GOTTA WAIT

Knicks miss chance to clinch playoff spot with OT loss to Lakers

The Knicks were seconds from clinching their first playoff berth in eight years.

But Derrick Rose, who otherwise was spectacular Tuesday night, failed to box out Wesley Matthews at the end of regulation, and the Lakers’ putback tied the score with three seconds remaining. Then Julius Randle failed to convert his potential winner, with his runner bouncing off the rim.

The Knicks went into OT against the defending champions, and watched and unlikely Lakers hero, Talen Horton-Tucker, hit the winning 3-pointer with 20 seconds left in L.A.’s 101-99 victory.

As a result, the Knicks (38-31), seeded fourth in the East, finished their season-long road trip at 3-3. They can still clinch a top-6 seed – thereby avoiding the play-in tournament – with their next victory or a Celtics loss. But they’re also just ½ game above the Hawks and Heat with three games remaining.

On Tuesday, the Knicks benefited from intense defense and offensive production from Randle (31 points) and Rose (27). But the supporting cast produced a dud offensively, allowing the Lakers to erase a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit. RJ Barrett’s dud of a performance finished with him heaving a halfcourt missed shot at the buzzer of overtime in a botched final possession.

The Knicks played without injured reserve guards Immanuel Quickley and Alec Burks for a third consecutive game. Burks played only twice in the last 13

101 99

games because he also dealt with COVID-19 protocols.

This was also a big game for the Lakers. They entered the evening seventh in the Western Conference, trailing the No. 6 Mavericks by 1 ½ games. They need to finish above seventh to avoid a play-in game, and former Laker Shaquille O’Neal called it “embarrassing” if the defending champs couldn’t crack the top six.

But they also have played much of the season without LeBron James, including Tuesday night. James had considered returning from his ankle injury to face the Knicks, but instead delayed his comeback at least a day.

The Lakers face the Rockets tonight.

“Just be ready for whoever they have,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Nothing changes. Obviously a deep team - just be ready.”

Given the caliber of opponents to end the Knicks’ trip (consecutive games against the Suns, Nuggets, Clippers and Lakers), the fear when the schedule was released was this could bury their playoff chances. Instead, they finished 3-3 and remain in strong position to clinch their playoff spot.