Celtics top Knicks 114-73, biggest rout of season

NEW YORK (AP) - Jordan Crawford scored 23 points and the Boston Celtics posted the most lopsided victory in the NBA this season, bursting out to another sizzling start and pouring it on from there to batter the New York Knicks 114-73 on Sunday.

Jared Sullinger added 21 for the Celtics, who jumped to leads of 12-0, 18-1 and 25-3 and improved their Atlantic Division-leading record to 10-12.

Boston scored the first 14 points Friday in a victory over Denver, though that one eventually got close.

Not this time.

The Celtics led 58-31 at halftime, then Crawford made four 3-pointers in a 34-point quarter that extended Boston's lead to 92-56. The Celtics then scored the first four points of the fourth for a 40-point bulge, triggering loud boos that would get louder at the final buzzer.

Boston went on to surpass a 38-point victory by the Clippers over Chicago that had been the NBA's biggest victory this season.

Carmelo Anthony scored 19 points for the Knicks, who had done to them what they had done to their previous two opponents. Coming off a 30-point victory over Brooklyn and a 38-point rout of Orlando, the Knicks.

New York fell to 0-6 in its orange uniforms, which the Knicks are wearing in weekend home games and also donned at Chicago on Halloween in their road opener. Their three worst losses of the season have come in their alternate colors, 31-point losses to San Antonio on Nov. 10 and Atlanta on Nov. 16.

Crawford hit six 3s for the Celtics, who stay in New York for the next couple of days during something of a reunion week. They face Kevin Garnett and Brooklyn Tuesday for the first time in the regular season since last summer's blockbuster trade, then return home to face former coach Doc Rivers and the Clippers on Wednesday.

It was 12-0 before the Knicks finally got on the board on Anthony's free throw after the Celtics were called for a defensive 3-second violation. Crawford and Sullinger then hit consecutive 3-pointers to make it 18-1 before the Knicks finally made a basket on Anthony's basket with 5:45 remaining.

The Celtics led 34-11 after one and opened a 26-point lead when Courtney Lee nailed a 3-pointer to open the second. Leading by 17 late in the period, then ran off 12 in a row, Jeff Green's three-point play making it 58-29 with 37 seconds remaining.

Knicks starters were 3 for 23 in the first half, including a combined 0 for 8 by guards Raymond Felton and Iman Shumpert.

Cox Media Group