How It Happened: The first stop on the west coast tour was a thriller in Sacramento. New York utilized a 13-3 run to end the first half and take the lead at the break after falling behind by nine points. Fast-forward to the fourth quarter as both teams exchanged buckets down the stretch. The Knicks took a narrow 99-98 advantage with 52 seconds. With the rock, Sacramento turned to its All-Star big man DeMarcus Cousins to create a play in the clutch. Cousins made a hard drive to the rack but whiffed on the layup attempt. Forced to foul, the Kings sent Brandon Jennings to the stripe where he connected on both free throws to extend New York’s lead to 101-98. The foul and free throw game ensued before a Rudy Gay 3-pointer missed off the rim that would have tied the game with 8.1 seconds remaining. After Carmelo Anthony hit 1-of-2 at the free throw line, a Cousins desperation attempt beyond half court just missed and New York completed the season sweep against the Kings with the 103-100 victory. Cousins carried the offensive load for Sacramento with 28 points in the loss. Anthony dropped 33 to help New York capture the first game of the long west coast road trip and improve to 13-10 overall.
Knick of the Night: Anthony delivered early and often for the Knicks. The All-Star scored 23 of his game-high 33 points in the first half, shot 9-of-22 from the floor, 12-of-14 a the free throw line, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished out four assists.
Notables: Kristaps Porzingis posted a double-double with 17 points and 10 boards. In a starting role, Brandon Jennings recorded 13 points and seven dimes. Kyle O’Quinn was once again an impactful player on the glass with 11 rebounds.
News and Notes: Derrick Rose missed his second straight game and remains day-to-day with a sore lower back. The point guard hopes to play on the west coast trip but will have to be evaluated once the team arrives in Los Angeles.
Statistically Speaking: New York outrebounded Sacramento 54-39 and registered 11 second chance points.
Next Up: The Knicks continue the west coast tour with a trip to Los Angeles directly after the game tonight in Sacramento. New York squares off against the Lakers on Sunday night at 9:30 PM on MSG Networks.