Porzingis prolific as Knicks edge thriller

NEW YORK — Lonzo Ball was having a dazzling stretch, every basket bringing his dad further and further off his courtside seat for an emphatic celebration.

By the end, the New York Knicks were the ones celebrating.

Kristaps Porzingis had 37 points and 11 rebounds, Michael Beasley made the biggest plays in overtime, and the Knicks beat the Los Angeles Lakers 113-109 on Tuesday night.

Beasley finished with 13 points, including the tiebreaking follow shot, and had an assist in the extra period as the Knicks went back over .500 at 14-13. Thirteen of their victories have come at Madison Square Garden.

Rookie Frank Ntilikina went the whole fourth quarter and overtime in a strong defensive effort that helped slow down Ball after his thirdquarter flurry.

“A lot of effort, big plays, just keeping our poise on the court, not being stressed and not being overrun by the moment,” Ntilikina said. “So I mean that was great and for a young team like this to play like that, it’s a huge step in our process.”

Ball had 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists, but had just two points after the third quarter.

“It was a lot of fun. I heard the crowd the whole game. It was crazy,” he said. “Would have been nice if we got the win, but it was very eventful.”

Ball went high to slam down a lob pass from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, nailed a 3-pointer, drove for a layup, and then fed Brook Lopez for a 3-pointer in the third, with LaVar Ball jumping up with arms waving from his sideline seat next to Lithuania-bound sons LiAngelo and LaMelo.

“I know how he is,” Lonzo said of his father. “I like his energy. Some people don’t.”

The Knicks essentially won it with Beasley’s stretch of a tip-in, a pass inside to Doug McDermott for a basket, and a driving layup that turned a 103-all game into a 109-103 lead with 1:24 remaining in the overtime.

“Just thinking go get the win, try to do everything the team needs,” Beasley said. “Dive on the floor. Just the little things.”

Caldwell-Pope scored 24 points for the Lakers, who had won two in a row on their trip. Rookie Kyle Kuzma added 19 points off the bench.

“We were right there. It says a lot about our group of guys and the way they compete and how far they’ve come to be in a road game with that type of environment on national TV,” coach Luke Walton said.

“Obviously disappointed that we weren’t at our best, but still finding a way to give ourselves a chance and I’m proud of our group for that.”