Blazers head east for showdown with Knicks

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Portland Trail Blazers head east once again, this time with a three-game winning streak, when they visit Madison Square Garden Sunday night to take on the struggling New York Knicks.

Portland went 3-0 on a recent trip east with victories over the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and Charlotte Hornets. The Blazers played three of four at home after that trek and went 2-1 in Portland, losing only to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Since that setback, they've rattled off three consecutive victories, including an 88-82 triumph over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday.

Damian Lillard scored 23 points and LaMarcus Aldridge posted his fourth straight double-double in the win over the Pacers. Aldridge finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds for Portland, which has won 12 of 13.

Nicolas Batum added 13 points, five rebounds and five assists. Wesley Matthews finished with 12 points, but went 0-for-5 from long range.

Portland finished with a season-low in points.

"We have to be able to win in a lot of different ways," Portland head coach Terry Stotts said. "I'd love to shoot over 50 percent every night and score 120, but the reality is we have to be able to win in different ways."

The Blazers will visit the Detroit Pistons, Minnesota Timberwolves, Chicago Bulls and the Pacers on this odyssey.

The Knicks have lost seven in a row, nine of 10 and are 3-16 since Nov. 1.

New York's slide reached seven with a heartbreaking loss in Charlotte on Friday. The Knicks were down as many as 21 in the second half, but clawed all the way back until Kemba Walker drove the dagger deep.

His layup with 0.3 seconds to play helped the Hornets to a 103-102 victory. Walker took the inbound pass at the top of the key and darted through the lane for the game-winner.

"We weren't engaged in the things we needed to do to be successful against this team," Knicks coach Derek Fisher said.

Carmelo Anthony had a game-high 32 points and gave the Knicks the lead with a wide-open 3 from the left side with 40.7 seconds left.

J.R. Smith and Tim Hardaway Jr. supplied 14 and 13 points, respectively, off the bench. No other Knicks player scored in double figures while the team shot 45.5 percent from long range and committed just six turnovers.

The Knicks have dropped three straight at home. Their only victory since Nov. 18 was over the then winless Sixers.

The Knicks hit the road for three straight, starting Tuesday in New Orleans.

Portland has won four in a row versus the Knicks and is 3-1 in its last four at MSG.