N.Y. Knicks: Chris Paul's Hail Mary Finds Net

From the desk: KICKING CANS DOWN 33RD STREET WITH JIMMY

Chris Paul's Monday Night Miracle

Ends Knicks Winning Streak at Nine

Suns   118

Knicks 110

FINAL

As Julius Randle Goes, So Go The Knicks

There was a point in the first quarter when the Knicks led by ten.  Four minutes left in the second, they led by 13 points and took a seven-point lead into the half.  Their largest lead of the game was 15 points.  But next thing you know, the Phoenix Suns jump ahead 84-83 with 1:30 left in the third.  With 3:30 left in the fourth quarter, a big defensive play by Derrick Rose kept the Knicks deficit to a manageable four points.  But with the shot clock winding down, Chris Paul's miracle shot from the great beyond pushed the dagger into the Knicks side.  Paul's desperation three made it a 115-110 game with a minute left.  The Knicks would lose by eight; the consecutive winning streak comes to a halt at nine.

Phoenix had three scorers with 20 points or better led by Devin Booker's game-high 33 points in 41 minutes.  Chris Paul was huge down the stretch and finished with 20 points and six assists in 34 minutes.

Julius Randle was off, and as he goes so go the Knicks.  He was 6/17 from the field and 3/4 from the line for 18 points.  Reggie Bullock and RJ Barrett contributed 17 points apiece.  Derrick Rose led the Knicks with 22 points and tied for game-high with six assists but posted an uncharacteristic minus-14 in 33 minutes off the bench.

The loss knots the Bockers in a fourth-place conference tie with the Atlanta Hawks.  Sixth place Boston trails both teams by 1.5 games.

Let the countdown begin as only ten games remain in the regular season, more than half of which will be on the road.  After hosting Chicago on Wednesday, the Knicks embark on a six-game trip through the West before returning to close out the season's final three games at home.