Coast-to-coast: Knicks, Bucks survive OT; Twolves break losing streak in Toronto

A loaded seven-game slate saw the red-hot New York Knicks needed double overtime to stretch their winning streak to eight, the Milwaukee Bucks spoiled Troy Murphy’s 44-point explosion, and the San Antonio Spurs once again proved to be a thorn in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s side.

KNICKS, BUCKS SURVIVE OT BATTLES; TWOLVES FINALLY BEAT RAPS IN TORONTO 

• New York Knicks (33-18) def. Denver Nuggets (33-19), 134-127: Jalen Brunson went off with 42 points, lifting the Knicks past the Nuggets in a double-overtime thriller to claim a eight successive win. 

[RELATED: NBA: Brunson’s 42 powers Knicks to 2OT win vs Nuggets for eighth straight dub]

• Milwaukee Bucks (20-29) def. New Orleans Pelicans (13-40), 141-137: Kevin Porter Jr. came off the bench to tally 18 points, nine assists, six rebounds, and five steals as the Bucks weathered Troy Murphy’s 44-point explosion to outlast the Bucks in overtime.

• Minnesota Timberwolves (32-20) def. Toronto Raptors (30-22), 128-126: Behind Anthony Edwards’s 30 points, the Timberwolves ended their run of futility in Toronto after edging the Raptors. 

[RELATED: NBA: Anthony Edwards leads Timberwolves to first win in Toronto in five years]

• Boston Celtics (33-18) def. Houston Rockets (31-18), 114-93: Derrick White hit six of Boston’s 19 three-pointers and finished with 28 points, leading the Celtics to a strong road win over the Rockets despite the absence of star Jaylen Brown.

SPURS BEAT THUNDER ANEW; CAVS CRUSH CLIPPERS  

• San Antonio Spurs (34-16) def. OKC Thunder (40-12), 116-106: The Spurs once again bested the defending champion Thunder, winning for the fourth time in their fifth and final regular-season meeting.

[RELATED: NBA: Spurs assert mastery of short-handed Thunder in battle of West top teams]

• Cleveland Cavaliers (30-21) def. LA Clippers (23-26), 124-91: In their first meeting since being involved in a blockbuster trade, the Cavaliers demolished the Clippers to pick up their seventh win in the last eight games. 

While Darius Garland is present inside the Intuit Dome, the Cavaliers are also still without James Harden who is dealing with a calf issue.

• Memphis Grizzlies (20-29) def. Sacramento Kings (12-40), 129-125: Ty Jerome dropped 28 points in just 21 minutes, helping the Grizzlies pile more woes on the free-falling Kings side who now lost 10 straight. 

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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.

Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.