NEW YORK, N.Y. - A chance to gain ground in the playoff race was there, until Jarrett Jack took it away. Now the New York Knicks have 3,000 miles to think about how this game — and maybe any realistic post-season hopes they had — was lost. Jack scored a season-high 31 points Sunday night in the Cleveland Cavaliers 106-100 victory over the Knicks, who had their eight-game winning streak snapped. The Knicks wasted a chance to pull within two games of a playoff spot before leaving for a five-game Western Conference trip that starts Tuesday against the Lakers. "This was a huge opportunity lost, one we cant afford," Knicks guard J.R. Smith said. "But we cant get it back. Weve just got to go on the road, win some games and try to come back home and win." Hours after being handed a chance to get closer to the final spot in the Eastern Conference when Atlanta blew a fourth-quarter lead in Toronto, the Knicks responded with an inept final period of their own after they led by 17 points in the first half. They couldnt stop Jack and couldnt get a basket from Carmelo Anthony, who missed all five shots in the final period and finished with 32 points. New York remained three back with 12 to play. "Its tough. We shouldve won this game. We gave it away. They earned it, they beat us. We didnt play well coming down the stretch or in the second half and they did," Anthony said. "But its behind us now, theres nothing we can do about that." Jack scored 23 in the second half after coach Mike Brown challenged his team at halftime. "It was just about making a stand and each individual person making a stand and then collectively as a team us all bringing that same mindset to the table," Jack said. "Thats pretty much what it was about. I just thought guys responded." Jack finished with 10 assists for the Cavaliers, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Dion Waiters scored 22 points and Luol Deng had 13 in his return from a three-game absence with a sprained left ankle for the Cavs, who didnt miss All-Star Kyrie Irving because Jack torched the Knicks for 13 points in the fourth quarter on 6-of-7 shooting. "I just challenged them. Thats all. I didnt say that much," Brown said. "The guys in the locker room, they decided to go play and they went out and got it done." New York was missing ailing Iman Shumpert, their best perimeter defender who surely wouldve gotten a chance to defend Jack since nobody else could. The Knicks, who suddenly were back in the playoff race after looking out of it after a seven-game skid dropped them to 21-40 after a loss in Detroit on March 3, will have to bounce back on the road. The Hawks had already lost at Toronto by the time the Knicks showed up for work Sunday. Coach Mike Woodson said he was glad but didnt appear overjoyed, realizing the Knicks still have plenty to do to get to the 35 to 40 wins he think will be necessary to earn a playoff spot. "Its good that they lose, but again, its about what we do at this point," Woodson said before the game. Even getting to 35 wins will be difficult considering they still have games against Miami and Chicago, plus two apiece against Brooklyn and Toronto after their trip. New York made 15 of 21 shots (71 per cent) in the first quarter, getting 14 points from Anthony and taking a 34-27 lead when Smith made a 28-footer with 0.2 seconds left. The Knicks pushed the lead to 17 in the second when Pablo Prigioni made a 3-pointer, then stole the ball and threw an alley-oop pass that Smith slammed down to finish off a fast break and make it 51-34. But down 61-46 at halftime, Cleveland scored the first nine of the second half to get within six, and the Knicks never really got the momentum back. The Cavs used an 11-4 spurt to tie it at 90 on Jacks jumper with 7:29 remaining, then Dengs 3-pointer gave them a 93-92 edge with 5:46 to play. Anthonys free throws gave the Knicks their last lead, but Jack knocked down a jumper, Waiters made a 3-pointer and Anderson Varejao had an easy dunk after a pick-and-roll to make it 100-94 with 2:37 remaining. New York cut it to two, but Jack answered with another jumper, finishing two points shy of his career high. Smith finished with 18 points. NOTES: New York had won the previous five meetings at home. ... On Noche Latina, Spanish for Latin night, former St. Johns star Felipe Lopez announced the starting lineups in Spanish. DeMarcus Cousins Jersey . -- Kurt Buschs Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, in some ways, was like his career wrapped into one afternoon. Oscar Robertson Jersey .com) - On the bright side, either the Minnesota Wild or Buffalo Sabres will end their losing streak on Thursday night. http://www.cheapsacramentokingsjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-peja-stojakovic-jersey . How foolishly wrong I was. Forget the now inherent corruption and back handed favours that plague the beautiful game. Goal Line Technology? Youre having a laugh. As for them penalty cheating bandits, footballs lawmakers upend them by awarding the penalty to the opponent each time a player attempts to con the referee into awarding ghost penalties. Chris Webber Jersey . Sources tell TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun the international tournament will likely return in September 2016 rather than 2015. Vince Carter Jersey .6 seconds left to give the Toronto Raptors a 92-89 victory over the Boston Celtics in an exhibition game Wednesday night.B.J. Penn has never been one to take a loss lightly. In recent years, the former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion has appeared determined to avenge previous defeats. First he evened the score with Jens Pulver, dominating the inaugural UFC lightweight titleholder en route to a submission victory in 2007. Less than two years later he attempted a similar feat against Georges St-Pierre, but suffered a late TKO loss after his corner threw in the towel. In 2010 he then snagged the