Atlanta At Indiana
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, April 21, 2013
Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
TV: 1 p.m. ET, TNT
PREDICTION: Pacers 98, Hawks 95

Atlanta did not exactly finish with a flurry, either, losing five of their final seven to erase any chance of homecourt advantage in the first round. The Hawks went 19-22 on the road and dropped four of their final six away from Atlanta during the regular season, including a 100-94 setback at Indiana on March 25. Smith scored 20 points but the Hawks were outrebounded 49-38 in the loss. Smith played sparingly over the final weeks while fighting off a knee injury but looked strong when he was in the lineup and shot 55 percent from the field in the final month. Atlanta is counting on the point guard combo of Jeff Teague and Devin Harris to give it an advantage on the perimeter. Teague averaged nine assists in April and cut his turnovers to 2.3 – the lowest of any month.

Indiana looked like a lock for the No. 2 seed in the East before its slump coincided with the New York Knicks’ surge. Either way, the Pacers will have to make it to the Eastern Conference finals if the want to get another crack at the Heat. Indiana led the NBA in rebounding average behind Hibbert and West and was second in points allowed despite the letup on that end late in the season. The biggest difference between this spring and last is the increase role of shooting guard Lance Stephenson, who has given the team a tenacious perimeter defender and a solid shooting option on the wing. Stephenson missed the last meeting with the Hawks but collected 14 points and six rebounds in a 114-103 win over them on Feb. 5.

Stats and Records

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That’s how long it took Carmelo Anthony to show he was back, pulling up comfortably for a 3-pointer on New York’s first possession.

“Big-time relief,” the Knicks coach said. “I mean, lets me know that Melo’s being Melo.”

And the Knicks looked like the Knicks from earlier in the season, before Anthony’s struggles halted their momentum.

Anthony scored 21 points after missing the previous three games with a knee injury, and the Knicks beat the Orlando Magic 106-94 on Wednesday night.

J.R. Smith had 22 points for New York, still short-handed in the frontcourt but looking much better with Anthony back. The NBA’s second-leading scorer hadn’t played since leaving the Knicks’ road trip last week to have fluid drained from the back of his right knee. He said it felt better right after going to the hospital after he had been feeling discomfort for weeks.

“I feel good, I feel healthy,” Anthony said. “I’m glad I went and got that procedure done so I put that behind me now.”

He moved well and shot 7 of 14 while grabbing eight rebounds as the Knicks closed in on a playoff spot they could wrap up this week.

“Any time you have a great scorer like that, it’s going to be tough for you. Not one person in the league, in the world can guard him 1-on-1,” Magic guard Jameer Nelson said. “So you’ve got to do different things and try to get him out of his rhythm. I thought he did a great job by being patient and taking shots when he wanted to or needed to, and passing it when the double-team came.”

The Knicks shot 53 percent and won their second straight after dropping the first four games of their five-game trip. All-Star center Tyson Chandler is expected to miss about a week with a bulging disk, and reserve forwards Amare Stoudemire, Rasheed Wallace and Kurt Thomas all could miss the rest of the regular season. But New York had no trouble despite using a small lineup that featured 6-foot-9 Kenyon Martin as the center.

Iman Shumpert, who joined Anthony, Martin, Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni in the lineup, sat out after hurting his knee late in the first half. He said he was scared after hearing a pop, having torn up his knee last spring, but trainers told him it was likely scar tissue. He sat on the bench in uniform and Woodson said he could have returned, but kept him out as the Knicks blew it open.

Tobias Harris and Andrew Nicholson each scored 14 points for the Magic in their fifth straight loss. They played without center Nikola Vucevic because of an illness in the second night of a difficult back-to-back, after falling by 22 at Indiana on Tuesday.

New York beat Orlando for the sixth straight time and swept the season series for the first time since 1997-98.

Anthony said he was feeling pain just before the All-Star break, more than a month ago. The knee became worse when the Knicks had games on back-to-back nights against Miami and Cleveland on March 3-4, and he fell to the court without contact while trying to catch a pass in the second game.

