NEW ORLEANS — The Knicks’ winning streak came to an end Friday night.

But at this point of the season, when the games for playoff-bound teams are meaningless and avoiding injury is paramount, it wasn’t a lost night. 

Coach Tom Thibodeau kept his team injury-free as he rested Mitchell Robinson and Jalen Brunson in a 113-105 loss to the Pelicans at Smoothie King Center.

The setback snapped the Knicks’ five-game winning streak. 

The Pelicans had more to play for — home court in the play-in tournament — and they played like a team with more at stake down the stretch, outscoring the Knicks 30-22 in the final frame and riding Trey Murphy III’s 31 points to victory.

CJ McCollum also had 23 points for the Pelicans. 

RJ Barrett led the Knicks with 28 points in his return after missing the previous two games due to an illness, but was 0-for-9 from 3-point range.

Immanuel Quickley added 24 points as the Knicks closed out the road portion of their schedule with a 24-17 mark. 

Trailing by 11 points midway through the third quarter after a sloppy start coming out of the break, the Knicks reeled off a 15-2 run.

That included three consecutive Quickley 3-pointers and a three-point play by Josh Hart. 

The two teams were tied at 83 entering the final quarter.

New Orleans built a seven-point lead early in the final period, but the Knicks stormed back, getting even on Miles McBride’s steal and layup with 7:26 to go.

The Pelicans, however, took over from there, outscoring the Knicks by eight points the rest of the way.