Rose carries Knicks past Celtics
BOSTON -- Derrick Rose scored 12 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter as the New York Knicks pulled away late in a 117-106 win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.
Rose matched his highest scoring output since the Knicks picked him up last summer and helped New York to just its third win in the month of January.
Mindaugas Kuzminskas and Willy Hernangomez added 17 points apiece for the Knicks, who had lost their last four against the Celtics. Hernangomez also pulled down 11 rebounds and Rose had 10 boards as New York outrebounded Boston 57-33.
Isaiah Thomas scored 39 to lead Boston. Jae Cowder added 21 points and center Al Horford had 10 assists for the Celtics, who never quite recovered after the Knicks surged at the end of the first half.
The Knicks led 63-54 at halftime after closing out the second quarter on a 10-2 run. New York stretched the lead to 12 early in the third, but Thomas got Boston back in it by scoring the Celtics' first eight points of the second half.
Boston was able to stay within single digits, pulling within 80-79 late in the third quarter, but never quite caught up to the Knicks. Jaylen Brown hit a pair of free throws with 7:57 left to play to get Boston within a point again at 97-96, but
the Knicks responded with eight straight points, starting with back-to-back 3-pointers by Justin Holiday and Courtney Lee, then a reverse layup by Rose after he pulled down an offensive rebound.
Thomas scored again for Boston, but New York continued to roll with a 3-pointer by Anthony after Thomas drove for a basket to get Boston to 100 points. Boston fans started booing and didn't stop as the hapless Knicks ended a four-game losing streak against the Celtics.
Thomas had 19 points at halftime after going 8-for-11 from the floor in the first two quarters, making 3 of 4 3-pointers. He has scored at least 20 in 26 straight games and made all 10 of his foul shots Wednesday.
NOTES: The Celtics entered with a four-game winning streak against the Knicks, including the first two meetings this season. ... G Avery Bradley was a late scratch from the Boston lineup because of a strained right Achilles' tendon. ... Knicks C Joakim Noah was out with a sore left ankle after being listed as questionable before the game. ... The Knicks were also without F Lance Thomas, who suffered a fractured orbital bone when he took an elbow to the left side of his face against Toronto on Sunday. ... The Knicks recalled C Marshall Plumlee from Westchester of the NBA Development League. ... The Celtics signed 11-year-old fan Stephen Register of Needham, Mass., to a one-day contract, granting his wish through Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The boy was diagnosed with intractable epilepsy.