With the Knicks potentially facing their season’s 60th loss, they were dealt a double whammy in the first half of Sunday’s matinee against the Clippers when their last two lottery picks went down.

Rookie Kevin Knox, who had scored 11 points in the half, was lost for the game with a sprained right ankle after shooting a 3 and landing on Patrick Beverley’s foot with 20 seconds left before intermission. He missed seven games earlier this season with a sprained left ankle.

Meanwhile, in what could be a more alarming development, Frank Ntilikina didn’t last two games before his sore groin gave out. After playing six scoreless minutes in the first half, Ntilikina was announced to be suffering from a sore groin at halftime and was not expected to return.

Ntilikina had missed nearly two months and 24 straight games with a sore groin before making it back for Friday’s loss against Denver, in which he shot 1-of-6 for five points. Before the game, Fizdale said he had recovered perfectly from his return.

The Knicks are expected to make their 2017 lottery pick available for trade on draft night, and if he doesn’t make it back this season, his trade value won’t be high. He has played 42 games this season – none with newcomer Dennis Smith Jr.

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