New York, NY — Karl-Anthony Towns made a strong return from a one-game absence, contributing 26 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists as the New York Knicks secured a 114-104 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night, completing a two-game weekend sweep of their city rivals.
OG Anunoby added 24 points and eight boards for the Knicks, who played without Towns in their 124-122 win over the Nets on Friday, a game decided by Jalen Brunson’s clutch 3-pointer with 6.2 seconds left.
Mikal Bridges chipped in 21 points, while Josh Hart contributed an all-around performance with 20 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. The Knicks extended their dominance over the Nets, beating them for the eighth consecutive time. Brunson struggled offensively, managing only 12 points on 3-for-14 shooting, but he made up for it with 10 assists.
Cam Johnson led the Nets with 22 points, but Brooklyn suffered its third straight defeat.
Takeaways Of The Game:
Nets:Injuries forced the Nets to start the 6-foot-7 Dorian Finney-Smith at center, leaving them vulnerable against the Knicks’ size. They struggled to contain the 7-foot Towns and the 6-foot-7 Anunoby, who combined for 49 points over the two games.
Knicks: Despite a quiet scoring night from Brunson, the Knicks’ size and defense proved too much for the Nets to handle, showcasing the team’s ability to win even when their star guard isn’t at his best.
Key Moment Of The Game:
Brunson didn’t score his first basket until a jumper early in the third quarter. He added another bucket during a 12-4 Knicks run that stretched their lead from two points to 76-66. From that point, New York maintained a double-digit advantage for most of the game.
Key Stat:
The Knicks held Cam Thomas to 16 points on 4-for-11 shooting after his 43-point explosion on Friday. It marked his second consecutive game scoring 40 or more at Madison Square Garden.
Up Next:
The Knicks host the Washington Wizards on Monday, while the Nets face the Charlotte Hornets at home on Tuesday before both teams embark on road trips leading into Thanksgiving.