He missed the next three games, then came back. But he was clearly limited in losses at Golden State and Denver, totaling just 23 points, and he finally realized the knee needed more than just rest.

“I was worried because I didn’t really know what was the cause of it, what was going on,” he said. “I knew for sure that it wasn’t no ligament damage or anything like that, so I just wish that I could have gotten to the bottom of it quicker or we could’ve got to the bottom of it quicker.”

He had rejoined the team on the West Coast following the procedure but didn’t want to rush back, and determined he was ready Wednesday after feeling good over the last couple of days.

New York built a 22-7 lead after consecutive 3-pointers by Smith and Chris Copeland capped a 10-0 run. They led 26-15 after one, but Orlando got untracked with a 31-point second quarter, cutting it to 51-46 at the half.

The Knicks put it away midway through the third, getting two free throws and a follow shot by Anthony to start a 10-2 burst that extended a 10-point lead to 78-60.

“I think they’re the hardest team to defend in the NBA. With Melo and his ability to score and play the 4 and then with four shooters all around him, it’s hard to help out and get back. You saw tonight they made a lot of 3s,” Harris said. “They’re definitely a tough match-up team and that’s what makes them so good.”

Game notes

Woodson said he didn’t expect the Knicks to make any moves to fortify the frontcourt because Wallace and Thomas could be back around the start of the playoffs. And he said he still “absolutely” believes in the Knicks’ decision to load up on older players over the summer, believing the injuries happened because the veterans played more minutes than expected because of injuries to other players. … Thomas said he’d had a stress fracture in his foot in 2006 while playing for Phoenix and had learned recently it didn’t completely heal. … The Knicks wished director and leading fan Spike Lee a happy birthday between the first and second quarters. … Magic coach Jacque Vaughn was ejected from Tuesday’s game and said he didn’t want to discuss his feelings about Indiana’s physical play for fear of losing more money, smiling that his wife was mad about the fines that come with the two technical fouls he received during the loss to the Pacers.

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nthony returned to the floor Monday night for the New York Knicks after missing the previous three games with soreness in his right knee. He struggled in a 92-63 loss at Golden State, missing 11 of 15 shots in 34 minutes and finishing with 14 points.

Anthony told reporters in Oakland, Calif., after the game that his knee affected his play.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be 100 percent, to be honest with you, but I will play,” he said.

Anthony has been dealing with stiffness in the back of his right knee for several weeks due to a buildup of fluid. An MRI taken in February revealed no structural damage. The Knicks’ medical staff had hoped that rest would help the fluid dissipate.

Anthony, the NBA’s second-leading scorer, sat out for six days after aggravating the injury on March 4 against Cleveland but still feels discomfort. He told reporters on Monday that he hasn’t received a definitive diagnosis.

“Nobody can really give me an exact answer on it,” said Anthony, who returns to Denver on Wednesday for the first time since the Nuggets traded him to the Knicks in 2012. “There’s no pain, no ligament damage or anything like that. There’s just some fluid in the back of the knee that’s preventing me from hyperextending my knee sometimes.”

Anthony’s isn’t the only health issue that the Knicks (38-23) are trying to get a handle on. The team announced that power forward Amar’e Stoudemire underwent right knee surgery to remove debris on Monday and is is expected to miss approximately six weeks.

Stoudemire’s absence makes Anthony’s health all the more important for the Knicks. New York is tied with Indiana for second place in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks have four games remaining on their current, season-high five-game road trip.

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Dubinsky, who is available when the club opens a five-game homestand on Tuesday night against Vancouver, was injured in the Blue Jackets’ Feb. 16 game at Phoenix.

The 26-year-old, acquired in the deal that sent Rick Nash to the New York Rangers last summer, has one goal, seven assists and 39 penalty minutes in 15 games this season. He was riding a three-game point streak (1-3-4) prior to suffering the injury.

The Anchorage, Alaska, native has 82 goals and 139 assists in 408 career NHL games.

