Celtics 96, Knicks 92: Isaiah Thomas had 18 points and six assists and Jae Crowder added 17 points and nine rebounds to lead visiting Boston past New York as the Knicks matched the franchise record for losses in a season.

Evan Turner had 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists as the Celtics maintained their half-game lead for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Brandon Bass contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds as Boston moved one game behind seventh-place Miami.

Andrea Bargnani had 25 points and seven rebounds for the Knicks, who dropped to 14-59 and have lost six straight games and 13 of their last 15 contests. Shane Larkin scored 14 points and Cleanthony Early and Langston Galloway added 12 points apiece.

The Celtics held an 86-75 lead with 4:09 remaining before the Knicks used a 10-4 push to move within five on Early’s tip-in with 33.7 seconds to play. A 3-pointer by Galloway brought New York within 92-88 with 25.9 seconds left but Boston made 4-of-6 free throws over the final 23.3 seconds to stave off the Knicks.

Boston led by as many as 11 points in the second quarter and took a 47-39 lead into the break. The Knicks crept within one four-plus minutes into the third quarter before the Celtics opened up a 10-point edge on Thomas’ 3-pointer late in the quarter before settling for a 70-63 lead entering the final quarter.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Celtics were 34-of-43 from the free-throw line. … Knicks SG Tim Hardaway Jr. (wrist) missed his seventh consecutive game. … Both teams struggled from 3-point range with Boston going 4-of-20 and New York was 7-of-24.