In the Easter evening game, the New York Knicks (44-30) hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder (52-22) at Madison Square Garden. The Thunder came in tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the West’s best record, while the Knicks are in a horse race with the Cavs and Magic for the third, fourth, and fifth spots in the East. With nine games left (including tonight), every win and loss counts toward playoff positioning. A win against the Thunder? That’s a tall order.
A strong performance from Isaiah Hartenstein and solid defense helped the Knicks finish the first quarter with a five-point lead, but the Thunder regained momentum in the second quarter to go ahead 50-46 at halftime.