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• 'Shame to waste that performance' - Knicks rue loss as Randle makes franchise history in 57-point haul

  New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau says it was a "shame to waste" Julius Randle's 57-point performance in Monday's 140-134 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

  Randle produced a career-best scoring performance, shooting 19-of-29 from the field with eight-of-14 from three-point range, becoming the 13th different player this NBA season to surpass 50 points.

  The power forward scored 26 points in the third quarter, making franchise history for the most points ever by a Knicks player in any single quarter.

  Randle also became the first player Knicks since Carmelo Anthony in 2014 to reach 50 points, which was the longest active drought by any franchise, except the Orlando Magic dating back to Tracy McGrady in 2004.

  Only two players have scored more points in a single game in Knicks history, led by Anthony with 62 in 2014 against the Charlotte Bobcats and Bernard King with 60 in 1984 against the New Jersey Nets. Randle's 57 points was tied for third highest in Knicks history.

  Despite all that, the Timberwolves edged the Knicks, aided by 58.3 per cent three-point shooting.

  "It's a shame to waste a performance like that," Thibodeau told reporters.

  Randle had 52 points at three-quarter time and was on pace to surpass both Anthony and King's marks but he was humbled to be close to their company.

  "Those are legends in this game," Randle said. "And pioneers, specifically for this organisation, who laid the groundwork and led the way for players like myself to come behind them, be able to play the game I love. Be able to grind, put on that Knicks jersey with pride."

  Randle was left to lament fumbling a rebound at 137-134 in the dying seconds, allowing Taurean Prince to make a lay-up to ice the game.

  "Hopefully I will be able to [enjoy the 57-point performance]," Randle said. "But tonight, probably not.

  "Jalen [Brunson] got a defensive stop, we're down three, it's my job to come up with that rebound, 14 seconds left. If we do that, we have a chance to win the game - or not win the game, but at least tie the game, so I didn't get the job done."

• Thompson, Kerr and the Warriors breathe sigh of relief after snapping 11-game road losing streak

  Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson was relieved to finally snap a streak of 11 consecutive road losses after beating the Houston Rockets 121-108 on Monday.

  The Warriors came into the clash against their once-heated rivals with the third-worst away record in the NBA at 7-29, having not won away from Chase Center since January 30.

  It was far from smooth sailing against the 18-54 Rockets, as the home side pulled in front late in the third quarter, but the 'Splash Brothers' combination of Thompson and Stephen Curry refused to let another one slip.

  They combined for 21 points in the final period, and 59 for the game as they each finished with five made three-pointers.

  When asked after the win about Golden State's recent trouble on the road, Thompson said: "I think trouble would be an understatement – it's been a rollercoaster on the road this year.

  "You'll take any win you can get, especially at this point of the season. We're fighting for our playoff lives and we responded well after a beatdown in Memphis."

  While the current Rockets team is a far cry from the juggernaut that pushed the Kevin Durant-led Warriors to a seven-game series back in 2018, Thompson said he still uses those memories as motivation when he heads to Houston.

  "We didn't look at their record," he said. "I actually told myself I was pretending we were playing the 2018 Rockets, where it was a battle every time we used to play those guys,

  "They're still young, they're talented, and you can't take anybody lightly. Every win we get is just a huge win, so I think we all understood that going into the game, and although it was close there I think we did a good job in the second half of playing our brand of ball.

  "[We need] extreme urgency, we've got to take every game so seriously. You always do – 82 games, it's tough to be great all of them – but nine left, we have to treat these like a playoff buffer, and I know we will."

  Head coach Steve Kerr told reporters he could not even remember their last away victory, and believed his team got away with a mediocre performance.

  "It's been a long time," he said. "I don't remember the last road game we won – it's been a while.

  "January 30th? Thanks, that doesn't make me feel any better. But we needed it, obviously.

  "I actually felt like we played decently in the first three games of this trip – lost all three, but had our chances in all three. I liked our effort, I liked a lot of our execution.

  "Ironically, I thought this was the worst of the four games we've played on this trip, but obviously we were playing a different calibre of team. 

  "The first three we were battling against those teams for the playoffs – Memphis have won of the best records in the league – and Houston have had a rough season. 

  "We had to come in tonight with a focus that was unfortunately not there – that was the issue with the first half – but eventually we got there."

  The win, combined with the Dallas Mavericks' loss, meant the Warriors leapfrogged them out of the play-in tournament placings and up into the sixth seed, where they have a half-game buffer on the chasing pack.

• Warriors bank first road win since January, Randle explodes for 57 in Knicks loss

  The Golden State Warriors snapped a run of 11 consecutive road losses by defeating the Houston Rockets 121-108 on Monday.

  Entering the game with the third-worst road record in the league (7-29), the Warriors had not won away from home since January 30 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

  After a back-and-forth first three quarters, the Warriors called on the Splash Brothers, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, to close the show, igniting a 37-28 final period to pull away.

  The duo combined for 21 points in the fourth quarter, and they finished with remarkably similar games.

  Curry top scored with 30 points on 10-of-23 shooting, hitting five-of-15 from deep with seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block. Meanwhile, Thompson posted 29 points on 11-of-21 shooting, hitting five-of-13 from deep with seven rebounds, a steal and a block.

  With promising young Rockets center Alperen Sengun out, it was an opportunity for first-round rookie Tari Eason to earn his fourth start of the season, and he capitalised with 21 points (nine-of-16), 12 rebounds and four steals. Third overall pick Jabari Smith Jr added 17 points (seven-of-15) and 11 rebounds.

  With the win, the Warriors pulled above .500 at 37-36, and combined with the Dallas Mavericks' 112-108 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, they have climbed out of the play-in tournament placings and up into the sixth seed in the West.

  Knicks waste Randle's career night

  New York Knicks forward Julius Randle scored a career-high 57 points as his side went down in a 140-134 shoot-out against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

  Randle had never previously scored more than 47 in a game, but he shot 19-of-29 from the field, eight-of-14 from three-point range and 11-of-13 from the free-throw line to set a new benchmark.

  Unfortunately for him, the Timberwolves also could not miss, shooting 14-of-24 (58.3 per cent) from three-point range as a team, as they were buoyed by an outrageously efficient night from veteran wing Taurean Prince. 

  Prince shot 12-of-13 from the field and a perfect eight-of-eight from three for 35 points, while veteran point guard Mike Conley ran the show with 24 points (six-of-11) and 11 assists.

  The Timberwolves (36-37) sit eighth in the West, just a game behind the Warriors.

  Embiid fouls out in double-overtime loss

  Joel Embiid led both teams in scoring and rebounding but crucially fouled out in double-overtime as his Philadelphia 76ers fell 109-105 against the Chicago Bulls.

  Embiid, now the favourite to win his first MVP, scored a game-high 37 points (11-of-22 shooting), grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds, and blocked a game-high three shots before picking up his sixth foul early in the second extra period.

  Zach LaVine top scored for Chicago with 26 points (eight-of-20), seven assists and three steals, while DeMar DeRozan was just as good with 25 points (10-of-22), eight rebounds and three steals.

  The win gives the Bulls (34-37) a two-game buffer on the Washington Wizards (32-39) in the race for the East's final play-in spot.