Knicks Notch Second Straight Win; Top Magic 114-113

LAKELAND, FL – January 30, 2023 – The Westchester Knicks, the official NBA G League affiliate of the New York Knicks, secured a 114-113 victory over the Lakeland Magic Monday evening at RP Funding Center. The win is now Westchester’s second-straight.

Two-Way Player Trevor Keels scored a team-high 24 points on 56.3-percent to go along with four assists, a pair of boards, and three three-pointers made. Melvin Frazier Jr. (trade) logged a season-high 19 points, six rebounds and two steals. James Akinjo (affiliate) and Dmytro Skapintsev (tryout) each recorded double-doubles with Akinjo capturing 15 points and 10 assists and Skapintsev finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Both tallies were career-highs for Skapintsev. 

The Magic (9-7) were paced by 29 points from Jay Scrubb. Aleem Ford chipped in 28 points. Zavier Simpson recorded 17 points and 15 assists. Simi Shittu hauled 11 boards. 

Both teams went at it playing through 40 different lead changes but only seven ties. The Knicks’ (5-7) largest lead stood at nine while the Magic only went up by as many as four points. Westchester shot 31-percent from deep with Lakeland shooting closer to 40-percent, but its dominance in the paint saw it outscore Lakeland 60-42, the most paint points notched by the Knicks in this regular season. 

Westchester led Lakeland 57-51 at the intermission and protected that six-point edge at the end of the third, 83-77. Lakeland gained control of the lead in the fourth quarter but Westchester kept within striking distance. The game stayed within a nine-point threshold in the fourth and within four for the final eight minutes. A go-ahead layup from Akinjo with 1:10 to go put the Knicks back on top forgood.

Wednesday, February 1, the Knicks square off with the Wisconsin Herd at 7 PM ET in Oshkosh, WI.