Knicks get over .500 at break
Randle scores 27 points to lead New York past Detroit in 1st-half finale
Julius Randle capped his All-star first half with 27 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists, sending the New York Knicks into the break with a winning record after a 114-104 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night.
RJ Barrett added 21 points to help the Knicks improve to 19-18 in their first season under Tom Thibodeau. They have missed the playoffs for seven straight years but finished the first half in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
Elfrid Payton had 20 points after missing the past four games with a sore right hamstring.
Wayne Ellington scored 17 points for the Pistons, who came nowhere near duplicating their play from a night earlier, when they routed Toronto 129-105.
Celtics 132, Raptors 125: Jayson Tatum had 27 points and 12 rebounds and Boston won its fourth straight game, outlasting short-handed Toronto. Jaylen Brown added 21 points and seven rebounds, and Kemba Walker finished with 15 points. Toronto, which played without starters Pascal Siakam, Fred Vanvleet and OG Anunoby, along with Malachi Flynn and Patrick Mccaw as they remained in the health and safety protocols, has lost four of five. Coach Nick Nurse and several members of his staff were also in the protocols, leaving the coaching duties to assistant Sergio Scariolo.
Wizards 119, Clippers 117: Bradley Beal scored 33 points and Washington beat Los Angeles after Clippers All-star Paul George was a late scratch. Russell Westbrook had 27 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds for the Wizards. They’ve won eight of 11 heading into the All-star break. Kawhi Leonard scored 22 points for the Clippers.
Nuggets 113, Pacers 103: Michael Porter Jr. scored 24 points and Nikola Jokic added 24 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, leading Denver past Indiana.
Bucks 112, Grizzlies 111: Jrue Holiday hit a baseline jumper with two seconds remaining and Milwaukee escaped with a victory over Memphis in the final game for both teams before the Allstar break.
Heat 103, Pelicans 93: Jimmy Butler had 29 points and nine assists, and Miami took advantage of Zion Williamson’s absence to get a win.
Thunder 107, Spurs 102: Shai Gilgeous-alexander had 33 points and Oklahoma City rallied.