The Knicks were teased in March with OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson briefly returning to the lineup, but April begins with once again uncertainty across the team’s starting frontcourt.
Coach Tom Thibodeau’s team had already played all of February and then played without those two players and Julius Randle, but they defeated the Thunder at the Garden 113-112 on Sunday night. They suffered a crushing defeat and were unable to secure any significant wins against top opponents.
One game after scoring 61 points in overtime in San Antonio on Friday, Jalen Brunson scored 30 points but missed a potential game-winning jumper at the buzzer, leading the Knicks to the Eastern Conference. They were unable to regain 3rd place in the playoffs.
The Knicks star was upset that a layup he made to add one point to the Knicks on an earlier possession went uncalled, and coach Tom Thibodeau seemed to agree.
“Just write what you see,” Synodeau said of not receiving subsequent calls. “I don’t know what else to say. Just write what you see.”
In Robinson’s absence, Isaiah Hartenstein continued his strong game with 17 points and 12 rebounds, but the Knicks missed 11 of 34 free throws and fell to 44-30.
They have eight games remaining, starting with a trip to Miami for the first time since last year’s playoff game against the Heat on Tuesday night.
For the West Division-leading Thunder (52-22), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 19 points with a go-ahead bucket with 1.8 seconds left, Josh Giddy had a triple-double and Jaylen Williams had a game-high. He scored 33 points.
Brunson missed his first 3-point shot early on, but that was his only one in the first quarter, hitting 1-of-5 3-pointers.
The Knicks extended their 31-30 lead to five points early in the second on Brunson’s 3-point play with 3:02 left in the second half.
A 14-5 OKC spurt put the Knicks within four points late in the period, and on a 3-point shot in the final minute, Brunson stumbled to his feet after his left foot hit Lou Dort’s leg.
Brunson made 2 of 3 from the last line and finished the first half with 10 points, but the Thunder held a 50-46 advantage going into the break.
Hartenstein also had 10 points through two quarters, but Donte DiVincenzo missed 9 of 10 shots in the first half and set a franchise record for 3-pointers in a season before making 16 attempts from long range. Overall, he succeeded in 4 out of 18 attempts, including 12 failures. Friday night against the Spurs.
As the Knicks regained the lead, Miles McBride and Brunson each knocked down treys to start the third, and Brunson added a come-from-behind scoop for a 54-50 lead.
DiVincenzo also missed his first 3-point shot of the first half, and Brunson sank an even deeper try for five points.
Hartenstein was too strong for rookie Chet Holmgren on the inside, recording two assists on Hart’s cut and a 3-point play late in the quarter to extend the lead to 10 points.
Thibodeau won a coach’s challenge late in the period and reversed a blocking foul on McBride into an offensive foul on Holmgren, giving the Knicks an 85-75 lead going into the final quarter.
However, Thunder did not remain silent. He scored the first seven points of the fourth, tying the score at 88 on Kenrich Williams’ 3-pointer just two minutes into the quarter.
Williams was called for a flagrant foul for hitting Hartenstein in the head. But Hartenstein split the free throws and McBride fumbled on the ensuing possession.
Jaylen Williams’ floater briefly gave OKC a one-point lead, but Hartenstein’s two-handed dunk gave the Knicks a 93-92 lead with 8:24 remaining.
Guidy’s consecutive drives forced the Knicks into a four-point hole.
Giddy’s 3-point shot and Aaron Wiggins’ layup made it an 8-point lead, but Brunson’s drive, McBride’s three free throws, and Brunson’s another triple erased the lead with three minutes remaining. It was a draw when the score was cut.
Jaylen Williams’ long 2-pointer gave OKC a 111-108 lead with 1:34 left.
After DiVincenzo sank 1 of 2 from the stripe, Williams missed two and Brunson made 2 of 2 free throws to get within one.
The ball went out of bounds for the Thunder, but Brunson banked the drive in traffic and then raised his arm for a foul call — leading 112-111 with 4.1 seconds left.
But after a midcourt inbounds pass, Gilgeous-Alexander sank a 15-foot jumper from the left baseline with 1.8 seconds left, giving OKC a one-point lead.
The Knicks got Brunson the ball along the baseline, but his turnaround jumper clattered in front of the rim as time expired.
