QUENTIN Grimes and Jalen Brunson scored 27 points apiece to lead a balanced scoring attack Sunday night (Monday in Manila) for the New York Knicks, who clinched a playoff spot by pulling away from the visiting Washington Wizards and earning a 118-109 victory.
The Knicks, who have won four straight and seven of their last 10, are headed to the playoffs for the second time in the last three seasons– the first time New York has made the postseason at least twice in a three-year span since qualifying three straight times from 2010-11 through 2012-13.
Corey Kispert scored a career-high 29 points for the undermanned Wizards, who were eliminated from play-in contention with the win by the Atlanta Hawks against the Dallas Mavericks later.
Grimes’ 3-pointer with 4:33 left in the third quarter gave New York the lead for good at 72-69 and began a quarter-ending 17-10 run in which Grimes and Brunson combined for the first 15 points. Obi Toppin opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer to give the Knicks their first double-digit lead at 89-79. New York led by no fewer than eight and by as many as 20 the rest of the way.
In other games, it was the Hawks 132, Mavs 130 (OT); Suns 128, Thunder 118; Spurs 142, Kings 134 (OT); Cavs 115, Pacers 105; Raptors 128, Hornets 108; Bulls 128, Grizzlies 107; Blazers 107, Wolves 105; Nets 111, Jazz 110; Magic 128, Pistons 102; Lakers 134, Rockets 109; Bucks 117, Sixers 104; and Nuggets 112, Warriors 110.
Hawks 132, Mavs 130 (OT)
Trae Young scored 24 points and hit a pair of free throws with 1.8 seconds left in overtime to give Atlanta a win against visiting Dallas.
The Mavericks had a chance to win the game, but Luka Doncic missed a 3-pointer with 0.2 seconds remaining, and Dallas dropped its third straight game and fell for the seventh time in its last eight meetings. The Mavericks had a chance to win the game with 1.2 seconds left in regulation, but Christian Wood missed the second of two free-throw attempts to leave Dallas one point behind.
Atlanta got 25 points from Dejounte Murray, 18 points and 10 rebounds from John Collins and 14 points and 11 boards from Clint Capela. Kyrie Irving collected 41 points– his most since joining the Mavericks. Dallas also got 22 points, seven rebounds and seven assists from Doncic and 18 points from Wood.
Suns 128, Thunder 118
Kevin Durant scored 35 points to lead Phoenix past host Oklahoma City for its fifth consecutive win.
Durant scored 13 of his points in the fourth quarter, helping the Suns hold off a Thunder rally. Oklahoma City has lost five of its last seven but remained a game up on Dallas for 10th in the West– the final spot in the play-in tournament.
Devin Booker finished with 22 points and 10 assists for the Suns, while Deandre Ayton had 19 points and 11 rebounds. Chris Paul had 16 points and eight assists. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 39 points for the Thunder, and Josh Giddey added 16 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. — Field Level Media
