The scrappy Knicks put up a fight but lost to a team with much more on the line.
With the fifth seed locked up, the Knicks sat Jalen Brunson and Mitchell Robinson — who both joined the injured Julius Randle on the inactive list — and snapped a five-game winning streak with a 113-105 defeat Friday night to the Pelicans.
For New Orleans (42-39), the victory pushed it above the Lakers for the seventh spot in the West with one game remaining.
The Knicks (47-34) also have one game but are guaranteed a first-round matchup against the Cavaliers. RJ Barrett returned from a two-game absence because of an illness and contributed a strong 28 points. But he missed a wide-open 3-pointer with 1:05 remaining that would’ve cut New York’s deficit to 1.
The Pelicans were led by 31 points from Trey Murphy III. The Knicks finish the season Sunday afternoon at home against the Pacers.
