Knicks top Trail Blazers, spoil Carmelo’s return
NEW YORK >> Mitchell Robinson made all 11 shots and had 22 points, Julius Randle added 22 points and 13 rebounds, and the New York Knicks spoiled Carmelo Anthony’s return to Madison Square Garden by beating the Portland Trail Blazers 117-93 on Wednesday night for their season-high third straight victory.
Anthony scored 26 points, his most since returning to the NBA, and was cheered before and during the game at the arena where he played 6 ½ seasons. But he was on the bench at the start of the Knicks’ 14-0 run early in the fourth quarter that broke open the game.
Reggie Bullock made two 3-pointers during the spurt and scored 11 points in his Knicks debut. He signed with the team during the summer but hadn’t played because of a herniated disk.
Portland’s Damian Lillard was held to 11 points on 5-for-20 shooting after scoring 30 or more in the previous three games. The All-Star guard did have 10 rebounds and eight assists, but he missed his first six 3-pointers before making his only one of the game as the final shot of the third quarter.
MAGIC 122, WIZARDS 101 >> D.J. Augustin scored a season-high 25 points, Nicola
Trail Blazers center Hassan Whiteside (21) interrupts a shot by Knicks guard Reggie Bullock (25) during the second half on Wednesday in New York.
Vucevic added 20 points and 12 rebounds and Orlando snapped a four-game road losing streak.
Bradley Beal, who missed the previous two games with soreness in his right leg, led Washington with 27 points.
The Magic, who entered the game with the NBA’s poorest offense, took the lead midway through the second quarter and led 6258 at halftime. Orlando steadily increased its lead in the second half.
Evan Fournier had 18 points for Orlando. Markelle
Fultz scored 16 and Ross 15.
BUCKS 106, WOLVES 104 >> Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points and 17 rebounds, and Milwaukee held off a strong challenge from short-handed Minnesota.
Antetokounmpo got his 30th double-double in 33 games this season and Khris Middleton added 13 points despite shooting 5 for 18 as Milwaukee hit just 42.6% of its shots overall and only 9 of 36 from 3-point range.
Shabazz Napier had 22 points to lead Minnesota,
Terrence
and Gorgui Deng scored 15, Josh Okogie added 12 and Jarret Culver 10.
Napier, starting in place of injured point guard Jeff Teague, scored 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting in the first half, but then had just seven after the break.
Milwaukee, which has the league’s best record, slumped out of the gate. The Bucks had just four points through the first six minutes and didn’t take a lead until Brook Lopez converted a three-point play to make it 31-29 with 8:41 left in the second quarter.