following a third straight bad game and second in a row when he could have changed the outcome in the closing seconds. Those who stood and talked after the Knicks' inexcusable 99-96 home loss to the team with the NBA's worst record, the Atlanta Hawks, expressed frustration, anger, disbelief and embarrassment.
Hardaway probably felt all of those things after taking an ill-advised shot with 1:05 left, committing a turnover with 6.3 seconds to go, and misfiring on a possible game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer. Hardaway, who signed a four-year, $71-million deal with the Knicks last summer, finished 3-for-9 with nine points and is 5-for-33 over his last three games. He was 1-for-14 in Friday's loss in Milwaukee, and missed a three at the buzzer in a two-point loss.
The Hawks (16-37) scored the game's last seven points in 47 seconds to send the Knicks (23-31) to the devastating defeat. Kent Bazemore's corner 3-pointer with 6.7 seconds left proved to be the game-winner.
"That's probably the toughest of the year for us," Jeff Hornacek said.
"I would say the most embarrassing game that we lost," Courtney Lee said.
"I can't even process that we lost," Kristaps Porzingis said. "I can't believe it. It was our game. It was hundred percent our game. Stuff happened quick, and boom, it was over. We don't know how to win games yet."
So much happened over the final 3:49, including a bizarre sequence that led to the referees taking a potential three-point play away from the Knicks.
But to the Knicks' credit, they didn't blame the defeat on the officials for losing track of the situation. They blamed it on themselves for their poor execution and decision-making that led to Atlanta ending the game on a 12-3 run. The Knicks also missed four free throws in the last 6:17.
Hardaway was called for a questionable foul as Bazemore shot a 3-pointer with 3:49 left and the Knicks up three. Bazemore (19 points) missed the first two free throws. The Knicks rebounded and ran a play. Hardaway dunked and was fouled with 3:32 left.
He was about to go to the line when someone alerted the officials that only two free throws had been taken by Bazemore. The referees then conferred and realized what happened. According to league rules since fewer than 24 seconds had passed, they were able to wipe away Hardaway's basket and give Bazemore his third free throw. He converted it to make it 89-87.
"Since it was under 24, we nullify all play and we go back to the point of interruption," referee Pat Fraher told a pool reporter.
The Knicks still went ahead 93-87 after back-to-back baskets by Porzingis and Kyle O'Quinn, and were up five with 1:44 left. Then the collapse took place.
They didn't get a defensive rebound, leading to two Dewayne Dedmon free throws. Then Porzingis was fouled with 1:07 left.
He made the first to put the Knicks up 96-92 but missed the second. Hardaway got the offensive rebound but instead of taking time off the clock, he took a quick shot _ a fadeaway off one leg _ and missed it. Jeff Hornacek's body language on the sideline was nothing but incredulous disgust.
"We all know it wasn't a good shot, and he knows it" said Porzingis, who scored 22 points but missed three free throws in the fourth quarter. "We all make mistakes. Shot the ball too early, should have kept the ball and let the time run out and make a play there."
On the other end, Dennis Schroder missed, but Dedmon got the offensive rebound and fed Mike Muscala for a three-pointer with 47 seconds left to make it 96-95.
The Knicks were scrambling and unsettled on the next possession. O'Quinn ended up backing in his man and shooting a 15-foot fadeaway that missed with 26.8 seconds to go. Hornacek said he should have called a timeout from the bench.
After O'Quinn's miss the Hawks moved the ball and found Bazemore open in the corner for the 3-pointer.
Out of a timeout, Hardaway inbounded the ball to Trey Burke. He gave it right back to Hardaway, but his foot was out of bounds. The ball went back to Atlanta. Dedmon was fouled with 3.5 seconds left. He made one of two, setting up the last shot.
Just like Friday in Milwaukee, the ball went to Hardaway. But history repeated itself as he couldn't come through.
"You can't lose a game like that, especially on your home court and especially with how we just played in Milwaukee and were trying to go forward on that," Lee said. "We just took a big step backwards."
