Hornets halt Knicks’ win streak

NEW YORK — Miles Bridges scored 31 points and LaMelo Ball had 20 points and 15 rebounds to help lead the Charlotte Hornets past the New York Knicks 125-114 on Wednesday night.

Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting, including four 3-pointers, and Terry Rozier added 15 points for the Hornets, who have won eight of their last 11 games.

The Hornets improved to 40-37 and moved into a tie with idle Brooklyn for the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference.

Evan Fournier scored 30 points, going 6 for 8 from long distance, RJ Barrett added 25, and Julius Randle chipped in 21 for the Knicks, who had their four-game winning streak halted.

The loss dropped the

11th place Knicks to 34-43 after entering the night 4 1⁄2 games behind the Atlanta for the 10th spot.

Charlotte had its 12point fourth quarter lead cut after three-point play by Randle made it 109-105 with 3:39 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Bridges then took over the game and outscored the Knicks 14-5 over a span of almost three minutes.

The Hornets' forward hit a 3-pointer and converted a PJ Washington pass for a windmill baseline dunk that made it 114-106. Bridges later followed Fournier's basket with a layup off a pass from Ball to extend the lead to 119108.

Oubre had 13 points and Ball and Bridges each had 11 points in the first half as the Hornets shot 24 for 48 (50%) from the field and led 58-55 at halftime.

TIP INS

Hornets: Charlotte had 39 assists on 49 of their made baskets.

Knicks: Alec Burks had 12 points and 12 rebounds.

UP NEXT

Hornets: Visit the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.

Knicks: Host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday.

HEAT 106, CELTICS 98

BOSTON — Jimmy Butler scored 24 points, Kyle Lowry added 23 and the Miami Heat rallied in the fourth quarter to hold off the Boston Celtics to stay atop a tight race for the Eastern Conference's top seed.

Bam Adebayo finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds to help Miami post its second straight win since a season-worst fourgame losing streak.

Since briefly taking over the East's top spot, Boston has lost two in a row for the first time since late January.

Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 28 points and 10 rebounds. Jayson Tatum added 23 points and six assists.

The back-and-forth game had very much the intensity of a playoff matchup, featuring nine ties and 16 lead changes.

Miami led by just a point at the half, but opened an 11-point cushion at the start of the third quarter.

The Celtics answered, running off 16 straight points to nudge back in front and eventually carried a 83-79 lead into the fourth.

It grew to 90-85 with 7:40 remaining when Daniel Theis tipped in a lob from Derrick White through contact from Dewayne Dedmon, who fouled out on the play.

The Heat stayed composed and responded with 12-3 spurt to take a 98-93 lead on a short jumper by Butler.

Boston cut it 98-96 with less than three minutes left, but came up empty on three straight possessions.

UP NEXT

Heat: Continue threegame road trip at Chicago on Saturday.

Celtics: Host Indiana on Friday.