Simons Says Knicks Lose; Return to MSG Features Heartbreak in OT
Playing their first game at Madison Square Garden in 12 days, the New York Knicks made up for lost time by treating their home fans to overtime against the Portland Trail Blazers. Alas, only high-scoring heartbreak awaited on Friday night.
Anfernee Simons played a role in eight of Portland's first 11 points of the extra session, hitting two three-pointers and assisting on a Jusuf Nurkic layup. It was part of a 38-point performance, which worked alongside 44 for Jerami Grant. The season-high for both Blazers (the latter posting a career-high) allowed Portland to emerge with a 132-129 victory over the Knicks.
With the win, Portland (11-8) ended its four-game losing streak and managed to survive without injured star Damian Lillard, who continues to nurse a calf injury.
Friday marked the Knicks' first home game in 12 days, their return to MSG after a five-game road trip and allowing 145 in their most recent Garden loss to Oklahoma City. Lost in the effort was a 32-point effort for Jalen Brunson (reached at least 30 for the second straight game) and a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double for RJ Barrett.
Buoyed early on by sharpshooting from Brunson, the Knicks (9-10) saw their first half lead reach as high as 14. It was quickly erased by a 23-8 run over the final 5:40, giving Portland a 62-61 halftime lead. Eleven points from that tally came from the foul line, which served as a common theme throughout the evening: the Trail Blazers went to the foul line 51 times on Friday, with 28 attempts coming from Grant alone (he'd sink 21). Only Wilt Chamberlain (32 in his 100-point game in March 1962) and Jerry West (30 in October 1964) have attempted more in a single game against the Knicks.
The two sides kept things mostly even in the second half, neither one breaking away by more than an eight-point margin. A 12-2 run over the third and fourth periods gave the Knicks the lead back and set up a roller-coaster final frame. Brunson and Barrett were the preliminary heroes: Barrett tied the game on a lay-up earned off a Julius Randle (23 points) steal before Brunson gave the Knicks the lead with a driving four-footer with just over 13 seconds to go in regulation.
Alas, a Quentin Grimes shooting foul put Simmons at the line for the equalizing free throws with nine seconds remaining. Left with no timeouts after challenging the call, the Knicks tried to set up Brunson for the win, but his miss was gobbled up by former Villanova teammate Josh Hart, one of a career-best 19 on the night to set up Simmons and Grant's overtime triumphs.
Further history lingered on the Knicks' side: with a fourth quarter denial of Justise Winslow, Mitchell Robinson moved into fourth-place on the franchise's all-time shot block list, pacing Kurt Thomas.
New York and Portland will meet again on March 14 to wrap up their yearly interconference pair.
The Knicks will conclude the holiday weekend with a visit from the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday evening (6 p.m. ET, MSG). It'll serve as a rematch of their opening contest at FedEx Forum back on Oct. 19, a 115-112 overtime win for the Grizzlies.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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