Vucevic, Magic run past Knicks
NEW YORK — Nikola Vucevic scored 34 points — eight straight in a decisive 10-0 fourth-quarter run — and the Orlando Magic beat the New York Knicks 105-100 on Sunday.
With the score tied at 85 midway through the fourth quarter, Vucevic made a short basket, a three-point play and a 3-point shot in succession to give the Magic the lead for good.
Evan Fournier had 20 points, Jonathon Simmons added 16, and Elfrid Payton had 15 for Orlando.
Michael Beasley, who replaced the injured Kristaps Porzingis in the starting lineup, led the Knicks with 21 points. Courtney Lee had 19, and Enes Kanter added 18 points and 16 rebounds.
The Knicks used an 11-4 run to pull within three at 99-96 on Jarrett Jack’s 3-pointer with 27 seconds left. Fournier then hit two free throws with 23 seconds remaining, and Jack followed with a reverse layup with 16 second left.
Fournier again connected on two free throws, this time with 13 seconds left.
Beasley scored his final two points on a layup with four seconds remaining before Vucevic hit a pair of clinching free throws. Stephen Curry scored 30 points in 30 minutes, Kevin Durant added 24 and the Golden State Warriors rode a big thirdquarter run to pull away and beat the Miami Heat. Klay Thompson scored 19 points for the Warriors, who started the second half on an 18-3 run and outscored Miami 37-17 in the third. Golden State’s lead was only two at the half, then ballooned to 99-77 going into the fourth. Curry — playing with a sore finger on his shooting hand — had 16 of his points in the first quarter, then 10 more in the third.
Jimmy Butler scored 20 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter, Taj Gibson added 20 and the Minnesota Timberwolves outlasted the Los Angeles Clippers. The Wolves overcame a season-high 30 points from Austin Rivers, who matched his career best with seven 3-pointers. Rivers’ final 3-pointer gave L.A. a 92-91 lead with 6:54 to play before Butler scored nine in a row to send the Clippers to their third straight loss. Karl-Anthony Towns had 15 points and 12 rebounds for Minnesota for his NBA-leading 19th double-double of the season. Russell Westbrook had his seventh triple-double of the season to help the Oklahoma City Thunder defeat the short-handed San Antonio Spurs. Westbrook had 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Thunder, who won their second straight. Steven Adams added 19 points and 10 rebounds for Oklahoma City, which won even though No. 2 scorer Paul George had just eight points on 2-for17 shooting.