Knicks start fast, blow out Celtics

Julius Randle and RJ Barrett each posted double-doubles as the visiting New York Knicks snapped a five-game losing streak in resounding fashion with their most lopsided win in almost 5 years, a 105-75 rout of the Boston Celtics on Sunday, January 17 (Monday, January 18, Manila time).

The Knicks never trailed in producing their biggest margin of victory since March 8, 2016, when they defeated the Phoenix Suns, 128-97. It was also New York’s most lopsided victory over the Celtics since a 102-70 win on November 4, 1997.

The Celtics, who had their five-game winning streak snapped, suffered their most lopsided defeat since a 116-86 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 19, 2018. Boston’s 75 points were its fewest in the regular season since an 83-75 loss to the Miami Heat on Jan. 1, 2015. They scored 72 in a playoff loss to the Atlanta Hawks in 2016.

Randle finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Barrett had 19 points and 11 rebounds. Immanuel Quickley had 17 points and a team-high 8 assists off the bench, while Obi Toppin (12 points) and Reggie Bullock (11 points) also got into double-digits.

Jaylen Brown scored 25 points for the Celtics, while Marcus Smart added 10 points. Kemba Walker, making his season debut, had 9 points before leaving after a third-quarter collision with New York’s Nerlens Noel. Jayson Tatum missed his second straight game due to coronavirus concerns.

The two teams were tied just once, at 2-2 in the first quarter. A dunk by Randle gave the Knicks their first double-digit lead at 28-17 in the final minute of the opening period.

The Celtics pulled within 6 points at 35-29 on a dunk by Javonte Green with 6:37 left in the 2nd, but Quickley scored 6 points in a 9-0 run, while Boston went 0-of-10 from the field over a span of 4:33 minutes.

The Celtics, who missed their first 8 shots of the second half, got inside of 20 points for the last time at 62-44 on a three-pointer by Daniel Theis with 5:32 left in the 3rd quarter. The Knicks ended the 3rd quarter on a 13-6 run, during which Boston went 2-of-9 from the field.

A layup by Barrett gave the Knicks their first 30-point lead of the season at 94-64 with 5:22 left. The basket came during a 12-0 run by New York that extended its lead to 101-64. – Rappler.com