The shorthanded Knicks lost their composure late in the third quarter and allowed the Suns to dominate the final period, providing the newly 36-year-old Chris Paul with his ideal birthday present: an opponent so utterly frustrated that things got physical.
With the loss, the Knicks fall to 37-30. They remain fourth in the Eastern Conference with six games left to go. New York’s magic number to finish in the top six, and therefore avoid the play-in tournament, is three, meaning the Knicks still control their own destiny. Three more wins in the next six games and they’ll be a bonafide playoff team for the first time since 2012-13.