DiVincenzo makes franchise-record 11 3-pointers, scores 40 points as Knicks rout Pistons 124-99

NEW YORK (AP) — Donte DiVincenzo was on the verge of history and in a hurry to get there.

Needing one more 3-pointer to break a franchise record, DiVincenzo found himself a bit flustered by a crowd that wanted him to fire as soon as he touched the ball from wherever he was, the way fans usually respond to Stephen Curry.

“Yes, it’s an amazing feeling having the crowd behind you,” DiVincenzo said, “but also like every time you touch the ball, they’re like, 'Shoot! Shoot!”

So he did, until he finally hit his franchise-record 11th 3-pointer. DiVinzenzo scored a career-best 40 points, leading the New York Knicks to a 124-99 rout of Detroit on Monday night for their 15th straight victory over the Pistons.

DiVincenzo broke the Knicks' single-game record of 10 that was held by J.R. Smith and Evan Fournier, and moved into third in the NBA in 3-pointers made this season. He would have had one more, but one of his 3s in the third quarter was later overturned because he had first stepped out of bounds.

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, right, drives to the basket against Detroit Pistons guard Evan Fournier during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New York, Monday, March 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter K. Afriyie)

But the swingman stayed in the blowout long enough to get the record-setter with 3:16 remaining, then checked out shortly after to an ovation.

“Impressive, and he’s been doing it all year,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “I thought his teammates helped create good shots for him, he knocked them down and played hard the whole game.”

Jalen Brunson added 28 points, and Josh Hart had 11 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in his sixth triple-double this season. The Knicks won for the sixth time in seven games and remained a half-game behind Cleveland for third place in the Eastern Conference.

Marcus Sasser scored 24 points for the NBA-worst Pistons, who lost their seventh straight and fell to 12-60. They shot 39% while playing without top player Cade Cunningham, along with Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson, Simone Fontecchio and Isaiah Stewart because of injuries.

“I feel like it was just a bad shooting night for us and DiVincenzo got real hot,” Sasser said.

It was quickly clear this game would be nothing like Detroit’s visit last month, when the Knicks got the go-ahead basket from Hart in their 113-111 win with 2.8 seconds left, with referees later determining a foul should have been called on DiVincenzo in a collision that allowed New York to regain possession.

New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) drives to the basket against Detroit Pistons guard Malachi Flynn during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New York, Monday, March 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter K. Afriyie)

This time, New York made eight of its first nine shots in racing to a 20-8 lead. It was 36-17 after one quarter, when the Knicks had six 3-pointers and the Pistons only had six total baskets.

From there, fans stayed interested cheering for DiVincenzo, who finished 11 for 20 from behind the arc. He struggled a bit approaching the mark, with the crowd's enthusiasm getting him to play faster than he's accustomed.

“Jalen was like, ‘Bro, slow down,’” DiVincenzo said. “I was like, ‘The crowd is speeding me up.’”

DiVincenzo has had to expand his role in his first season with the Knicks after the loss of All-Star forward Julius Randle since late January. They also continue to play without fellow starters OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson.

DiVincenzo has responded with 234 3-pointers and is nearing the franchise record of 241 held by Fournier, who was in the arena after being traded to the Pistons in February. DiVincenzo passed former Golden State teammate Klay Thompson for third this season and trails just Curry and Luka Doncic.

Knicks players warmed up wearing shirts with Hall of Famer Willis Reed's No. 19 on the back on the night they celebrated HBCU night. Reed, who died last year at 80, led Grambling State to the 1961 NAIA championship and a third-place finish in 1963.

UP NEXT

Pistons: Visit Minnesota on Wednesday.

New York Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo shoots at the rim during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons in New York, Monday, March 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter K. Afriyie)

Knicks: Visit Toronto on Wednesday.

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New York Knicks guard Josh Hart, right, shoots over Detroit Pistons' Jaden Ivey (23) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New York, Monday, March 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter K. Afriyie)

New York Knicks' Donte DiVincenzo, left, passes to teammate Isaiah Hartenstein, front, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New York, Monday, March 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter K. Afriyie)

PHOENIX (AP) — Minnesota star Anthony Edwards noticed early in the third quarter that the Phoenix Suns switched up their defense, playing him one-on-one most of the time instead of using the double teams from the first half.

The budding superstar took that as a challenge.

“It was like — you've got to beat us,” Edwards said. “And I showed them.”

Edwards scored 31 of his 40 points in the second half, Karl-Anthony Towns added 28 and the Timberwolves pulled away late to beat the Suns 122-116 on Sunday night and sweep the first-round playoff series.

The franchise's first playoff series win in 20 years came after coach Chris Finch left the game late in the fourth after an inadvertent collision with Wolves guard Mike Conley. The team said he had a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee.

Edwards finished 13 of 23 from the field, including 7 of 13 from 3-point range. The 22-year-old threw down a powerful, one-handed jam to give Minnesota a 115-111 lead with 2:14 left.

“We've watched him grow, evolve as a leader, as a player, as a man,” Wolves center Rudy Gobert said. “It's been fun.”

Phoenix would never recover.

The Wolves finished off the Suns despite Devin Booker’s 49 points on 13 of 21 shooting. He also made 20 of 21 free throws. Kevin Durant added 33, but the rest of the team struggled.

Assistant coach Micah Nori took over for Finch for the final 1:41 and the Wolves closed with relative ease.

“Everybody has their role, everybody has each other's back,” Nori said. “I know it sounds corny, but it's just next man up, even with the coaching staff.”

Minnesota's Jaden McDaniels scored 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting and the Wolves had a 44-33 rebounding advantage.

It was a tight fourth quarter and the Suns tied it at 107 on Royce O'Neale's 3-pointer with 4:30 remaining. Edwards and Jaden McDaniels hit back-to-back corner 3s to put the Wolves up 113-109 with 3:20 left.

The Wolves now wait to see if they will face the Denver Nuggets or Los Angeles Lakers in the second round.

“Their whole team created a lot of problems for us,” Suns coach Frank Vogel said. “The role players, the stars. Anthony Edwards is a special, special talent. And their bigs played really well.”

Edwards hit back-to-back 3-pointers early in the third and McDaniels followed with a powerful dunk, helping Minnesota turn a six-point deficit into a 68-66 lead. It was part of a big third for Edwards, who hit four 3-pointers and had 15 points.

Booker responded, scoring 18 points during the quarter and the Suns took a 92-90 lead into the fourth. It was a tough game for three-time All-Star Bradley Beal, who scored just nine points on 4-of-13 shooting before fouling out.

“They were executing late and we didn't,” Booker said.

The Suns threw various looks at the Wolves in the first half, using five perimeter players at various times to try to pull big men Gobert and Towns away from the basket.

Booker hit a fallaway jumper at the buzzer to give the Suns a 61-56 halftime lead. Durant led Phoenix with 20 points before the break, while Booker had 17. Towns had 15 for the Wolves.

Suns guard Grayson Allen missed his second straight game because of a sprained ankle suffered in Game 1 that he aggravated in Game 2. He averaged 13.5 points per game and led the NBA in 3-point percentage during the regular season.

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Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) celebrates with guard Anthony Edwards (5) against the Phoenix Suns during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson, center, gets past Phoenix Suns forward Josh Okogie and Suns guard Devin Booker for a shot during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert scores against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Phoenix Suns head coach Frank Vogel applauds his players during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels, right, tries to get past Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) tries to get off a shot as Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) defends during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)