Knicks | 17 | 18 | 28 | 28 | 0 | 91 | Final |
Magic | 20 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 0 | 100 | Box |
Auto Refresh: Off | 15 | 30 | Refresh |
Preview | Recap | Boxscore | MatchUp |
By PAUL DIGIACOMO
(AP) -- The New York Knicks were rolling along before their worst offensive performance of the season led to the end of their longest winning streak in 19 months.
They had similar poor showings in two road matchups with the Orlando Magic last season, but the Knicks might be catching them at the right time Wednesday night.
New York (8-7) opened a four-game trip with wins over Oklahoma City and Houston to give it four straight victories overall for the first time since the end of the 2013-14 season.
The Knicks, though, came out flat in Miami on Monday, missing 15 of 16 shots early in the game en route to a 95-78 loss. New York set season lows in points and field-goal percentage (32.2) and matched a season-low by shooting 16.7 percent from 3-point range.
"We never gave ourselves a chance," coach Derek Fisher said after the Knicks became the eighth team this season to score no more than 30 in a half after not trailing by double figures in any of their last eight.
Rookie Kristaps Porzingis continued to play well with 20 points and 14 rebounds for his seventh double-double. The No. 4 overall pick is averaging 20.0 points, 11.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocks while shooting 51.9 percent - 66.7 from beyond the arc - in the last four games.
"We missed shots early. It kind of got us down a little bit," said Carmelo Anthony, who scored 21 but missed 10 of 16 shots and went 0 for 5 from deep. "We did a much better job in the second half making the adjustment. But by that time we were already in the hole."
New York failed to make adjustments after halftime in both games at Orlando in 2014-15. The Knicks were outscored 45-36 in the second half of an 89-83 loss Feb. 11 and 29-19 in the fourth quarter April 11, but they managed to eke out a one-point win in that one.
New York shot 34.2 and 37.8 percent in those matchups, two of its worst six performances on the road last season.
The Knicks now face an Orlando team that allowed Cleveland to shoot 53.1 percent in Monday's 117-103 road loss. The Magic (6-8) gave up their most points in regulation this season, and no team had shot higher than 49.4 percent against them.
"It was kind of men against boys," coach Scott Skiles said after his team's third loss in four games.
Skiles hinted he may make some lineup changes after Tuesday's practice.
"Whatever we do, if we do anything, is punitive," he said. "We're trying to find a little better balance between the first and second units and just how we can maximize everybody."
Magic fans will see a familiar face in Knicks reserve forward Kyle O'Quinn, who was drafted in the second round by Orlando in 2012. O'Quinn played in 177 games with the Magic before New York acquired the restricted free agent in a sign and trade in July and inked him to a four-year, $16 million contract.
Nikola Vucevic averaged 23.5 points and 15.5 rebounds in four meetings with the Knicks last season.