NBA: Donovan Mitchell sparks big comeback as Jazz top Knicks

Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points and the Utah Jazz erased a double-digit, second-half deficit to defeat the New York Knicks 113-104 Monday night in Salt Lake City.

Mitchell spearheaded a late game-clinching 11-1 run and finished with seven rebounds, six assists and four steals to help the Jazz win their third game in a row.

Bojan Bogdanovic scored 20 points, Mike Conley Jr. added 18 points and seven assists, and Jordan Clarkson returned from missing two games with a knee injury to score 16 points for Utah.

Julius Randle scored 30 points, Mitchell Robinson contributed 19 points and 21 rebounds, and RJ Barrett fired in 23 points, but New York lost a third straight and for the ninth time in 11 outings.

After Utah erased the Knicks' early 21-9 lead in the first quarter, the teams went into halftime with the Jazz up 59-57.

The third quarter went from one extreme to the other. Utah scored nine of the first 10 second-half points to go up by 10.

But after a Udoka Azubuike dunk at the 9:53 mark, the Jazz didn't score again until Mitchell made a layup five minutes later.

The Knicks took advantage of Utah's nine straight missed field goals, scoring 17 consecutive points to seize a 75-68 lead. Randle matched New York's biggest lead of the game with back-to-buckets for an 82-70 lead after a 22-point turnaround in 6 1/2 minutes.

Clarkson helped the Jazz get back into it, hitting a 3 followed by a Trent Forrest layup and then ending the quarter with tip shot as Utah pulled within four at 86-82.

Utah regained the lead at 92-89 after a 7-0 run early in the fourth quarter and went ahead 98-92 a moment later after a pair of Royce O'Neale 3s.

Already without Rudy Gobert (calf), the Jazz lost a second center with five minutes remaining when Hassan Whiteside fouled out. 

Azubuike stepped up to the challenge, though, scoring on a dunk off of a nice Mitchell offensive rebound and pass to end a five-point run by the Knicks. He also grabbed four key rebounds down the stretch.

-reuters

Bucks keep streak alive as Sixers win

LOS ANGELES – Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 29 points as the Milwaukee Bucks stretched their winning streak to 12 games on Monday (Tuesday, Manila time) with a 132-88 demolition of the hapless New York Knicks.

The Eastern Conference leaders showed no mercy to the worst side in the division, outscoring the Knicks by 33-15 in the first quarter and showing no let-up through a one-sided encounter.

Antetokounmpo was on court for just 21 minutes, adding 15 rebounds and shooting 10-of-14 while leading the scoring.

The Greek star was backed by Khris Middleton with 16 points and D.J. Wilson, who added 19 off the bench.

No fewer than six Milwaukee players finished in double digits, including Antetokounmpo's elder brother Thanasis who chipped in with 10 points from his 12 minutes on the court.


The win saw the Bucks improve to 18-3 at the top of the Eastern Conference, while the Knicks remained rooted to the bottom of the standings with just four wins against 17 defeats.

The Bucks are two games clear of second-placed Toronto, who stand at 15-4, just ahead of the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics (14-5).

The Philadelphia 76ers meanwhile remained in the hunt on Monday, claiming a 103-94 win over the Utah Jazz.


Tobias Harris led the scoring for the Sixers with 26 points, while Joel Embiid added 16 points and 11 rebounds in what had threatened to become a rout at Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center.

The Sixers had surged into a 60-42 lead at half-time and looked to be in control until a sustained Utah fightback.

The Jazz had trailed by 19 points after three quarters and managed to claw back the deficit to seven points with one minute remaining before the Sixers steadied the ship for the win.

The victory means Philadelphia preserve their unbeaten home record with 10 wins and no defeats. The Sixers are fifth in the Eastern Conference, with 15 wins and six defeats.

In Atlanta, meanwhile, Golden State's miserable start to the season continued with a 104-79 thumping by the Hawks.

Trae Young led the Atlanta rout with 24 points, while De'Andre Hunter had 18 and Damian Jones 16.

The Warriors, who have been ravaged by injuries and departures from their previously dominant roster that had reached the last five NBA finals, remain bottom of the Western Conference with just four wins against 18 defeats.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted maintaining the morale of his inexperienced squad was a challenge.

"It's not easy for everybody to lose," Kerr said after the defeat.

"Especially given that our team has fought really hard throughout the first quarter of the season and had some really difficult losses. It wears on you.

