Beasley fuels Knicks upset of Celtics, Cavs and Raptors win - Capital Sports
Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Headlines

Beasley fuels Knicks upset of Celtics, Cavs and Raptors win

Michael Beasley (R) of the New York Knicks and Kyrie Irving of the Boston Celtics fight for position in the fourth quarter, at Madison Square Garden in New York, on December 21, 2017 © GETTY/AFP / Abbie Parr

LOS ANGELES, United States, Dec 22Michael Beasley was the unlikely hero in the New York Knicks’ upset of NBA Eastern Conference leaders Boston Thursday, exploding for 32 points to fuel a 102-93 triumph over the Celtics.

Beasley’s effort off the bench — including 28 points in the second half — had “M-V-P” chants ringing around Madison Square Garden.

He more than compensated for Kristaps Porzingis’ worst NBA game: an 0-for-11 shooting display that yielded one point and saw the Knicks’ Latvian star sit out the final 17 minutes.

With the Knicks down by nine, Beasley came in for Porzingis with 5:37 left in the third quarter and promptly scored 10 points in five minutes.

“I’m just here for the team,” Beasley said. “Whatever they need, whenever they need it. Scoring, rebounding, defense, just trying my best. As humbly as I can say it, I just feel like every shot that I shoot is going in.”

Kristaps Porzingis of the New York Knicks is knocked down in the third quarter against the Boston Celtics, at Madison Square Garden in New York, on December 21, 2017 © GETTY/AFP / Abbie Parr

His jump shot sealed the victory with 1:06 left to play, handing the Celtics a second defeat in as many nights after a one-point loss to the Miami Heat in Boston on Wednesday.

“Mike knows his role. If KP’s out he obviously gets the bigger minutes,” Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said. “I thought he played great in filling in for him. He really helped us get some points on the board.”

Porzingis, who had missed two games with a sore knee, was hoping to expunge the memory of a dismal shooting night against the Celtics in the first week of the season, when he connected on just three of 14 shots from the floor.

Instead, he was even worse, missing all 11 of his shots in the first half and not even attempting one in the second.

Kyrie Irving scored 32 points for the Celtics, who lost back-to-back games for the first time this campaign.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Their closest pursuers in the East, meanwhile, notched victories.

– DeRozan on fire –

DeMar DeRozan scored a career-high 45 points to lead the Toronto Raptors to a 114-109 comeback victory over the 76ers, in Philadelphia, on December 21, 2017 © GETTY/AFP/File / MATTHEW STOCKMAN

DeMar DeRozan scored a career-high 45 points to lead the Toronto Raptors to a 114-109 comeback victory over the 76ers in Philadelphia and the Cleveland Cavaliers warmed up for their NBA Finals rematch with the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day with a hard-fought 115-112 home win over the Chicago Bulls.

DeRozan made 13 of his 21 shots from the floor, including six of nine from three-point range.

Australian rookie Ben Simmons scored 20 points to pace the 76ers, who were without Cameroonian center Joel Embiid, their leading scorer and rebounder, for a third straight game because of tightness in his back.

Kyle Lowry added 23 points for the Raptors, who erased a 22-point third-quarter deficit to win their fifth straight and 11th in 12 games.

They are now just 1.5 games behind the Celtics in the East, with the Cavaliers a further game back.

Cleveland shook off the absence of ailing coach Tyronn Lue and injured guard J.R. Smith to end the Bulls’ seven-game winning streak.

In a contest that featured 26 lead changes, LeBron James scored 11 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter and the Cavs held on for a 12th straight home win.

James pushed the Cavs lead to six points with a difficult fadeaway jump shot with 1:01 left to play.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

A layup by Chicago’s Denzel Valentine cut the deficit to 113-112 with 14.3 seconds left, but James drained two free throws with 11.1 seconds left to put Cleveland up by three.

Dwyane Wade then blocked Kris Dunn’s three-point attempt and Valentine, with Jae Crowder defending him, missed a three-point attempt in the final second.

In Phoenix, TJ Warren scored 27 points and Troy Daniels drained the go-ahead three-pointer with 17 seconds to play as the Suns downed the Memphis Grizzlies 97-95.

A Suns turnover gave the Grizzlies a last chance to win, but Tyreke Evans missed a three-point attempt at the buzzer.

Advertisement

More on Capital Sports

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 27 – DStv and GOtv subscribers are in for a treat of the world’s best football this week as the 2020-21...

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 25 – There is light at the end of the tunnel. After failed promises over the last three years since its...

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 6 – Gentrix Shikangwa scored with two minutes left as Vihiga Queens sailed to the final of the CECAFA regional qualifiers...

NFL

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 13 – Kenya’s history making Daniel Adongo, the first Kenyan to play in America’s National Football League (NFL), is now living...

© 2024 Capital Digital Media. Capital Group Limited. All Rights Reserved