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Anthony first aggravated the knee in the first half of Monday’s win against the Cleveland Cavaliers and hasn’t been on the floor since.

Woodson said Anthony’s status remains day to day.

The coach said Anthony reported earlier Saturday that his knee is “so-so” after receiving treatment during the team’s morning shootaround.

Anthony’s isn’t the only health issue the Knicks have. The team announced on Saturday that forward Amar’e Stoudemire is scheduled to have a right knee debridement next week and will miss approximately six weeks.

As for Anthony, an MRI taken recently revealed no structural damage, he said. But there has been a fluid buildup in the back of it.

Woodson intimated that the team has no plans to drain the fluid in Anthony’s knee at this point. The Knicks will continue with treatment and will give him time to rest. The team hasn’t taken any further tests on the knee.

“I know he’s getting his treatment and you don’t always have to drain, you can treat and the swelling can go away that way as well,” Woodson said. “We’ve just got to give it time and see what happens.”

When Anthony does return, Woodson hopes to reduce his minutes.

Anthony has played an average of 37.8 minutes per game. He averaged 41 minutes per game in January and 38.8 in February. Woodson would like to play him closer to 35 minutes, his per-game average in November.

After Saturday night, the Knicks will embark on a season-long five-game, seven-day road trip against Western Conference teams.

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Chicago At Indiana
When: 8:00 PM ET, Sunday, March 3, 2013
Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, WCIU (Chicago)
PREDICTION: Pacers 96, Bulls 92

Oddsmakers currently have the Pacers listed as 6½-point favorites versus the Bulls, while the game’s total is sitting at 180.

The post duo of Carlos Boozer (15.6 points, 9.3 rebounds) and Joakim Noah (12 points, 11.4 rebounds) has carried Chicago the past two games. Leading scorer Luol Deng (16.4 points, 6.7 rebounds) was slowed Saturday after taking a shot to the mouth in Thursday’s win over Philadelphia, and guard Richard Hamilton (back spasms) has missed the past two games and is not expected to travel to Indiana.

Chicago won its last outing, a 96-85 result against the Nets on March 2. The Bulls covered in that game as a 4.5-point favorite, while the 181 combined points took the game OVER the total.

Chicago:
Team record: 34-25 SU, 26-33 ATS
Current streak: won 2 straight games.

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of last 5 games when playing Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of last 7 games when playing on the road against Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of last 6 games

When playing on Sunday are 3-7
Before playing San Antonio are 9-1
After playing Brooklyn are 6-4
After a win are 4-6

Indiana is one of the top defensive teams in the league but has shown improved offensive prowess recently. The return of forward Danny Granger has helped in that regard, but the former All-Star has averaged just 6.8 points in four games as he eases back into action from a knee injury. Leading scorer Paul George (17.8 points, 7.9 rebounds) blossomed into a star during Granger’s absence and forward David West (17.4 points, 7.6 rebounds) is having another strong season.

The Pacers were a 93-81 winner in their most recent outing on the road against the Raptors. They covered the 2-point spread as favorites, while the total score (174) made winners of UNDER bettors.

Indiana:
Team record: 37-22 SU, 34-25 ATS

is 19-3 SU in its last 22 games at home
is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of last 5 games when playing Chicago
is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games when playing at home against Chicago

When playing on Sunday are 4-6
Before playing Boston are 7-3
After playing Toronto are 6-4
After a win are 8-2

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When Eden Hazard scored after 56 minutes, doubling the advantage provided by Ramires’ 23rd-minute opener, Chelsea appeared to be cruising toward three points and a return to third place in the Premier League.

But Shaun Maloney seized on yet another defensive mistake to halve the deficit and the relegation-threatened visitors might have had a penalty when Ronnie Stam’s shot struck Ashley Cole on the arm.

Again it fell to Lampard, whose future is uncertain, to save the Blues, his 86th-minute third moving him within four of Bobby Tambling’s club goalscoring record of 202, before substitute Marko Marin added a stoppage-time fourth.

