Major Energy

Jonah Ballow

How It Happened:Maurice Ndour ensured the Knicks ended the 2016-17 season on a winning note.  After trailing by seven points with 4:37 remaining in the fourth quarter, New York put together a 9-2 run to tie the game at 104-104 as Justin Holiday connected on three free throws.  Philadelphia looked poised to take the win when Nik Stauskas buried a triple with 31 seconds on the game clock to give his squad a slight 113-112 edge.  Ndour answered the call by knocking down a 15-foot step-back jumper to provide the Knicks with a 114-113 lead.  The Sixers failed to execute on the other side of the floor and New York notched the season finale win at MSG.  Philadelphia’s Justin Anderson posted a game-high 26 points, Alex Poythress scored 18, and the road team shot 50.5 percent from the floor in the defeat.

Knick of the Night:Holiday poured in 14 of his team-high 20 points in the second half, including some clutch buckets to push the Knicks over the Sixers on Wednesday night.  He drilled 6-of-10 shots from the floor, 6-of-7 at the stripe, and five rebounds in 20 minutes of game action.    Notables:Carmelo Anthony returned the floor after a two-game absence to score 17 points in 23 minutes, Marshall Plumlee grabbed 11 rebounds, and Sasha Vujacic dished out six assists in the win.

News and Notes:Kristaps Porzingis (sore back), and Lance Thomas (hip) were unavailable for tonight’s contest.  Statistically Speaking:New York shot 51.3 percent from the floor, 40.9 percent behind the arc, and attempted 32 free throws.  Additionally, the home squad outrebounded Philadelphia 42-38 and registered 20 second chance points.   

Next Up:The Knicks concluded the 2016-17 regular season.  Stay tuned to Knicks.com for offseason features throughout the summer.

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NYK 114, PHI 113: Knicks Secure Home Victory in Dramatic Season Finale

How It Happened:Powered by Willy Hernangomez’s 20 first half points, the Knicks built a three-point advantage at the end of the first half.  New York continued to look strong through three quarters of action as the home squad went toe-to-toe with the third-best team in the Eastern Conference.  However, the Raptors drastically increased their output in the fourth frame by reeling off a 22-7 run to extend a three-point lead early in the quarter to 18 with five minutes remaining in the game.  Toronto outscored the Knicks 32-17 in that fourth period en route to the 108-92 victory and 50th win of the season.  Once again, DeMar DeRozan was the offensive catalyst for the Raptors, leading his club with 35 points on 11-of-15 shooting from the floor in just 29 minutes.  Kyle Lowry added 17 points and 11 assists in the final meeting between the two teams this season.

Knick of the Night:Hernangomez started strong and finished with a team-high 24 points.  The rookie connected on 9-of-15 shots from the field he buried 5-of-6 attempts at the charity stripe.  In 30 minutes, Hernangomez also snagged 11 boards to go along with five assists.    Notables:Courtney Lee posted 14 points, Mindaugas Kuzminskas contributed 12 points, and Ron Baker dished out eight dimes.

News and Notes:Carmelo Anthony (sore knee), Kristaps Porzingis (sore back), and Lance Thomas (hip) were all unavailable for today’s contest.  Statistically Speaking:Toronto outscored New York 18-11 in the open floor today at the Garden.   

Next Up:The Knicks will host the Sixers in the regular season finale at MSG on Wednesday night.  Watch all the action on MSG Network at 8 PM.

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TOR 108, NYK 92: Raptors Rally Late to Upend Knicks at MSG

How It Happened:Mike Conley powered the Grizzlies offense through three quarters of action but it was Vince Carter’s clutch buckets down the stretch that lifted Memphis to a win over the shorthanded Knicks on Friday night.  New York outscored the Grizzlies 25-17 in the third quarter and took a two-point lead into the final period.  After Memphis snatched back the advantage by five points, Carter buried back-to-back triples to extend the lead to 11 points.  A Marc Gasol turnaround jumper in the paint completed a 16-4 run over a four-minute span that effectively put the game out of reach for the visiting Knicks.  The scrappy squad from New York fought throughout the entire contest despite missing its top two scorers in the lineup.  Conley finished with a game-high 31 points on 12-of-17 shooting from the floor and a dazzling 7-of-11 behind the arc.

