Playing without Enes Kanter and Kristaps Porzingis, the New York Knicks got blown out by the Houston Rockets on the road.
- New York Knicks 102 (10-9)
- Houston Rockets 117 (15-4)
- NBA, Final, Box Score
- Toyota Center, Houston, TX
For the second straight night, the New York Knicks jumped out to a huge first-quarter lead, only to give it all back—and then some.
With 4:36 remaining in the first quarter, the Knicks led the Rockets 29-7. Yes, James Harden and Chris Paul were playing for Houston. For a second, it looked like the Knicks might actually be able to beat the Rockets without their two best players.
But Houston would outscore the Knicks 110-73 the rest of the way—including 37-13 in the third quarter—to leave no doubt who the better team was.
James Harden led all scorers with 37 points, one of five Rockets to record double-digits. Michael Beasley led the Knicks with 30 points, 17 of which came in the first quarter. Kyle O’Quinn recorded his second double-double of the season, finishing with 20 points and 14 rebounds.
Key Stat
The Rockets shot 40.5 percent (17-for-42) from three, the second straight game that the Knicks have allowed the opposition to shoot at least 40 percent from behind the arc. Friday night, Atlanta hit 41.9 percent (13-for-32) of its shots from long range.
Key Player
Tim Hardaway Jr., who many expected to pick up the scoring load with Kanter and Porzingis sidelined, scored just 11 points on 4-for-12 shooting, including 0-for-2 from three. He did contribute with four rebounds, six assists and a steal.
Next Game
The Knicks return home on Monday to take on Damian Lillard and the Portland Trailblazers. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.