The Orlando Magic received 24 points from Cole Anthony and a big lift off the bench from Wendell Carter Jr. to extend the New York Knicks' losing streak to a season-high three games with Monday's 103-94 victory.
Carter delivered a season-high 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting in 26 minutes to help Orlando prevail in this matchup of Eastern Conference contenders that were both missing key players. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 15 points for the Southeast Division-leading Magic, who were without their top four scorers in Paolo Banchero, brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner and Jalen Suggs due to injuries.
The Knicks could not overcome the absence of star Karl-Anthony Towns, held out with a sore knee, and a woeful shooting display from the perimeter. New York finished 4 of 22 from 3-point range while being held to a season-low point total.
Jalen Brunson and Mikael Bridges did manage 24 points each for New York, while Josh Hart compiled 15 points and 14 rebounds.
Orlando took a 53-51 lead into half-time following Jett Howard's 3-pointer just before the buzzer but did not start creating separation until late in the third quarter.
Back-to-back 3-pointers from Jonathan Isaac and Carter ignited an 8-0 run that pushed the Magic's advantage to 75-65 in the final minute of the third. The Knicks closed to within five points in the fourth quarter, but a Caldwell-Pope 3-pointer followed by Carter's jumper increased Orlando's lead to 88-78 with under seven minutes left and helped keep New York at bay.
Kings outlast Heat in double-overtime to run winning streak to five
DeMar DeRozan scored nine of his team's 11 points in the second overtime as the resurgent Sacramento Kings came through with a 123-118 victory over the Miami Heat to extend their season-high winning streak to five games.
DeRozan finished with a game-high 30 points to complement Domantas Sabonis' 21-point, 18-rebound, 11-assist triple-double and help Sacramento move to 5-1 since interim head coach Doug Christie replaced the fired Mike Brown on Dec. 27.
Malik Monk added 23 points and six assists as the Kings won their second straight game without leading scorer De'Aaron Fox, out with a bruised gluteal muscle.
Miami was handed a third straight loss and dropped to 0-2 since suspending star forward Jimmy Butler for seven games despite 26 points from Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr.'s first career triple-double, a 16-point, 12-rebound, 10-assist effort.
The Heat could not hold onto a 17-point fourth-quarter lead, however, and missed a chance to win in regulation when Herro misfired on a short jumper with time winding down.
Miami appeared firmly in control after building a 95-78 advantage with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Kings scored the next 11 points, however, then later closed out regulation on a 9-2 surge capped by two Sabonis free throws that tied the game at 102-102 with 51 seconds left.
After Herro could not get his late shot to fall, neither team led by more than four points in the first overtime. Sacramento had a chance to win at the end, but Keon Ellis missed the second of two free throws with 0.9 seconds remaining to extend the contest while tied at 112-112.
DeRozan then took over in the second overtime, making all four of his field goal attempts and scoring all the Kings' points during a 6-1 run over the final two minutes.
Jackson powers Grizzlies past injury-plagued Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are also on a season-high losing streak, a skid that has now reached five games after the Memphis Grizzlies dealt the defending Western Conference champions a 119-104 loss behind Jaren Jackson Jr.'s 35 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.
Memphis overcame a 12-point first-half deficit to snap its two-game losing streak and extend Dallas' woes as it tries to withstand injuries to backcourt stars Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic. ESPN reported before the game that Irving is dealing with a bulging disk in his back and is expected to miss one to two weeks.
The Grizzlies also were without their top backcourt with Ja Morant and Desmond Bane sidelined with injuries, but got Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jaylen Wells to each step up and complement Jackson's dominant performance.
Pippen recorded 15 of his 18 points in the second half to aid Memphis' comeback, while Wells went 10 of 11 from the free-throw line while totalling 17 points and 11 rebounds.
P.J. Washington led Dallas with 17 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Naji Marshall added 16 points and Dereck Lively posted 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Nine of Washington's points came in the opening quarter as Dallas built a 36-26 lead after one period, but the Grizzlies began reversing momentum near the end of the first half.
Reserve Jay Huff scored the final five points of a 12-0 run that put Memphis up 50-48 with two minutes left in the second quarter, then later drained a 3-pointer that sent the Grizzlies into the break owning a 56-55 edge.
The Grizzlies then began pulling away in the second half. Jackson accounted for nine points during a 17-3 spurt that gave Memphis a 75-63 lead midway through the third quarter, and the Mavericks never got closer than five points behind the rest of the way.