"Because you want those efforts to be rewarded. But you have to keep the faith and keep fighting, and it's my job to keep their spirits up and try and turn it around."

source: philstar.com

Cuban says Mavs want Porzingis, Doncic for long haul

LOS ANGELES – Kristaps Porzingis won't join new Dallas teammate Luka Doncic on court this season, but once he does Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wants to keep the duo together for the long haul.

"Our goal is to keep these two together for the next 20 years," Cuban said Monday (Tuesday Manila time) as the NBA club held a press conference to introduce new acquisitions Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr. Courtney Lee and Trey Burke.

Latvian big man Porzingis, the number four pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, hasn't played since undergoing surgery to repair a torn left knee ligament last February.

He was traded from the New York Knicks last week in a blockbuster multi-player deal, but the Mavericks were quick to say that they don't expect him to resume competition this season.

Cuban said the Mavericks will evaluate Porzingis and develop a timetable for his return.

"I've been patient this whole time and I'm going to keep staying patient," Porzingis said. "We're going to make the right decisions."

While Porzingis can become a restricted free agent at the end of this season, Cuban envisions Porzingis staying in Dallas and forming a dynamic duo with rookie sensation Doncic, the third overall selection in last June's draft who is averaging 20.7 points per game along with 7.0 rebounds and 5.4 assists.

Porzingis, 23, said he had a "great relationship" with the 19-year-old Slovenian, having played against him in Europe.

"I remember he was a few years younger than me. We just know each other from playing against each other for a long time," Porzingis said. "Now that I have the opportunity to play with him I'm really excited about it."

source: philstar.com

Warriors dismember Knicks

NEW YORK – Kevin Durant scored 25 of his 41 points in Golden State’s ruthless fourth-quarter clinic, and the Warriors beat the New York Knicks 128-100 on Friday night.

New York led by three after three quarters before Durant and the Warriors started hitting from all over the floor, making 19 of 26 shots – and things went so well that on a rare long-range miss by Durant, the ball bounced all the way out behind the arc to a wide-open Stephen Curry, who made the 3-pointer.

Curry added 29 points and six 3-pointers, giving him at least five in every game this season. Durant was 17 of 24 from the floor, including 5 of 9 from behind the arc, and grabbed nine rebounds. Golden State outscored New York 47-16 in the fourth quarter.


Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 24 points for the Knicks. They have dropped five in a row after a season-opening victory over Atlanta.

In Houston, Montrezl Harrell scored a career-high 30 points off the bench to help Los Angeles rout short-handed Houston, 133-113.

It was the Clippers’ second win this season over the Rockets, who played without James Harden due to a hamstring injury and dropped to 1-4. Carmelo Anthony scored a season-high 24 points in his first start for the Rockets. Chris Paul had 12 points and eight assists against his former team in his return after serving a two-game suspension for his role in a fight with Lakers guard Rajon Rondo.

In Toronto, Kyle Lowry had 20 points and 12 assists, Kawhi Leonard scored 21 points and Toronto beat Dallas, 116-107, to set a franchise record with its sixth straight win to start the season.

Jonas Valanciunas scored 17 points, Danny Green had 15 and Serge Ibaka 11 as the Raptors eclipsed the 5-0 start they recorded in 2015-16.

DeAndre Jordan had 18 points and 15 rebounds for Dallas. Luka Doncic scored 22 points, and Wesley Matthews had 21.

In other games, it was Pelicans 117, Nets 115; Bucks 125, Timberwolves 95; Hornets 135, Bulls 106; Kings 116, Wizards 112.               

source: philstar.com

Knicks part ways with former All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire after buyout agreement

The New York Knicks took another step in the deconstruction of the struggling team by agreeing to buy out six-time NBA All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire, according to multiple reports on Sunday.

Stoudemire had two months left on his contract, but had expressed hopes of landing with a team that had a shot at making the playoffs.

The Knicks would not confirm the buyout following the All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden, but Knicks All-Star Carmelo Anthony was already mourning the departure of his teammate.

“I’m losing a friend, a teammate, a guy who I wanted to come to the city and play with,” Anthony said after the West All-Stars took a 163-158 win over the East.

“I know what he wants, and you have to respect that as an athlete, as a competitor. You only want the best for your friends and your close ones. He wants to play for a championship…”

The Knicks, who had aspired to making the postseason under new president Phil Jackson, have the worst record in the NBA at 10-43, 26 games behind Atlantic Division-leading Toronto.

