Field Level Media
Mar 25, 2021
Alec Burks scored 27 points and RJ Barrett added 24 as the host New York Knicks overcame a 17-point deficit to beat the Washington Wizards 106-102 Thursday night.
The Knicks swept the two-game series by overcoming multiple 17-point deficits and dominating the final minutes of the fourth quarter. New York outscored Washington 39-24 in the fourth and 21-11 over the final 5:28.
Burks and Barrett were instrumental in New York's comeback. Burks scored 15 of his points in the fourth while Barrett scored 19 points in the second half, including nine in the fourth.
Burks shot 8 of 18 from the floor and also hit nine free throws. Barrett finished 7 of 22 from the field but added 10 rebounds and hit eight free throws.
Rookie Immanuel Quickley scored 16 points for the Knicks, who shot 36.6 percent overall and misfired on 21 of 28 3-point attempts.
The big nights by Burks and Barrett came on a rare quiet night from Julius Randle.
Randle was held to 13 but hit two big jumpers down the stretch after getting treatment for his right leg earlier in the fourth.
Bradley Beal scored 26 for the Wizards, who dropped to 1-8 in their past nine games. Beal shot 8 of 23 and also committed six turnovers.
Rui Hachimura added 21 and Garrison Mathews chipped in 16 for Washington, which shot 46.2 percent.
Russell Westbrook nearly posted a triple-double, finishing with 13 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists, but he also committed eight turnovers and was 3 of 15 from the field.
The Wizards held a 91-85 lead on Hachimura's 15-footer with 5:28 remaining but less than a minute later, Barrett's 3-point play evened the game at 91-91. New York took its first lead when Quickley's 3-pointer made it 94-91 with 4:12 remaining and Randle hit two jumpers in the final 2:54.
The Wizards were within 104-102 on a 3-pointer by Mathews with 5.9 seconds left but Burks finished off the comeback with two more free throws.
Before folding, Washington held a 60-45 halftime lead and took a 71-54 lead midway through the third before settling for a 78-67 lead into the fourth.
--Field Level Media