Rose Powers Slumping Knicks Past Celtics 117-106
BOSTON (AP) — Derrick Rose matched his season high with 30 points, and the slumping New York Knicks beat the Boston Celtics 117-106 on Wednesday night.
New York played without injured starters Kristaps Porzingis and Joakim Noah, but Mindaugas Kuzminskas and Willy Hernangomez each scored 17 points to help make up for their absence. It was just the third win in 14 games for the Knicks.
Isaiah Thomas led Boston with 39 points, his 13th time this season with 30 or more points. Jae Crowder added 21 for the Celtics, who lost for only the fourth time in 17 games. Al Horford, Boston's big free-agent acquisition during the summer, had five points on 2-of-14 shooting. He was 1 for 8 on 3-point attempts.
Boston closed to 97-96 on Jaylen Brown's two free throws with just under eight minutes to play, but Justin Holiday and Courtney Lee nailed 3-pointers 29 seconds apart, pushing New York's lead back to seven. Rose then capped an 8-0 spree by putting in his own miss after Thomas missed a jumper — his seventh straight shot that was off.
TIP-INS
Knicks: Porzingis was out with a sore left Achilles and Noah was sidelined by a sore left ankle. Porzingis missed his fourth straight game, but did shoot before the game. Noah played in their last game. Both big men are expected to undergo MRIs on Thursday. ... F Lance Thomas was also out (fractured left orbital bone).
Celtics: G Avery Bradley was a late scratch with a sore right Achilles after warming up. He played in Monday's win, but had missed the previous four games after straining the same Achilles.
SPECIAL MOMENT
The fans gave a loud ovation to 11-year-old Stephen Register of Needham, Massachusetts, late in the opening quarter when he was shown on the Jumbotron.
On Tuesday, as part of a Make-A-Wish memory, the team signed him to an honorary one-day contract and he practiced with Celtics players Amir Johnson and Kelly Olynyk, received a personalized team jersey, and participated in a press conference with players asking him questions.
He was diagnosed with intractable epilepsy.
UP NEXT
Knicks: Host Washington on Thursday night for their third game in four days. The Wizards won the only other matchup — 119-112 in Washington on Nov. 17.
Celtics: Host Portland on Saturday, the first of two meetings between the teams this season.