National Basketball Association

Knicks hold off Nets in overtime

Published Oct. 24, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

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Steve Novak made two 3-pointers in overtime, including the go-ahead shot with 1:26 left, and the New York Knicks beat the Brooklyn Nets 97-95 on Wednesday night in their final tuneup before they meet in their regular-season opener.

Carmelo Anthony and Raymond Felton each scored 15 points for the Knicks before leaving things to the reserves, who blew a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter but pulled out the victory to finish 3-3. Rookie Chris Copeland, who has played well in the preseason, led New York with 16 points.

Deron Williams scored 22 points for the Nets, who dropped their final three games and also finished 3-3.

Brooklyn had a chance to force a second overtime, but reserve MarShon Brooks missed a runner in the final seconds.

The local rivals - now residing in the same city - play their hyped, nationally televised opener Nov. 1 at Barclays Center. The Nets, who have watched their home games against the Knicks feel like road contests for years in New Jersey, are hoping the blue jerseys will turn to Brooklyn black-and-white, with their new arena giving them a real home-court advantage.

They sure didn't have one here.

The Nets were technically the home team, playing in an arena they once called home when they were a power in the ABA. But the court was surrounded by fans in Knicks jerseys, and the Nets were booed during pregame introductions and early in the game.

Part of the anger could have been left over from the press conference earlier Wednesday that the NHL's New York Islanders will be leaving this arena to begin playing with the Nets in Barclays Center starting in 2015. An announcement during the game about the move was greeted with scattered boos.

Already without injured big men Amare Stoudemire (ruptured cyst, left knee) and Marcus Camby (strained left calf) the Knicks watched starting center Tyson Chandler fall to the court after a collision on the first possession. He got up and walked to the locker room, but the Knicks said there was no reason to risk his return in calling his injury a sore left knee.

Another forward, Rasheed Wallace, still isn't ready to play as he works himself back into shape following a two-year retirement. Without them, the Knicks could choose to use Anthony as a power forward, especially since Nets coach Avery Johnson said last week his team struggles to defend teams when they go small at that spot.

The Nets jumped to a 23-16 lead after one quarter behind 12 points from Williams, but the Knicks shot 9 of 14 (64 percent) in the second, outscoring Brooklyn 30-20 to take a 46-43 advantage into the half.

The Knicks were ahead by six after three and pushed the lead into double digits early in the fourth as both teams went mostly with bench players in the final period. The Nets rallied to grab an 86-84 lead on Brooks' three-point play with 1:01 left before Copeland's free throws tied it with 47 seconds to go and neither team scored again in regulation.