NEW YORK — The ball was passed ahead to Julius Randle with the clock ticking down to its final seconds in the third quarter and Randle, with the defense surrounding him he stepped back and drained a three-point field goal, setting off a loud celebration at Madison Square Garden.
Randle headed to the bench, having upped the lead to double-figures on the way to a 137-115 win over the lottery-bound Houston Rockets. Immanuel Quickley took a seat next to him on the bench and for a night all was good with the Knicks.
Not quite all good — not with Jalen Brunson in street clothes for a second straight game — but after three straight losses, the Knicks got back on the winning track and Randle ended his streak of games with a technical foul at three, not uttering a word to the officials as he finished with 26 points in 28 minutes.
