Knicks end 18-game home losing streak with win over Spurs
Damyean Dotson drained a career-high eight three-pointers and scored a team-high 27 points on Monday (AEDT) as the New York Knicks ended a franchise-record 18-game home losing streak by beating the San Antonio Spurs, 130-118.
The Knicks, who hadn't won at home since beating the NBA-leading Milwaukee Bucks 136-134 in overtime on December 1, came within one loss of tying the NBA record for the longest home losing streak, which was established by the Dallas Mavericks during the 1993-94 season.
The streak-busting win came without much stress or suspense.
The Knicks, who took the lead for good late in the first quarter, led by as many as 23 in the third quarter and never allowed the Spurs to get closer than eight in the fourth quarter.
Kevin Knox (19 points, 10 rebounds) and Mitchell Robinson (15 points, 14 rebounds) each had double-doubles for the Knicks, who won for just the fifth time in the last 37 games, a stretch that included a franchise single-season record 18 straight losses between January 7 and February 13.
Dennis Smith jnr had 19 points and 13 assists, Emmanuel Mudiay scored 19 points and Lance Thomas added 17 points for New York.
At 12-48, the Knicks need to win five of their final 22 games to avoid matching or "surpassing" the 2014-15 team, which finished with a franchise-worst 17-65 record.
DeMar DeRozan scored 32 points for the Spurs, who have lost six of seven but remained tied with the Los Angeles Clippers for seventh place in the western conference by virtue of the Clippers' 123-96 loss to the Denver Nuggets.
San Antonio and Los Angeles are one game ahead of the ninth-place Sacramento Kings.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 18 points for the Spurs, while Bryn Forbes scored 15 points. Jakob Poeltl had 12 points and nine rebounds off the bench, while Rudy Gay added 10 points.
New York punctuated the long-awaited win in the final minute, when Smith fired the ball off the backboard to set up a thunderous dunk by Robinson.
Elsewhere, Terrence Ross scored 28 points against his former team while Nikola Vucevic had 23 points and 12 rebounds in the Orlando Magic's 113-98 win at the Toronto Raptors.
Ross chipped in with a season-high equalling nine rebounds, Jonathan Isaac scored 16 points and D.J. Augustin had 12 as the Magic won for the sixth time in seven games to end Toronto's seven-game winning streak.
Orlando had won a season-best five straight before they lost at home to Chicago in their first game after the All-Star break.
Kyle Lowry had 19 points and 10 assists and Pascal Siakam had 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Raptors, who lost for the first time since January 31 against Milwaukee.
Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard was rested after he scored 25 points in the win over his former side San Antonio.
Coach Nick Nurse said Leonard will return for their next game against conference rivals Boston.
Marc Gasol scored 16 points and Serge Ibaka had 14, extending his streak of consecutive games with at least 10 points to a career-best 22.
Denver Nuggets breezed past the cold-shooting Los Angeles Clippers 123-96 for their fourth consecutive victory.
Nikola Jokic had 22 points and 16 rebounds while Paul Millsap had 21 points and 16 boards.
The Nuggets (41-18) improve to 26-4 at home and pulled within a game of the western conference-leading Golden State Warriors.
Lou Williams scored 24 and Danilo Gallinari had 19 for the Clippers, who couldn't capitalise on Denver's uncharacteristic 22 turnovers and 12 missed free throws.
The Clippers made just three three of their 24 three-point attempts.
Reuters, with AP