CHICAGO--The Knicks and Bulls, two teams that created one of the NBA's great rivalries with a series of angry, trash-talking confrontations over the years, stuck to the same approach last night.

The mood was heated but the quality of the basketball took a dip as Patrick Ewing scored 18 points, Marcus Camby blocked eight shots and Allan Houston had nine points in the fourth quarter of a sloppy 73-68 victory over the talent-challenged Bulls.

With no Michael Jordan to break the Knicks in the final quarter as he did so often, the Bulls turned to Toni Kukoc. But after shooting 6-of-21 in his previous game, Kukoc was even worse. He made just 4 of 22 field goal attempts and missed two key shots in the final 1:22, including a key three-pointer with 36 seconds left.

The aging, creaky-kneed Ewing, still seeking his first NBA title in his 14th season, then hit a banker in the lane and the Knicks had their second victory in a row after starting 0-2.

It was their first win at the United Center since April, 1997.

The Bulls shot just 26.6 percent, making 21 of 79 shots, while falling to 1-3. New York wasn't much better, hitting just 26 of 71 (36.6 percent)

Ewing lost his cool with 2:11 left when he threw an elbow at Bill Wennington, who had fouled him. But the Bulls missed the free throw on the technical foul and Ewing made one at the other end.

The Knicks scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter as part of a 13-0 run that began at the end of the third. That opened up a six-point lead as the Bulls didn't score for the first five minutes of the final period.

Brent Barry led Chicago with 15 points.

The Bulls missed 13 of their first 15 shots and shot 10-of-39 (25 percent) from the field in the first half but still led 45-40. That was thanks to a 22-of-24 performance at the free throw line.

Hawks 100, Hornets 88

ATLANTA--With Steve Smith leading the way, the Atlanta Hawks jumped to a 21-point lead in the first quarter and went on to beat the Charlotte Hornets 100-88 last night.

Smith scored 11 of his team-high 17 points in the opening period as the Hawks cruised to a 33-12 lead and maintained a double-figure lead the rest of the way.

The Hornets eliminated Atlanta in the first round of the playoffs last season, but the teams have since gone in opposite directions.

Charlotte (1-4) is struggling with Anthony Mason out for the season and Glen Rice sidelined for at least six weeks after elbow surgery. The Hawks, on the other hand, bolstered their bench after the lockout and have started the season with four victories in five games.