Knicks top Magic to end eight-game skid

Trey Burke scored 26 points off the bench and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 23 as the New York Knicks snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 120-113 win over the host Orlando Magic on Thursday night at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla.

Evan Fournier had 25 points and Nikola Vucevic added 19 to lead the Magic, who have dropped four straight games.

With two of their premier players back in the lineup, the Magic controlled the game early, but the Knicks used an 18-6 fourth-quarter run to take a late double-digit lead.

Vucevic returned on Thursday from a broken bone in his left hand that kept him sidelined for almost two months, and Aaron Gordon made his return after a hip flexor injury cost him nine games. Gordon was held to just nine points in 24 minutes.

Orlando led 69-63 at the half as Vucevic and Evan Fournier each scored 14 points. Burke had 13 points off the bench in the first half to lead the Knicks.

The Magic shot 52 percent from the field while holding New York to just 49 percent but the Knicks out-rebounded Orlando 47-39 as Enes Kanter led the way with 12 rebounds and 12 points.

Mario Hezonja had 15 points off the bench for the Magic, who had 13 turnovers to the Knicks' eight. Orlando starters D.J. Augustin and Jonathan Simmons had 13 and 12 points, respectively.

Kyle O'Quinn has a crucial 14 points and eight rebounds off the bench for the Knicks, whose reserves outscored Orlando 56-35.

Emmanuel Mudiay has eight points, four assists and five rebounds in his first start at point guard for the Knicks. Fellow young point guard Frank Ntilikina, who could see some starts as well, had seven points.

Orlando heads on a short two-game road trip, beginning on Saturday at Philadelphia, before returning home for three straight.

The Knicks return home for a brutal two-game stand against the Boston Celtics (Saturday) and the Golden State Warriors (Monday) before heading on the road for four consecutive games.

--Field Level Media