NBA Roundup: Knicks Stage Comeback against Kings 120-109; Warriors Dominate Rockets
NBA Roundup: Jalen Brunson led the charge for the New York Knicks with an impressive 35-point performance, coupled with 11 assists, as they clawed back from a 21-point deficit to secure a 120-109 victory over the Sacramento Kings.
In the Eastern Conference rankings, the Knicks moved 2 1/2 games ahead of the Indiana Pacers, who are now in sixth place, after ending a three-game losing run. Though they would lose the head-to-head tiebreaker, New York and the Orlando Magic, who are in fourth place, have the identical record.
The Knicks fell behind 21 points early in the second quarter and then gradually overcame Sacramento to win 33–22 in the fourth quarter, following the news that Julius Randle will miss the entire season due to a shoulder injury that he suffered on January 27.
For New York, Josh Hart contributed a career-high 31 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. De’Aaron Fox led the Kings to a one-game deficit over the New Orleans Pelicans in seventh place in the Western Conference despite scoring 29 points on 2-of-9 shooting in the fourth quarter.
76ers 109, Heat 105
Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia to victory over Miami, the host team, with 37 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds.
After undergoing knee surgery, Joel Embiid scored 29 points in his second game. With Kelly Oubre Jr. scoring 18 points, the Sixers finished the game with a 15-3 surge, winning their third straight and closing the gap on the seventh-place Heat in the Eastern Conference to just half a game.
With 22 points, Jimmy Butler (20 points), and Bam Adebayo (14 points and 11 rebounds), Terry Rozier led Miami.
Warriors 133, Rockets 110
Golden State defeated Houston thanks to a game-high-tying 29 points from Klay Thompson, who made seven 3-pointers.
With six games left in the regular season, Houston is currently four games behind Golden State for the final Western Conference play-in position, a crushing blow to the Rockets’ play-in ambitions handed by the Warriors. After winning all three of the teams’ season series, the Warriors also own the head-to-head tiebreaker.
With 24 points, Jabari Smith Jr. led Houston. The Rockets, led by Cam Whitmore with 17 points, were unable to capitalize on 21 Golden State mistakes.
Mavericks 109, Hawks 95
With 51 points from Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic combined, Dallas defeated visiting Atlanta to win its eighth straight game.
Irving made 10 of his 21 shots to score 26 points. Doncic ended with 25 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists after setting a franchise record with 73 points against the Hawks on January 26 in Atlanta.
The Hawks, who had won six of their previous seven games, were led by Dejounte Murray with 16 points and Bogdan Bogdanovic with 17 points and seven rebounds.
