The New York Knicks stumbled out of the gate to start their three-game trip and struggled to keep pace before absorbing a defeat.
The Knicks will look to regain their footing on Friday night against the Orlando Magic when they continue with the middle game of their trek.
New York fell behind by as many as 15 points in the first quarter and 17 early in the second of a 129-120 setback to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday. The Knicks recorded 18 turnovers to offset a 40-27 advantage in rebounds.
For the Knicks, Julius Randle collected 25 points and nine rebounds, Jalen Brunson added 24 points and seven assists, and Immanuel Quickley added 22 points off the bench.
RJ Barrett followed his 21-point performance on Christmas Day in a 129-122 win over the Milwaukee Bucks by making just 5 of 14 shots from the floor — including 1 of 7 from 3-point range. He also joined Brunson in committing five turnovers against the Thunder, who finished with just four as a team.
The Knicks have been rather generous of late, surrendering an average of 127 points over their last three games.
Orlando has answered an 11-2 run by losing five of its last seven games, including a 112-92 setback at home to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.
The point total represented a season low for the Magic, who appeared a bit sluggish while playing on the second half of a back-to-back set. They made 16 turnovers and shot 39.2 percent from the floor and 27.3 percent from 3-point range.
Franz Wagner scored 24 points and Jalen Suggs 20 for the Magic, who played without three key cogs off their bench in Gary Harris (right calf strain), Jonathan Isaac (sore right hamstring) and Joe Ingles (left ankle sprain).
New York won two of the three meetings between the teams last season as Randle averaged 23.3 points and 11.7 rebounds against Orlando.