After three wins in the previous 10 matches in all competitions, finally Benitez has more Premier League points than his predecessor, Roberto Di Matteo, whom he replaced in November, albeit in two more games.

It is a result that is likely to at least delay Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who is not renowned for his patience, reaching for the trigger.

Chelsea had won 12 and lost one of 15 prior Premier League meetings with Wigan, which was a welcome visitor to Stamford Bridge.

There were four changes from the Blues side which lost at Newcastle, with Lampard captain as a result of John Terry’s knee injury.

The future of Lampard is unclear, with contradictory speculation in midweek over whether the midfielder will be offered a new contract to extend his 12-year stay beyond this summer.

Petr Cech, who was playing with a finger injury, was tested twice early on, first when Franco Di Santo forced him to save smartly with his feet and then when Maloney curled a left-footed effort from the right channel to stretch the goalkeeper.

Hazard had an effort blocked before a Lampard free kick was flicked on by Torres and went narrowly wide.

A through ball from Branislav Ivanovic found Torres, who in his previous incarnation — such as under Benitez at Liverpool — might have had the confidence to shoot first time. Instead he hesitated and prodded right-footed straight at Ali Al Habsi.

Torres had a key role in the opening goal, turning provider when he dropped deep to meet Luiz’s pass and played the ball on first time for Ramires, rampaging into the right channel.

The Brazilian showed composure to lift the ball over the onrushing Al Habsi. The goal gave relief and confidence to Chelsea.

Cesar Azpilicueta, who made his Spain debut in midweek, then charged down the right and crossed for his compatriot Torres, who saw his powerful header tipped over by Al Habsi.

Lampard’s bouncing shot went narrowly wide from 25 yards and David Luiz ballooned an effort over soon after.

Wigan’s attempt to reply before halftime was aided when an Oscar pass hit referee Mike Dean and rolled in the visitors’ favor. Maloney crossed from the right and Azpilicueta had to head behind, with James McArthur lurking at the back post.

Oscar curled over as the first half came to a close and Lampard had an effort blocked after the half.

Di Santo fired well over from long range before he was freed by James McCarthy, but he was unable to find a teammate with a cross.

Chelsea doubled its advantage when Gary Cahill’s free kick found Azpilicueta, who cut inside and rolled a pass to Hazard.

He struck a first-time shot into the net to celebrate his return from a three-match ban for kicking a ball boy.

As has happened all too often lately when ahead, the Blues relaxed a little too much and Wigan pounced.

Maloney beat the offside trap wide on the right to meet McArthur’s pass and Cech raced to meet him. The goalkeeper was unable to reach the ball and was rounded by the Scot, who netted from a narrow angle.

Singlehandedly, Lampard tried to raise his side, beating McCarthy in the left of the area before shooting wide across goal.

Wigan appealed for a penalty when a Stam shot appeared to hit Cole’s arm before substitute Arouna Kone was allowed to make space for a shot, which did not trouble Cech.

It was tense until Lampard’s intervention.

Hazard took the ball down the left and passed to the edge of the area. Mata stepped over the ball, leaving it for Lampard, who drilled into the bottom corner with trademark precision.

A fourth came when Al Habsi could only parry a swerving shot from Azpilicueta and substitute Marin headed in the rebound for his first Chelsea goal.

Torres almost got in on the act in the 94th minute but saw his rebound from Ramires’ shot saved.

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Chicago At Washington
When: 7:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 26, 2013
Where: Verizon Center, Washington, District of Columbia
TV: 7 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic (Washington), NBATV
Prediction: Bulls 98, Wizards 86.

Chicago lost All-Star forward Luol Deng to a hamstring injury last week but has seen no drop-off with Butler stepping into his spot. Butler, a second-year swingman from Marquette, has played at least 43 minutes in each of the last four games and has put up 15.5 points and 9.3 rebounds while playing strong defense. He went for 16 points and 12 rebounds on Friday to post his first career double-double. “I love his toughness,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said of Butler. “ He competes on every play. He’s not afraid.” Making it easier for Butler is the overall strength of Chicago’s frontcourt, which built up a 56-37 rebounding advantage in the win over Golden State.

