NY finally ends loss skid at 18

Dennis Smith Jr. scored 19 points and the New York Knicks snapped a franchiseworst, 18-game losing streak with a 106-91 victory over the Hawks last night in Atlanta.

The Knicks ended their longest skid within a single season with their first victory since Jan. 4 at the Los Angeles Lakers. New York, with the Eastern Conference’s worst record and second-worst overall, had dropped 26-of-27.

Kadeem Allen and John Jenkins each added 14 points. Damyean Dotson finished with 13 points and DeAndre Jordan had 13 rebounds for New York, which never trailed and only was tied twice, in the second quarter.

Dewayne Dedmon led Atlanta with 21 points. Trae Young had 16 points and 11 assists.

Pelicans 131, Thunder 122 — Julius Randle capped a 33point, 11-rebound performance with three clutch baskets in the final minutes, and host New Orleans beat Oklahoma City despite losing All-Star Anthony Davis to a shoulder injury after the first half.

Davis was in the game when the first half ended, but kept his left arm still as he walked to the locker room shortly after fouling Nerlens Noel on an attempted shot block with his left hand in the final second of the second quarter. Davis’ availability for this weekend’s All-Star Game is in doubt.

Russell Westbrook increased his record tripledouble streak to 11 games with 44 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists.

Magic 127, Hornets 89 — Host Orlando ended a 13game losing streak to Charlotte behind 21 points from reserve Terrence Ross.

The Magic have won five straight for the first time in more than three years.

Elsewhere in the NBA — Golden State coach Steve Kerr was fined $25,000 by the league for verbally abusing and confronting a referee in Wednesday’s loss at Portland.