Last month, New York traded Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith for a minimal return as they began clearing the decks for a team makeover for next season.

Stoudemire, who was in the final season of a five-year, $99.7 million contract, came to the Knicks as a free agent in 2010 and helped energize the team, but has been limited in recent years due to injuries.

A 13-year veteran with a career scoring average of 20 points a game, Stoudemire is averaging 12 points this season.

source: interaksyon.com

Al Jefferson stars as Bobcats end Knicks’ win streak

Bobcats 108, Knicks 98: Al Jefferson exploded for a season-best 35 points as Charlotte ended visiting New York’s five-game winning streak.

Jefferson was a force on the offensive end, hitting 14-of-20 shots as the Bobcats won for just the second time in their past 10 games. Kemba Walker poured in 25 points while Gerald Henderson added 17 in the win.

Carmelo Anthony’s 20 points paced the Knicks, who trail 2-1 in the season series. Amar’e Stoudemire had 17 points while Raymond Felton added 13.

Jefferson’s 19 points and a 17-3 run to end the half gave the Bobcats a 55-46 edge at the break. The lead grew to double digits on a Walker jumper early in the third quarter, but New York whittled down the deficit on a late run fueled by seven points from Anthony to go into the fourth trailing 78-73.

Walker delighted the home crowd with a long 3-pointer from the right wing to extend the advantage to nine, and he hit another 3 on Charlotte’s next possession with 8:36 left. He then put the finishing touches on the victory with a 19-footer that quelled a New York rally with just under five minutes remaining.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Bobcats SG Michael Kidd-Gilchrist finished with eight points and seven rebounds in his first action since missing five weeks with a broken hand. … After returning from a benching to appear in back-to-back games, New York G J.R. Smith did not play against Charlotte. No reason was given for his absence. … Knicks C Tyson Chandler had five points and four rebounds in 16 minutes in his return from a four-game absence due to bronchitis.

source: interaksyon.com

Jason Kidd Sells Giant Dallas Condo PEACE OUT MAVS!!!

Jason Kidd has officially severed his final ties with Dallas after the Mavericks traded him to the Knicks -- TMZ has learned, the NBA legend has sold his luxury condo in the Big D.

Kidd listed the 2,607 sq. ft. pad for $1,595,000 back in October, and it remained on the market until June 21st -- when it finally sold for $1,387,500.

Kidd signed with the Knicks last month.

According to official records, Kidd bought the condo in 2009 for $1,420,000 -- meaning he lost a little on his investment ... but nothing like Michael Phelps on his recent sale.

It's a pretty badass condo -- featuring a 4-car garage, 2 fireplaces, a pool on the building's rooftop, and a guarded entrance.

But Kidd's not just dumping his Dallas property, he's also getting rid of his giant house in Arizona -- listing his 6-bedroom, 9-bath, 13,523 sq. ft. Paradise Valley home for $5,995,000.

SOMEONE must be planning to buy a giant penthouse in NYC.

source: tmz.com

Knicks guard Jeremy Lin named to Time’s 100 Most Influential list

New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin, who captured the world’s imagination earlier this season with his Cinderella run for the struggling NBA team, has been named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.

Lin, an Asian-American product of Harvard University, overcame long odds to become a cult hero for fans of the struggling Knicks. United Stated education secretary Arne Duncan, a fellow Harvard alumnus and also a former Crimson basketball player, wrote Lin’s profile for Time.

“He’s dispelled the idea that Asian-American guards somehow couldn’t hack it in the NBA,” Duncan said, “and that being a world-class athlete on the court is somehow at odds with being an excellent student off the court.”

Left undrafted by NBA teams last season, Lin was signed to a two-year deal by the Golden State Warriors after an impressive performance in summer camp. But he was unable to get any significant playing time with the Warriors, and was cut twice in his second season — first by Golden State and then by the Houston Rockets — before being picked up by the Knicks.

Lin was on the verge of being cut by the Knicks when former coach Mike D’Antoni took a flyer on the untested guard, and he responded by stringing along several memorable performances, leading the team to wins without stars Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire.

But Lin’s amazing year was cut abruptly after he suffered a knee injury. He underwent surgery in April for a lateral meniscus tear, which rendered him out for the season.

source: interaksyon.com