Barrett, Randle power Knicks past the struggling Magic
NEW YORK — Elfrid Payton’s words at the podium Monday had to be sweet music to the ears of New York Knicks coaches and executives.
“We’re not satisfied,” Payton said after the Knicks’ 91-84 victory over the Orlando Magic on Monday.
For a National Basketball Association franchise that has spent most of the past two decades trying to find its way, Payton’s outlook may have represented if not an organizational sea change, then certainly a noticeable difference.
As did their play.
R.J. Barrett scored 22 points and had 10 rebounds, and Julius Randle added 21 points and 17 rebounds to lead New York to its second straight win. Payton chipped in with 12 points and rookie guard Immanuel Quickley added 11 for the Knicks, who improved to 7-8.
“Our group is learning how to win,” Randle said. “I credit that to our coaches.”
While the Knicks are taking baby steps forward, the same can’t be said of the Magic. They have lost six in a row to drop to 6-8.
Nikola Vucevic had 24 points and 14 rebounds for Orlando while Aaron Gordon had 18 points and17 rebounds and Terrence Ross 19 points.
“We gave ourselves a chance but we kind of blew it at the same time,” Ross said.
Perhaps the early start — it was a noon tip-off — affected both teams. New York led 47-38 after a first half in which the Knicks made only 37 per cent of their shots and Orlando 32 per cent.
New York’s lead grew to 68-54 after Obi Toppin’s alley-oop jam one minute into the fourth.
The Magic rallied and went ahead 81-80 when Ross’ 28-foot heave beat an expiring shot clock. The lead lasted for all of
eight seconds, with Randle tying the game with a free throw.
Spurs 125, Trail Blazers 104
PORTLAND, ORE. — Lamarcus Aldridge had 22 points, Demar Derozan had 20 points and 11 assists and the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 125-104.
Rudy Gay and Patty Mills came off the bench for 21 points apiece as the Spurs’ reserves outscored Portland backups 59-24. Reserve centre Jakob Poeltl added 11 points and seven rebounds, six of which came on the offensive glass.
“Their bench hurt us,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. “The shooting off the bench, the second-chance opportunities. They really hurt us. They had 10 second-chance points in the fourth quarter.”
Aldridge, playing against the team he spent nine years with, got things rolling for the Spurs.
“He set the tone early,” Gay said. “He got to his spots and he knocked down his shots. Him knocking down shots and pulling out the big men kind of opens things up. It opens up
cracks and Demar slips through those cracks.”
Hawks 108, ’Wolves 97
ATLANTA — Clint Capela had 23 points and 15 rebounds, De’andre Hunter scored 25 and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 10897.
The Hawks, wearing black, tan and white uniforms with “MLK” sewn across the chest to commemorate the national holiday honouring slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., snapped a two-game skid. They had dropped six of seven. “It’s really cool in the city of Atlanta, it’s big, especially to get a win today,” Hunter said. “MLK meant so much to the Black community and for the world in general. To be able to come out here and compete and wear those three letters on our chest, to come out and get the win is big.”
Trae Young had 20 points and 13 assists for Atlanta, which took its biggest lead, 15 points, on consecutive threes from the right side by Kevin Huerter and Hunter with 5:59 remaining.