Chicago won its last outing, a 103-87 result against the Warriors on January 25. The Bulls covered in that game as a 2.5-point favorite, while the 190 combined points took the game OVER the total.

Team record: 26-16 SU, 17-25 ATS
Current streak: won 3 straight games.
is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of last 5 games when playing Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Washington
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
Before playing Charlotte are 9-1
After playing Golden State are 5-5
After a win are 6-4

Washington has looked like a different team since Wall’s return. The talented point guard sat out the first 33 games with a knee injury but has put up 14 points and 6.9 assists in his eight games back. The coaching staff has been monitoring his minutes and he needed only 21 to build up 14 points and five assists in Friday’s 114-101 home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Wizards have won four straight home games, dating back to a 101-99 triumph over NBA-best Oklahoma City on Jan. 7. Washington shot 36.5 percent without Wall around in an 87-77 loss at Chicago on Dec. 29. Beal led with 14 points.

The Wizards were a 114-101 winner in their most recent outing at home against the Timberwolves. They covered the 6.5-point spread as favorites, while the total score (215) made winners of OVER bettors.

Team record: 10-31 SU, 26-14-1 ATS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of last 5 games when playing at home against Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of last 5 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 6 of last 7 games at home
is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
When playing on Saturday are 1-9
Before playing Sacramento are 3-7
After playing Minnesota are 6-4
After a win are 3-7

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Green Bay at San Francisco
When: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 12, 2013
Where: Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FOX.
Line: 49ers -3. O/U: 44.5

Oddsmakers currently have the 49ers listed as 3-point favorites versus the Packers, while the game’s total is sitting at 45.

Green Bay has most of its defense healthy for the first time in weeks and spent the wild-card round attacking Vikings backup quarterback Joe Webb. Clay Matthews, looking fully recovered from a hamstring injury that has limited him at times, had a pair of sacks and forced a fumble while Charles Woodson played for the first time since breaking his collarbone on Oct. 21. With those two playmakers back, the Packers forced three turnovers and managed to hold Peterson under 100 yards rushing. The focus this week will be on Rodgers facing a San Francisco defense that has held opposing passers to 200.2 yards – fourth-best in the NFL – and finished second in the league in scoring defense. Rodgers passed for 303 yards but struggled until late in the game and was intercepted once in the first meeting. He should have a better rushing attack behind him in Saturday’s game, with DuJuan Harris and Ryan Grant taking handoffs. Rodgers was the leading rusher for the Packers in Week 1 and could be without one of his top receiving targets Saturday in Jordy Nelson, who is questionable with a knee injury.

In their last action, Green Bay was a 24-10 winner at home against the Vikings. They covered the 11-point spread as favorites, while the combined score (34) was profitable news for UNDER bettors.

Green Bay: 11-5 SU, 9-7 ATS
When playing in January are 7-3
When playing on grass are 10-0
After outgaining opponent are 7-3
When playing outside the division are 6-4
Green Bay is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing San Francisco
Green Bay is 6-0-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
Green Bay is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
Green Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

San Francisco has a solid candidate for Defensive Player of the Year in Aldon Smith and has surrendered an average of 13.9 points in eight home games. That defense is keyed on the front line by tackle Justin Smith, who has been dealing with a triceps injury and missed the final two games of the regular season. Justin Smith was wearing an elbow brace but has been practicing and is listed as probable for Saturday. On the other side of the ball, the 49ers will be giving the Packers a much different look than in Week 1. Kaepernick passed for a career-high 276 yards in a Week 17 win over the Arizona Cardinals and has opened up the playbook with his ability to extend plays with his legs and one of the stronger arms in the league. The 25-year-old finished up the regular season with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions and was at his best in some of the biggest games, including a four-touchdown performance at New England in Week 15.

