Suns at Knicks
The New York Knicks finished their three-game road trip with a loss but hope to take some positives into a rare home game on Monday against the Phoenix Suns. Two nights after posting a dramatic comeback win in Charlotte, the Knicks played Indiana tough until the very end of Sunday's 110-99 loss and completed the trek with a 1-2 record.
New York fell to 5-13 away from home, and its 18 road games are the most in the Eastern Conference - with a visit to Philadelphia on tap for Wednesday and a six-game trip beginning just after Christmas. The Suns, who are kicking off a five-game trek of their own, have won back-to-back contests for the first time this season and welcomed back Devin Booker for Saturday's 107-99 home triumph over Minnesota. Booker, who missed the previous six games with a hamstring injury, finished with 28 points on 10-of-16 shooting to go along with seven rebounds and seven assists. "Getting a win? It's fun," Booker told reporters. "I'm just having fun playing with high energy. Crowd's involved, fans are involved, playing good basketball. Nothing more than that I could ask for. Just going out there, playing the right way, playing together."
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Arizona (Phoenix), MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE SUNS (6-24): T.J. Warren finished with 21 points in Saturday's win and rookie Deandre Ayton registered his fourth double-double in five games with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Phoenix played its first game without veteran swingman Trevor Ariza, who was traded to Washington for forward Kelly Oubre Jr. and guard Austin Rivers. That sets up an interesting matchup later in the road trip, when the Suns visit the Wizards and Ariza, Oubre and Rivers get a chance to face their former teammates.
ABOUT THE KNICKS (9-22): A 3-pointer by Courtney Lee with about nine minutes to go in Sunday's contest forged a tie with the Pacers, who entered with a six-game winning streak, and the Knicks took some pride in playing them tight. "Obviously, I would've liked to see us execute better down the stretch, but the fact that we were on the road against arguably one of the hottest teams in the league right now, last game of the trip, felt like our young guys really came here to try to win it," coach David Fizdale told reporters. The team also got a bit healthier as Lance Thomas (knee) was active for the first time in well over a month and Trey Burke (knee) returned from a six-game layoff to score three points on 1-of-7 shooting in 13 minutes.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Knicks C Enes Kanter recorded 20 points and 15 rebounds at Indiana and averaged 18 and 12.5 to help his team sweep two meetings with the Suns last season.
2. Booker scored 34 points in his last visit to Madison Square Garden
3. New York PF Noah Vonleh has averaged 11 points, 11.5 rebounds and five assists over his last two games while committing one turnover in 73 minutes.