Derek Fisher and his New York Knicks took to Orlando to take on the Magic, where a career night from Cole Aldrich and clutch shots from Tim Hardaway Jr. lifted them to victory.

It wasn’t a pretty win, but thanks in part to a late game three-pointer from Hardaway, the Knicks triumphed 80-79 on the road, and earned their second win in 13 games.

“They just kept coming, no matter what happened out there,” Derek said of his team. “They found a way to stay together, have a purpose as a team and basically just figure out a way to win the game.”

It all started with a big first quarter from Cole Aldrich. The big man went off for 14 points off 6-of-7 shooting while adding seven rebounds. The Knicks shot 46.2 percent from the floor and took a 30-24 lead.

After the strong first came an ugly second for both teams, at least on the offensive end. The Knicks outscored the Magic 8-7 in the second quarter. The combined 15 points is the fewest points by two teams in a quarter in NBA history, edging the 18-point quarter between Utah and Detroit on March 13, 2005.

The two squads combined to shoot just 6-of-39 from the floor, but the Knicks came out the other side of the rough frame with a 38-31 halftime lead. Langston Galloway and Jason Smith took the reigns in the second, combining for 14 points.

Smith finished with a solid night: 13 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four blocks. Meanwhile, Aldrich led the way for New York with a career-high 19 points and a game-high 14 rebounds—and both big men earned some praise from Coach Fish afterward.

“It was definitely a complete game. He scored the ball for us, blocked a number of shots, rebounded the ball well,” Derek said of Smith. “He’s also a guy who is continuing to evolve and become a leader for our team. He really set the tone on both ends of the floor, and obviously Cole Aldrich as well.”

Hardaway recorded 13 points and was just 2-of-10 shooting in the first half, but he rebounded in the second and came through with some clutch baskets late. With the Knicks down two late in the fourth quarter, Hardaway stepped up, crossed over, and pulled up from 22 feet, where he sunk the bucket with his foot on the three-point line. The long two, that pulled the Knicks into a tie at 75, with just 1:10 left on the clock.

“His communication on defense was great. Even though he has the wrist injury, he was willing to be physical and put his body in harm’s way. He’s really improved in that area a lot in recent weeks. Sometimes shots are going to go in, sometimes they won’t—he obviously made a very big one for us down the stretch, but I thought all the other things he did tonight helped us win.”

The Knicks and Magic traded baskets, then on the next New York possession, Galloway drove into the lane, threw up a shot into a group of bigs, that was knocked away. Smith grabbed the loose ball and found Hardaway. who hoisted a three with 14 seconds left from deep, and it splashed through giving the Knicks the 80-77 lead.

Victor Oladipo had a chance to tie the game with seconds remaining, but his three was off the mark. Nikola Vucevic put back the rebound and scored, but it was too little, too late, as the Knicks beat the Magic 80-79.

The victory moved the Knicks into a tie for the worst record in the NBA with the Western Conference’s Minnesota Timberwolves. With just two games left on the schedule, Derek says his Knicks are playing to win games, not the best odds in the draft lottery.

“I don’t believe in trying to lose and I don’t think that’s what our organization believes either,” Fish said. “Whatever that will be, that will be…We just have to go about our business.”

KNICKS TIPPED BY BUCKS

The night prior to their win over the Magic, the Knicks faced off against a Milwaukee Bucks team that needed just two more wins to clinch a playoff spot, and thanks in part to Giannis Antetokounmpo returning to the lineup, the Bucks cut their magic number in half.

The long, athletic Bucks did so by forcing Fish’s squad into 18 turnovers, resulting in 20 easy points.

“There were definitely some unforced errors we made tonight,” Derek said. “But Milwaukee leads the league I think in forcing turnovers. That’s what they do. They have length and athleticism at multiple positions, and it causes a lot of teams problems. For us, that was definitely an issue tonight.”

Langston Galloway and Lance Thomas each had big nights for the Knicks, but came up short as the Knicks fell to the Bucks 99-91. Galloway poured in 20 points, while Thomas added 16.

The two young Knickerbockers, who joined the team late in the season, earned high praise from Coach Fish afterward.

“I’m not sure if there are more positive things to say about those guys and what they’ve done since they joined our team,” Fish said in praise of Galloway and Thomas. “They’ve changed our team and changed our culture because they’re great young men. They come to work everyday with the same attitude and mindset, and despite our record, we’re better off having had them. You have to celebrate the small successes in life.”

Antentokounmpo recorded 23 points after being benched by Bucks head coach, and former Knick, Jason Kidd. The Greek Freak had eight points in the first quarter to help the Bucks out to a 28-21 lead.

In the second, however, Derek’s squad battled back. The Knicks bench trio of Lou Amundson, Shane Larkin and Jason Smith combined for 17 points off 6-of-8 shooting. New York shot 56.3 percent in the second quarter and cut Milwaukee’s lead to three, 52-49, at the half.

That bench trio had a big night, going for 10, 14 and 11 points, respectively. The New York reserves outscored their counterparts from Milwaukee 37-20.

However, in the third quarter, the Bucks starters were too much. Antetokounmpo had 11, and Khris Middleton added 10. They shot 58.8 percent and forced the Bucks into 11 turnovers to take a commanding 81-65 lead into the fourth.

“They came out and ramped it up and played closer to the level they’re capable of playing in the third quarter, and we couldn’t match it,” Derek said of the Bucks. “We turned the ball over 11 times in the third quarter and that’s hard to overcome.”

Behind 12 points from Thomas, the Knicks made it a game late, but they couldn’t quite complete the comeback at Madison Square Garden.

NEXT UP

The Knicks will head South Monday to take on the East’s top team in the Atlanta Hawks.

The Hawks have secured the one seed in the playoffs while steaming to a 60-20 record. The Knicks fell to Atlanta both times they played this season, each by single digit margins, but the Hawks have held opponents to 84.4 points and 40.0 percent shooting.

Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from Philips Arena.

RELATED LINKS

• Knicks-Hawks Preview (AP, April 13, 2015)
• Knicks hold off Magic, teams set NBA scoring low for quarter (AP, April 11, 2015)
• Antetokounmpo returns, Bucks move to verge of playoff spot (AP, April 10, 2015)
• Bucks at Knicks: Game Book (NBA, April 10, 2015)
• Knicks at Magic: Game Book (NBA, April 11, 2015)
• Fisher on win vs. Magic: Hardaway Jr. helped us get the win (MSG, April 11, 2015)
• Fisher on Kicks loss: Turnovers were difference in game (MSG, April 10, 2015)