San Francisco won its last outing, a 27-13 result against the Cardinals on December 30. The 49ers failed to cover in that game as a 16-point favorite, while the 40 combined points took the game OVER the total.

San Francisco: 11-4-1 SU, 9-7 ATS
When playing in January are 6-4
When playing on grass are 8-1-1
After outgaining opponent are 6-3-1
When playing outside the division are 8-2
The total has gone OVER in 7 of San Francisco’s last 8 games
San Francisco13-2-1 SU in its last 16 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Francisco’s last 5 games when playing Green Bay
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Francisco’s last 5 games at home

Prediction: 49ers 27, Packers 24

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Nicolas Batum scored 26 points, Damian Lillard had 21 points, six assists and five rebounds, and LaMarcus Aldridge had 19 points and 14 rebounds for Portland.

Stoudemire finished with six points on 3-of-8 shooting and one rebound in 17 minutes off the bench in his return from knee surgery. Anthony shot 14 of 24 and nearly led the Knicks back from 19 points down after missing two games with a knee injury, but the Trail Blazers had too many options.

J.J. Hickson scored all of his 18 points in the first half as Portland won for the third time in four games.

Anthony had missed the previous two games with a hyperextended left knee. The Knicks are still without point guard Raymond Felton because of a broken pinky finger and struggled to get their offense going until too late, losing for the third time in four games.

J.R. Smith had 28 points and 11 rebounds for the Knicks.

Stoudemire had surgery on Oct. 31 to clean up tissue in his left knee and decided to play after going through a couple of practices this week, though adding he wasn’t yet 100 percent. The former All-Star who has battled injuries in recent years was clearly rusty but showed he can still finish at the rim when set up properly.

Coach Mike Woodson wouldn’t say how long Stoudemire would remain a reserve. Stoudemire and Anthony have struggled to play together and the Knicks have a losing record when both play, but Woodson has said the Knicks need both of them on the floor to have a shot at a championship.

Stoudemire was already done for the night when the Knicks made a late run, cutting an 11-point deficit with 3:16 remaining to 100-97 on Anthony’s 3-pointer with 57 seconds left. Lillard answered with a 3-pointer, but the Knicks got it right back down to three again when Anthony converted a three-point play with 29 seconds to go.

The Knicks forced a jump ball and Smith won it, but Anthony missed a 3-pointer. Wesley Matthews, back after missing four straight games with an injured left hip, made two free throws with 13 seconds left to close the scoring.

Stoudemire got a standing ovation when he headed to the scorer’s table before checking in with 3:31 remaining in the first quarter. The Knicks went right to him in the post, but he stepped on the baseline while making his move.

The cheers turned to boos, not heard often this season during the Knicks’ 12-2 start at home, just a few minutes later.

Portland used an 11-0 run in the second quarter to extend a seven-point lead to 43-25 on Mathews’ basket with 7:20 remaining. The lead was 19 when Stoudemire returned with 5:36 left and the Knicks scored seven straight points, but the Blazers regrouped and got it back to 18 after consecutive baskets by Hickson before Stoudemire sat down again.

It was 58-47 at halftime after Anthony banked in a 3-pointer on a broken play with 0.1 seconds left.

The Knicks looked better offensively when Stoudemire returned with 5:06 left in the third quarter and Portland leading by six. He got his first basket when Anthony found him inside with 3:11 left, and he showed his old explosive finishing ability with a dunk later in the period, but the Knicks couldn’t close much of the gap because of their poor defense on Batum. The Frenchman scored 13 points and made three 3-pointers in the quarter, giving the Blazers a 78-71 advantage.

Game notes

The Knicks fell to 16-7 overall and 13-3 at home on New Year’s Day. The record by an opponent for points against the Knicks on Jan. 1 is held by Woodson, who scored 36 for the Clippers in 1988. … This was the Blazers’ first trip to New York since last March 14, when the Knicks won 121-79 hours after Mike D’Antoni resigned and Woodson became the interim coach. Blazers coach Nate McMillan was fired the next day.

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