Knick of the Night:Courtney Lee scored a team-high 16 by sinking 7-of-13 shots from the floor and 2-of-4 from the 3-point line.    Notables:Maurice Ndour posted 11 of his 15 in the first half, Willy Hernagomez posted a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds), and Justin Holiday finished with 12 points.

News and Notes:Carmelo Anthony was sidelined with a sore left knee and Kristaps Porzingis missed his third straight game due to a sore back.  Friday night marked the final road contest for the Knicks this season.     Statistically Speaking:Facing a formidable frontline, New York managed to outscore the Grizzlies 50-40 in the paint and win the battle in the open floor, 17-9.   

Next Up:The Knicks return home for the final two games of the regular season.  On Sunday, New York will host Toronto in a matinee contest at 12 PM.  Tune to MSG Network for all of the coverage.

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MEM 101, NYK 88: Conley and Carter Power Grizzlies Past Knicks in Memphis

How It Happened:The Knicks nearly played spoiler again to a team fighting for playoff positioning.  After trailing by nine late in the fourth quarter, New York rallied on a 7-0 run to trim the deficit to 97-95 with 3:23 on the game clock.  Two minutes later, Carmelo Anthony utilized a jab step to free himself for a jumper over Kelly Oubre Jr. to tie the game at 101-101.  Bradley Beal answered on the other side of court with a corner 3-pointer and 48 seconds remaining in the contest.  Following two successful free throws from Anthony, Beal hit a pair at the strip to extend the Wizards lead to 106-103 with 8.9 seconds to go.  Anthony’s last-second shot attempt from downtown just missed and Washington managed to escape the Garden with a 106-103 victory.  Beal and John Wall combined for 49 points as the Wizards improved to 48-31 on the season.

Knick of the Night:Anthony scored a team-high 23 points, grabbed six rebounds, and dished out four assists.  Notables:Justin Holiday registered 16 points off the pine, Willy Hernangomez posted 13 points and eight rebounds, and Ron Baker finished with 12 points.

News and Notes:Kristaps Porzingis missed his second straight game due to a sore back.  Chasson Randle was also sidelined with a sprained ankle suffered in the Tuesday night contest at MSG.  Statistically Speaking:New York owned two key categories tonight as it outscored Washington 44-38 in the paint and 26-5 in fastbreak points.

Next Up:The Knicks hit the road for the final back-to-back game of the regular season.  On Friday evening, New York will face the Grizzlies in Memphis with all the coverage on MSG Network.

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WAS 106, NYK 103: Wizards Escape MSG with Narrow Victory Over Knicks

How It Happened: The Knicks completed a dominating season series against the Bulls on Tuesday night.  Carmelo Anthony returned to the lineup after missing his previous two outings and immediately ignited New York’s offense.  The Knicks jumped out to a 29-24 lead in the first quarter followed by a 14-point advantage at the break.  By connecting on 54.5 percent from the floor, New York established a strong offensive attack that included 18 team assists in the first half of play.  Despite four straight wins heading into the contest, Chicago looked disjointed throughout the evening with a 38.1 shooting percentage and just 6-of-27 from the 3-point line.  Jimmy Butler finished with 26 points and Nikola Mirotic added 21 in the loss.

Knick of the Night: Anthony scored a team-high 23 points and grabbed seven boards in 37 minutes of action.  Notables:Courtney Lee dropped 14 points, Maurice Ndour registered a double-double (13 points, 12 rebounds), and Justin Holiday scored 12 off the bench.

News and Notes: Kristaps Porzingis was sidelined for tonight’s game due to a sore back.  Derrick Rose is out for the season (knee).  Head coach Jeff Hornacek started Ron Baker, Lee, Anthony, Ndour, and Willy Hernangomez.  Statistically Speaking:New York dominated the glass 53-35, doubled Chicago on the break 12-6, and recorded 26 team assists in the win.

Next Up: The Knicks are back at The Garden on Thursday night to finish the three-game homestand.  Washington heads to town for a 7:30 pm contest on MSG Network.

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NYK 100, CHI 91: Knicks Roll Past Bulls to Complete Season Series Sweep

How It Happened: The Celtics continue to surge as the East’s top team showed their firepower on Sunday afternoon.  Boston opened up with a 34-23 lead after the first quarter of action behind 66.7 percent shooting from the floor.  The lead expanded to 13 at the half as the Celtics knocked down 7-of-19 shots from the arc against the shorthanded Knicks.  At one point during the contest, the Celtics led by as much as 27 points.  Six players for Boston finished with double figures in points as it captured the 110-94 win.  Isaiah Thomas posted 19 points and six assists in the victory.      

