Knicks capture 4th straight
Randle scores 32 vs. his former team to lead N.Y. to win
Julius Randle scored 32 points against his former team and the New York Knicks clamped down defensively on Zion Williamson for a 116-106 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.
Alec Burks scored New York’s first 11 points of the fourth quarter, added a crushing 3 and finished with 21 points for the Knicks, who’ve won four straight for the first time this season.
Williamson, who came in having scored at least 30 points in three straight, mustered 25 points against a Knicks defense that packed the paint to stop him. But he scored just four points during the final 19 minutes — two of those on free throws.
Brandon Ingram scored 28 for New Orleans, which saw its three-game winning streak snapped against a Knicks squad that looks vastly improved and increasingly relevant in coach Tom Thibodeau’s first season.
Having won five of seven, the Knicks (29-27) are currently in the Eastern
Conference playoff picture — within a couple games of a top-four seed — with 16 contests left in the regular season.
Randle’s highlights included a double-pump, fall-away jumper while being fouled by James Johnson to put the Knicks up 107-97 with 5:50 left.
76ers 123, Nets 117: Joel Embiid had 39 points and 13 rebounds and Philadelphia beat Brooklyn in an anticipated matchup that fizzled with the Nets missing their biggest stars. The Sixers (38-17) moved into first place in the Eastern Conference in a game played without James Harden, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin and Lamarcus Aldridge. With the Nets standouts hurt or just rested, the game had more of a preseason feel
than a possible preview of the conference final this summer. No matter, the Sixers moved back atop the standings and have the No. 1 seed in sight with just 17 games left this season. Kyrie Irving scored 23 points in the first half — his eighth 20-point first half of the season — and finished with 37 points. Irving missed Tuesday’s game against Minnesota for personal reasons.
Bucks 130, Timberwolves 105:
Khris Middleton had 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in three quarters as Milwaukee breezed to a victory over Minnesota. Brook Lopez added 18 points and eight rebounds, Jrue Holiday pitched in 15 points and three steals, and the Bucks built a lead as big as 30 points early in the fourth quarter on the way to their second consecutive blowout. After losing six of nine games, the Bucks beat Orlando 124-87 on Sunday. Anthony Edwards scored 24 points on 5-for-11 shooting from 3-point range for the Timberwolves, who have lost 11 of their past 15 games. The Bucks played without the twotime reigning NBA Most Valuable Player award winner, Giannis Antetokoumpo, because of left knee soreness for the sixth straight game. They’re 3-3 without him in this stretch.
Raptors 117, Spurs 112: OG Anunoby scored 22 points, Pascal Siakam had 20 points and 11 rebounds and shorthanded Toronto beat San Antonio. Raptors rookie Malachi Flynn had a big fourth quarter, scoring eight of his 16 points in the period and finishing with seven assists. Derrick White led San Antonio with 25 points, and Patty Mills added 23.
Cavaliers 103, Hornets 90: Taurean Prince scored a seasonhigh 25 points with six 3-pointers, Jarrett Allen had 15 points and eight rebounds in his first action since March 26 and Cleveland handed Charlotte its third straight loss at home. Kevin Love added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who snapped a two-game skid.
Note: Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert has acquired former owner Gordon Gund’s remaining 15 percent minority share in the franchise. Gilbert, who built much of his fortune through mortgage lending company Quicken Loans, acquired the Cavaliers from Gund in 2005 for a reported $375 million. On Wednesday, the team said in a statement that Gilbert now has Gund’s final share.