The Detroit Pistons ended the New York Knicks’ eight-game NBA winning streak on Friday, routing the Knicks 118-80 in a top of the table Eastern Conference clash.
Daniss Jenkins scored 18 points off the bench while Tobias Harris and Isaiah Stewart added 15 points apiece for East leaders Detroit.
The Pistons, coming off an embarrassing loss to the lowly Washington Wizards on Thursday, took control in the first quarter and never trailed over the final three periods.
They pushed their lead to as many as 43 points against a Knicks team playing without injured Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby.
Mikal Bridges led the Knicks with 19 points as Jalen Brunson was held to 12 on four-of-20 shooting.
The Knicks’ win streak had seen them pull level with Boston for second place in the East, but they slipped to third as the Celtics erased a 22-point deficit to beat the Miami Heat 98-96.
Jaylen Brown scored 29 points and Payton Pritchard added 24 off the bench for the Celtics, who trailed by 21 at halftime but out-scored Miami 36-15 in the third quarter to tie it up and set the stage for a tense final period.
Derrick White’s three-pointer with 1:31 remaining put the Celtics up for good. He finished with 21 points and a crucial block in the final minute.
Nikola Vucevic had a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds in his first game with the Celtics since he was acquired at this week’s trade deadline from Chicago.
Andrew Wiggins led the Heat with 26 points. Norman Powell chipped in 24 but Davion Mitchell missed a potential game-winner with 2.7 seconds remaining.
In Milwaukee, Kevin Porter Jr. scored 23 points to lead the Bucks to a 105-99 victory over the Indiana Pacers.
Ryan Rollins added 22 points and Bobby Portis returned from a two-game injury absence to score 21 for the Bucks, who shook off days of trade rumors surrounding star Giannis Antetokounmpo to notch a third straight win.
Thursday’s trade deadline passed with Antetokounmpo still on Milwaukee’s roster, but the Bucks talisman was again unavailable as he continues to recover from a calf strain.
Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers was delighted to have the deadline drama behind them.
“It feels great,” he said before the game. “It bothered me because the talk was almost like people trying to manifest him out of Milwaukee.”
Rivers also said Antetokounmpo was nearing a return.
“He’s going to play when he’s healthy,” Rivers said. “He’s getting close. He’s working out. So I would say hopefully sooner than later.”
Andrew Nembhard led Indiana with 22 points. Pascal Siakam scored 19 for the Pacers, who used a 15-0 fourth-quarter scoring run to pull within four points with less than five minutes to go but could get no closer.
In Minneapolis, 35 points from Minnesota star Anthony Edwards wasn’t enough as the Timberwolves fell 119-115 to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Saddiq Bey scored 30 points and Zion Williamson added 29 for the Pelicans, who trailed by 18 early in the third quarter.
Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert came up with a steal and hit two free throws to tie it at 112-112 with 1:31 remaining.
But Williamson converted a three-point play to put New Orleans up for good with 35.5 seconds left and Bey sealed the win with a pair of free throws.
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