Knick of the Night: Courtney Lee hit 50 percent from the floor, dished out five dimes and scored a team-high 16 points in 30 minutes.  Notables:Kristaps Porzingis registered 14 points, Willy Hernangomez added 12, and Kyle O’Quinn and Mindaugas Kuzminskas combined for 22 points off the pine.

News and Notes:Carmelo Anthony was sidelined due to a sore lower back and Lance Thomas was out with a hip injury.  An MRI of Derrick Rose’s left knee revealed a torn meniscus that will require an arthroscopy.  Rose will miss the remaining five games of the season.

Statistically Speaking:Boston hit 55.6 percent from the floor and drilled 12 long bombs to secure the win at MSG.

Next Up: The Knicks will host the Bulls on Tuesday night at 8 PM on MSG Network.  Make sure to tune to Facebook tomorrow at 2:30 PM for a live chat with members of the ’99 squad that reached the NBA Finals.

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BOS 110, NYK 94: Celtics Top Knicks in Sunday Matinee

How It Happened:Without Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose on the floor, the Knicks stormed into the Heat’s building to capture an impressive 98-94 road victory.  Head coach Jeff Hornacek adjusted his lineup due to the injuries and placed Ron Baker, Courtney Lee, Sasha Vujacic, Kristaps Porzingis, and Willy Hernagomez on the court to start the contest.  This group responded by taking an early 11-point lead and 33-29 advantage heading into the second quarter.  Miami managed to battle back in the fourth frame by trimming New York’s lead to just two points with 3:43 remaining in the game.  Lee snatched a steal on Goran Dragic, which led to a fast break layup from Justin Holiday.  Once again, Lee delivered with a midrange jumper to push the Knicks lead back to six points with 2:21 on the clock.  With only 6.6 seconds to go in the game, Miami had one last opportunity but a Hassan Whiteside putback attempt was called an offensive basket interference.  New York escaped with the win to secure the season series in the final meeting between the two teams.    

Knick of the Night:Porzingis hit 10-of-18 shots from the floor, scored a team-high 22 points, and grabbed seven boards in the win.  Notables:Lee was instrumental in the win with 20 points, Hernagomez collected 12 rebounds, Holiday posted 12 points off the pine.

News and Notes:Anthony was sidelined due to a sore lower back, Rose missed his second straight game with a sore knee, and Lance Thomas was out with a hip injury.

Statistically Speaking:New York won the battle in the paint by outscoring Miami 48-38.  The road team racked up 25 assists and forced nine steals in the victory.

Next Up:The Knicks will return to New York following the contest in Miami and have a day off to prepare for a matchup against the Celtics on Sunday afternoon at MSG.

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NYK 98, MIA 94: The Knicks Capture Season Series with Shorthanded Win in Miami

How It Happened:The Heat marched into MSG on Wednesday night in desperate search of a win to maintain their lead in the latest Eastern Conference playoff race.  Currently, Miami is clinging to the eighth and final spot out East with seven games remaining in the regular season.  While it was close through three quarters, the Heat stepped on the gas in the final frame by outscoring the Knicks 28-20.  The 105-88 victory for Miami evened the season series at one apiece.  Goran Dragic led the Heat with 20 points, nine assists, and seven boards.  James Johnson chipped in 18 points and Josh Richardson added 17 to push Miami’s record to 37-38 on the season. 

Knick of the Night:Kristaps Porzingis scored a team-high 20 points to go along with eight boards.  The big man hit 6-of-13 from the floor and buried 7-of-10 at the charity stripe in 35 minutes of court time.    Notables:Willy Hernangomez registered 12 points and nine boards, Courtney Lee dropped 10, and Chasson Randle posted nine points off the pine.

News and Notes: Derrick Rose was a late scratch as he remained on the sidelines with a sore knee.  Head coach Jeff Hornacek said the injury is not serious and he hopes the point guard will return to the lineup in the near future.  Lance Thomas did not play due to a sore hip.  The Knicks forward missed his fourth straight game. 

Statistically Speaking:Both teams were even in points in the paint, New York topped Miami in second chance points, but the road squad gained separation in fastbreak points 14-5.

Next Up:The Knicks will take off for Miami on Thursday in preparation for the season series finale against the Heat on Friday night.  Watch all the action on MSG Network at 8 PM.