rubber match with Matt Hughes, dispatching the UFC Hall of Fame inductee with a rapid-fire knockout. Though Penn has always made a point of returning the favour against fighters who have bested him in the past, he said he isnt necessarily obsessed with vengeance. "I dont know about fixated, but I believe everyone out there would want to have another shot at somebody who beat them," Penn told reporters on a recent media call. "I just think thats part of life. I just think thats human nature — bottom line." Penn now has his sight locked on the man who took his UFC lightweight championship when he once again locks horns with Frankie Edgar in the headliner of The Ultimate Fighter 19 Finale in Las Vegas Sunday. The bout will also mark the Hawaiians first at featherweight. Penn admitted that while batting around ideas for his return to the Octagon, he lobbied UFC president Dana White for another crack at Edgar. As a result, the two were paired up as opposing coaches on the most recent season of TUF. "I talked to Dana and said (I wanted to) get back in and avenge a couple of my losses," Penn said. "Frankies name came up and everything got put together. "This is the first time I asked to fight Frankie. When I first had to fight Frankie, I was like, Really, Frankie, who is this? Let me check it out. Then Frankie comes out and proves himself. Frankie now is one of the best of all time in the UFC. Its definitely a fight Im looking forward to." Penn and Edgar originally met in the co-main event of UFC 112 on April 10, 2010. A sizable underdog going into the bout, Edgar pulled off a stunning upset to win the 155-pound title via unanimous decision. He then dominated Penn in the rematch to earned the judges nod four months later. Edgar admitted his second victory over Penn remains one of the most memorable of his career. "I think they were both rewarding in their own right," Edgar said. "I guess the second time was a little more reassuring just because everyone thought the first time was a fluke and I was able to get it done the second time. Maybe that one stuck out a little more for me." Though hes next on Penns hit list, Edgar can relate to the Hilo native. During his run as UFC lightweight champion he delivered a stunning knockout against Gray Maynard, who had previously handed him a decision loss in 2008. Edgar said he understands Penns motivations. "Yeah, absolutely, Ive been there before," Edgar said. "Its just competitive nature. Id think all fighters would want a chance at redemption." Though Edgar already holds two victories over Penn, hes hardly in a lose-lose situation. On top of the bout being yet another high-profile encounter against one of mixed martial arts trrue legends, he could also become the only fighter to go 3-0 against Penn.dddddddddddd However, Edgar admitted he was surprised when the opportunity came across his plate. "I was definitely not expecting B.J. to be the guy I was coaching against," Edgar said. "(Dana and I) were throwing around the idea of me coaching the show. I thought I was going to miss the opportunity just because we couldnt get someone. Then he threw out the name B.J. to me. Im pretty easy going and I just jumped at it." For Penn, not only does does a victory over Edgar allow him to earn a measure of retribution, it proves hes still relevant in the ever-evolving sport of MMA. Conversely, White recently stated a loss would result in a talk about retirement. Though there is a lot at stake for him, Penn said part of his decision to return is that he simply loves to compete. "This is what I do, this is what Ive done my whole life and this is all I know," Penn said. "It just comes down to having fun and doing what I love." ----- B.J. PENN TIMELINE UFC 31 (May 4, 2001): A Brazilian Jiu Jitsu standout, Penn makes his MMA debut, picking up a first-round TKO win over Joey Gilbert. UFC 35 (Jan. 11, 2002): Penn fails to capture the UFC lightweight title, losing a majority decision to Jens Pulver. UFC 41 (Feb. 28, 2003): Penn comes up short again in his bid for the 155-pound belt, going to a controversial split draw with Caol Uno. UFC 46 (Jan. 31, 2004): Penn shocks the MMA world by moving up to welterweight and dethroning champion Matt Hughes via first-round submission. He would later be stripped of the belt after signing with K-1. K-1: Heros 1 (March 26, 2005): Penn loses a hard-fought unanimous decision to future UFC light-heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida. The Hawaiian weighed in at 191 pounds, while Machida tipped the scales at 225 pounds. UFC 58 (March 4, 2006): Penn returns to the UFC, losing a close split decision to Georges St-Pierre. UFC 63 (Sept. 23, 2006): Then-welterweight champ Hughes evens the score, handing Penn his first TKO loss . TUF 5 Finale (June 23, 2007): Penn returns to lightweight and avenges a previous defeat to Pulver via second-round submission. UFC 80 (Jan. 19, 2008): Penn bloodies and submits Joe Stevenson to win the vacant UFC lightweight championship. UFC 84 (May 24, 2008): Penn dismantles heated rival and former 155-pound titleholder Sean Sherk. UFC 94 (Jan. 31, 2009): Penn fails to avenge his earlier loss to welterweight kingpin St. Pierre, suffering the second TKO defeat of his career. UFC 112 (April 10, 2010): Following three successful title defences, Penn loses his lightweight championship to underdog Frankie Edgar via close unanimous decision. UFC 118 (Aug. 28, 2010): Edgar dominates Penn en route to a unanimous decision to prove their first encounter wasnt a fluke. UFC 123 (Nov. 20, 2010): Penn returns to welterweight and scores a blistering knockout victory over Hughes to win the rubber match. UFC on FOX 5 (Dec. 8, 2012): Penn loses a one-sided unanimous decision to current top welterweight Rory MacDonald. Speculation the MMA legend may retire begins to swirl. TUF 19 Finale (July 6, 2014): Penn will make his featherweight debut and look for redemption against Edgar. ' ' '