Just when it looked like the Knicks may have turned a corner, they appear to have fallen back to earth.
The Knicks' 100-91 loss to the Celtics on Sunday was the team's fourth straight, and it wasn't a pretty one.
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Carmelo Anthony (29) and Kristaps Porzingis (16) scored nearly half their team's points but shot a combined 15 for 39. The rest of the team wasn't much better, shooting 37.1 percent as a group.
The loss dropped the Knicks' record to 14-18. And while that trajectory is still a big improvement from last year's 22-60 record, it's not going to be good enough to reach the playoffs in the new and improved Eastern Conference.
Anthony and Porzingis have been a solid one-two punch so far, but they have had struggles of their own. They'll need a third wheel if they are going to make a run to get back to the postseason.
Studs of the night
Oklahoma City got 75 points from Russell Westbrook (31), Kevin Durant (26) and Serge Ibaka (19) in its 122-112 win over Denver. The trio combined to shoot 31 for 52 from the field. Westbrook barely missed out on a triple-double, adding 12 rebounds and nine assists. Enes Kanter added 21 points and eight rebounds on 7-of-8 shooting.
Dud of the night
Louis Williams continued his struggles on Sunday afternoon, scoring just five points on 2-for-10 shooting in the Lakers' 112-96 loss to the Grizzlies. He's scored just 14 points in the team's past three games, shooting just 3 for 21 during that stretch.
Tweet of the night
Don't know how many more we'll have of these, so we better enjoy them.
Vince Carter won't be denied on his way to the rim! #LALatMEM #NBAVine https://t.co/t5Olcab6i9
— NBA (@NBA) December 28, 2015
Looking ahead
Hawks (20-12) vs. Pacers (17-12), 7 p.m. ET: This game features two of the teams that could be challengers for the No. 2 spot in the East behind the Cavs. The Hawks have won six in a row while the Pacers' just stopped a four-game losing skid.