NEW YORK _ For 47 minutes and 58 seconds the New York Knicks looked like all they had to do to survive was to hold off the Charlotte Hornets.
After all, the Hornets arrived after playing in Charlotte the night before and pulling off a last-second victory. Looking the part of the exhausted team they fell behind by as many as 15 points and after coming back looked to fade in the stretch.
But with 2.1 seconds remaining Devonte Graham delivered a three-point field goal, pushing Charlotte in front. And when Julius Randle could not counter on the other end, air balling a desperate shot in the lane, the Knicks fell, 103-102, at Madison Square Garden Saturday night.
The loss prevented the Knicks from winning their second straight game for the first time this season and dropped them to 3-10, providing another huge letdown after an emotional win two nights earlier.
Graham led the Hornets with 29 points. RJ Barrett finished with 22 for the Knicks and Mitchell Robinson scored 17 with 12 rebounds.
The Knicks seemed poised to celebrate on this night. Late in the fourth quarter, with a huge lead gone and the team in full scramble mode, the Knicks looked for someone to provide a lift. And with Barrett at the free-throw line, that might not have seemed like the place to look.
But Barrett, who has struggled badly from the line, hit a pair to give the Knicks a three-point lead, then the next time down the court drained a three-point field goal. The lead secured once more, Barrett then fed Randle, who slammed in a driving dunk. Barrett seemed ready for the hero turn.
The Knicks had a 15-point lead in the third quarter, but saw it all disappear before gathering themselves. Clinging to a two-point lead in the fourth, the Knicks had the ball, but Randle missed badly on a drive, giving the Hornets one more chance. After a timeout with 6.2 seconds to play, the Hornets put the ball in the hands of Graham, who sank the shot.
Early in the fourth quarter, with a huge lead gone, the Madison Square Garden crowd began a loud, "Let's go Knicks" chant, a refreshing change of pace from the boos that had filled the arena in recent games, either for the opponent or the hometown Knicks.
And with the crowd in full throat, Frank Ntilikina took the ball in the lane and dropped in a short jumper to raise the volume. Despite his recent claims to being "a dog," Ntilikina is not known for his aggressiveness, particularly on the offensive end. But with the game seeming to get away from the Knicks Saturday night, Ntilikina took the ball in his hands and took over.
First, Ntilikina did his best impression of Kyrie Irving _ admittedly far off from the real thing _ dribbling repeatedly between his legs at the foul line before feeding Mitchell Robinson in the lane. Robinson hit a pair of free throws to put the Knicks in front. And then the next time down the floor, Ntilikina did it again, but this time dropped in a short jumper himself, flexing as he went to the bench for a timeout.
But these were premature celebrations for the Knicks who found another way to find disappointment again. The Knicks had hoped that the performance from Dennis Smith Jr. Thursday would carry over and give them a pairing with Ntilikina that could complement each other.
They are forever linked from the decisions made about them on their draft day when Ntilikina was selected by the Knicks with the No. 8 overall pick _ one spot ahead of Smith.
But when Smith was traded to the Knicks last season, there was talk about who would someday be the long-term answer at point guard or if they could even play in the backcourt together. They never got a chance last season with injuries sidelining them in alternating waves.
