The Sports Xchange
Apr 12, 2017
NEW YORK -- Maurice Ndour's step-back jumper with 18.3 seconds remaining lifted the New York Knicks to a 114-113 win over the Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks trailed by nine entering the fourth quarter and tied the game three times before Ndour's game-winner.
Justin Holiday, who led the Knicks (31-51) with 20 points, tied the game at 104 when he sank three free throws after getting fouled on a 3-point attempt with 3:06 remaining. A reverse dunk by Marshall Plumlee tied it at 106 about a minute later.
The Knicks took a 109-109 lead on Ron Baker's 3-pointer with 70 seconds left but a 3-pointer by Nik Stauskas put Philadelphia in front 113-112 with 31.1 seconds remaining.
Carmelo Anthony, who have played his final game with New York, scored 17 points.
Justin Anderson scored a career-high 26 points for Philadelphia, which lost its last eight games.
The Sixers (28-54) concluded their fifth straight losing season without six key players due to injuries. Ben Simmons, the first overall pick in the 2016 draft, missed the season after breaking his foot, Jahlil Okafor (sore right knee) has not played since mid-March and Joel Embiid (left knee) has not played since Jan. 27.
New York concluded its fourth straight non-playoff season missing the playoffs for the fourth straight season. The Knicks made the playoffs in 14 straight seasons from 1988 to 2001 but have missed the playoffs in 12 of the last 16 campaigns and are closed out their seventh season with at least 50 losses since 2001.
NOTES: Philadelphia G Gerald Henderson Jr. was fined for his Flagrant Foul 2, for throwing an elbow to the head of Indiana's Paul George. The incident occurred with 2:59 remaining in the fourth quarter of Monday's 120-111 loss. ... Knicks C Joakim Noah needs surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder. He hasn't played since late February after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. While rehabbing his knee he was suspended for 20 games for using a banned substance. Noah averaged five points and 8.8 rebounds in 46 games during the first-year of a four-year contract. ... Philadelphia's Rookie of the Year candidate Dario Saric missed his first game of the season with left heel soreness. ... New York was without Kristaps Porzingis (sore back). He finished his second season averaging 18.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.0 blocks.