The Opening Tip

• The basketball world and the City of Boston lost a promising teenager yesterday.
• Joel Embiid almost pulled a miracle on Wednesday night.
• A few notes on the Knicks’ eight-game winning streak.

1. The tragedy that Terrence Clarke won't be able to share his Boston

2. Daily GIF: If Joel Embiid made this ...

This almost legendary scenario unfolded on Wednesday night.

With the 76ers down three points with .8 seconds, Chris Paul missed his second free-throw, so Embiid grabbed the board and whipped it the length of the court, coming within an inch or two of tying the game.

As far as the greatest misses ever, it ranks up there with Gordon Hayward's Butler shot, which probably still wins out based on stakes. 

3. Trivia time

There have been four in-one-season winning streaks of 22-plus in NBA history. How many can you name?

Answers at the bottom.

4. What's behind the Knicks' winning streak? 

The Knicks are competent (even good, perhaps) and have won eight in a row for the first time since a meaningless eight-gamer in 2014. Eat your words, Andrew Yang -- Knicks fans are dancing in the street.

Here are three observations from the streak: 

1. They're scoring: The plodding Knicks of early in the season are gone. New York has a 117.9 offensive rating over the streak, second in the league. Plus, the team's 9.3 net rating is first. 
2. They're clutch: Four of the Knicks' eight games have registered as "clutch situations" (last five minutes with the score within five). In those four, New York is 4-0 (obviously) with an outlandish 141.8 offensive rating, and they've made 11 of their 15 three-point shots. 
3. They have Julius Randle: The Knicks are +59 with him on the floor in the last eight games, and he's averaging 30-9-6.9 on .448-.421-.857 shooting splits. Those are MVP numbers.  

5. 04/23/2019: The best individual shot in NBA history

Two years ago today, Damian Lillard hit the best shot in NBA history. Not the most important. Not the most iconic. But the best, in our humble opinion. 

Here's what we wrote at the time: 
 

6.  Quick hits

• We had a Kemba Walker sighting last night: 32 points on 17 shots. Highlights. 
• Anthony Davis played last night for the first time since Valentine’s Day. He scored four points in 17 minutes in a loss to Dallas. 
• Don’t bring up Steve Nash’s MVP to Shaq.
• Check out this perimeter defense by Joel Embiid on Jrue Holiday last night.
• Trae Young suffered “a Grade 2 lateral sprain” on Wednesday but isn’t expected to miss significant time. 
• 🚨 Miles Bridges dunk alert 🚨

7.  Reads and podcast pick

• The reason Jae’Sean Tate has defied the naysayers [The Ringer]
• Among second-year stars, Zion stands alone [ESPN]
• Breaking down the Most Improved Player race [The Lowe Post]

Trivia answer: Lakers (‘71-72, 33), Heat (‘12-13, 27), Warriors (‘15-16, 24), Rockets (‘07-08, 22)