Knicks have a winning record going into break
Julius Randle capped his All-Star first half with 27 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists, sending the New York Knicks into the All-Star break with a winning record after a 114-104 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night.
RJ Barrett added 21 points to help the Knicks improve to 19-18 in their first season under Tom Thibodeau. They have missed the playoffs for seven straight years but finished the first half in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
BUCKS 112, GRIZZLIES 111 » Jrue Holiday hit a baseline jumper with two seconds remaining and Milwaukee escaped with the victory over Memphis. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 26 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Ja Morant led Memphis with 35 points, 28 of them in the second half. HEAT 103, PELICANS 93 » Jimmy Butler had 29 points and nine assists and Miami took advantage of Zion Williamson’s absence to beat New Orleans. Brandon Ingram scored 17 points for New Orleans. Williamson was scratched because of a toe injury.
NUGGETS 113, PACERS 103 » Michael Porter Jr. scored 24 points and Nikola Jokic added 24 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists to lead Denver past Indiana. CELTICS 132, RAPTORS 125 » Jayson Tatum had 27 points and 12 rebounds and Boston won its fourth straight game, outlasting short-handed Toronto. THUNDER 107, SPURS 102 » Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 33 points as Oklahoma City rallied in the second half to beat San Antonio and snap a two-game losing streak.
TRAIL BLAZERS 123, KINGS 119 » Damian Lillard scored 44 points and Portland used a 10-0 run late in the fourth quarter to take control before holding on for the victory.
SUNS 120, WARRIORS 98 » Cameron Payne scored 17 points and Devin Booker added 16 for Phoenix in the victory over Golden State, which was missing Stephen Curry (rest), Draymond Green (ankle) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (wrist). PISTONS EXPECTED TO BUY OUT BLAKE GRIFFIN » Unable to broker a trade, the Detroit Pistons are now expected to buy out Blake Griffin, The Athletic reported. The Pistons have been shopping their fading star ahead of the March 25 trade deadline. Griffin, 31, hasn’t played since Feb. 12 as the sides mutually agreed to part.
He has averaged 12.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 31.3 minutes in 20 starts this season. PACERS’ LEVERT TO RETURN IN SECOND HALF » Caris LeVert, whose trade to the Indiana Pacers led to the discovery of his kidney cancer, is on pace to return to action in the season’s second half, The Athletic reported. LeVert underwent surgery in January to treat renal cell carcinoma of his left kidney.