Another victory for NY Knicks
The New York Knicks, before the game Derrick Rose was questioned by the media in the press conference about this summer will become a free agent, he hopes he can spend the rest of his career with the Knicks.
Rose will become a free agent July 1 but currently is eligible for a two-year contract extension with 4.5 percent raises on what he makes now $21.3 million. This month, will make six-month anniversary of his trade to the Knicks. He would be eligible to sign a three-year extension with 7.5 percent raises. The value would be $75 million.
Rose told The Post earlier this week he has heard nothing from the Knicks, asked about that possibility Friday, Rose said he would be intrigued.
“My thought on that, if they want to do it, that would be cool,’’ Rose told The Post. “It would let me know I’m playing the way they want me to play and I’m on the right track. But if not, I haven’t heard anything. So I’m not thinking about it.”
NOTES: Courtney Lee missed a game for the first time as a Knick with a sprained ankle, he was replaced in the starting lineup by Justin Holiday, who made his first start of the season. Joakim Noah missed his second straight game with a sprained left ankle sat out his second straight with the same injury. Lee hasn’t ruled out playing Sunday versus the Kings, when he would face the player he replaced, Arron Afflalo. Lee said to sources, he could “barely walk’’ after Wednesday’s game at Minnesota, tajes advice from Anthony has advised him to sit out until facing the Heat on Tuesday.
Highlights: Carmelo Anthony popped in 29 points and Kyle O’Quinn posted his first double-double of the season to lead the New York Knicks to a 118-114 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks (10-9) swept the home-and-home series. New York claimed a 106-104 win at Minnesota on Wednesday. O’Quinn, replace in center place of injured Joakim Noah, ended up with 20 points, 13 rebounds and two blocked shots. Justin Holiday, making his first start at point guard for injured Courtney Lee, added 16 points and seven rebounds. Derrick Rosechipped in with 24 points.
Zach LaVine led Minnesota (5-14) with 23 points. Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 47 points against the Knicks on Wednesday, tossed in 20 points.
The Timberwolves, led just once, missed all seven of their shots from the field in a 3:30 span that ended with 29 seconds left to play on a 3-pointer from Nemanja Bjelica, who had 17 points in 20 minutes.
O’Quinn and Rose deposited four straight points each, helping the Knicks regain the lead at 109-104 with 4:31 to play.
Minnesota took its first lead of the game at 102-101 on a dunk shot from LaVine with 6:34 remaining.
A 9-2 run to start the fourth quarter enabled Minnesota to tie it at 100 on an alley-oop dunk by Shabazz Muhammad with 8:01 left.
Kristaps Porzingis led to a 3-pointer from Anthony and an 80-66 Knicks lead with 6:05 left in the third quarter. Anthony and O’Quinn combined for 14 of the Knicks’ 32 second-quarter points, helping New York build a 62-52 halftime edge.
Notes: Minnesota C Karl-Anthony Towns became the fourth youngest player in league history to score at least 47 points when he achieved the milestone in Wednesday’s 106-104 loss to the Knicks. Minnesota head Tom Thibodeau was an assistant coach with the Knicks from 1996 to 2003. And New York’s bench outscored the Timberwolves.
