JEFF VAN GUNDY

Tyronn Lue has waited a long time for this trip.

Add Mark Jackson to the list of ESPN reporters and commentators who have been laid off over the past five weeks.

Jeff Van Gundy, Suzy Kolber, Jalen Rose and Steve Young are among roughly 20 ESPN commentators and reporters who were laid off on Friday as part of job cuts by the network.

The 2000s have been mostly miserable for the New York Knicks and their fans.

They brawled in 1997.

Tougher from start to finish, the New York Knicks bullied the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Tom Thibodeau got the New York Knicks back to the playoffs, guiding the team to its second-best record in 20 years.

The Portland Trail Blazers and coach Terry Stotts are parting ways after nine seasons.

Alec Burks scored a season-high 30 points in his return from a three-game absence and the New York Knicks kept up their chase of home-court advantage in the playoffs by rallying to beat the San Antonio Spurs 102-98.

Zion Williamson scored 23 points in 23 minutes in his first game against Orlando, and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Magic 135-100 on Thursday night to snap a four-game losing streak.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Jimmy Butler started Sunday night’s game against Orlando by winning the opening tip and ended it with a steal and win-sealing layup as the Miami Heat topped the Magic 102-97. In between, the standout guard was pretty good, too, helping the Heat win their fourth straight and for a 10th time in 11 games. Butler’s defense led to 23 Orlando turnovers and 26 points off those mistakes for the Heat. The Magic, who are 1-2 this season against the rival Heat, haven’t won since Feb. 21. … GM Anthony Parker and head coach Stan Heath of the G League champion Lakeland Magic attended Sunday’s game.

Denver — down 16 in the first half — trailed 61-46 with 9:42 remaining in the third before rallying behind the 35-year-old Millsap. The Nuggets took their first lead on Nikola Jokic's 3-pointer with 7:06 left and extended it to eight. After the Clippers pulled within a basket, Porter hit a deep 3-pointer with 1:11 remaining to all but wrap it up. Jamal Murray finished with 26 points, and Jokic added 22 points and 14 rebounds to help the Nuggets pull to 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. 9/11 MEMORIESClippers coach Doc Rivers and Nuggets coach Michael Malone reflected on their memories on the 19th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001.

Thibodeau is back in New York as the Knicks new coach. The former NBA Coach of the Year was hired Thursday, July 30,2020, returning to the team he helped lead to the NBA Finals as an assistant coach. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)NEW YORK Tom Thibodeau is back in New York as the Knicks' new coach. The former NBA Coach of the Year was hired Thursday, returning to the team he helped lead to the NBA Finals as an assistant. Thibodeau was an assistant to Jeff Van Gundy when the Knicks reached the 1999 NBA Finals.

Thibodeau is back in New York as the Knicks new coach. The former NBA Coach of the Year was hired Thursday, July 30,2020, returning to the team he helped lead to the NBA Finals as an assistant coach. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)NEW YORK Tom Thibodeau brought the Chicago Bulls to their greatest success since Michael Jordan. He has seen what it's like in New York when the Knicks win and wanted to be the coach to make it happen again. Rose then conducted a long search before tabbing Thibodeau to be the 13th different person to coach the Knicks since Van Gundy.