
Jalen Brunson scored 30 points and handed out 15 assists to lead the Knicks to a solid 122-112 win over the Nuggets on a Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Brunson scored 15 of his points in the crucial 3rd quarter, when he led the Knicks back from an 8-pt deficit to take a 7-pt lead entering the 4th — then in the 4th scored, penetrated, and distributed to lead the Knicks to the win — while Knick team defense did the rest. Brunson finished an efficient 10-16 from the floor, 3-6 from 3; 7-7 in free throws, 2 steals, a block, and a +16.
“We came out and started the (3rd) quarter and missed some shots, I think they went up 8,” said coach Tom Thibodeau afterwards. “We were missing some good shots. Once we got our defense going, I think that’s what turned it. Our ball pressure, forcing turnovers, getting into the open floor — the play that OG made with Josh — great hustle play — that sort of got us going. We picked up the tempo. We were able to go off the live ball — I think we had 25 fast-break points — and that was the turning point. You have to win games different ways. Our hustle is what got us going.”
NY improves to 32-16, a game behind the Celtics and 6 games back of Cleveland in the East. Denver, the #4 team in the West, drop to 28-19.
1. Knicks Come Out with ENERGY; Denver Matches It
Denver posed another big test for the Knicks after NY had SMOKED #3-in-the-West Memphis the previous game and SMOKED the red-hot Sacramento Kings the game before that.
And NY came out with the same ENERGY they had all game against Memphis, taking it to Denver from the start with stifling Defense leading to open court buckets, along with drives inside by Karl-Anthony Towns that caused Nikola Jokic to pick up 2 fouls in the first 2 minutes. Jokic went to the bench and NY raced out to a 20-8 NY lead.
Jalen Brunson doing Jalen Brunson things 🫡 pic.twitter.com/1U3B9uUNNU
— Knicks Fan TV 🏀🎥📺🏁 (@KnicksFanTv) January 30, 2025
But Denver regained their footing and soon came right back on buckets by Russell Westbrook, Christian Braun (no relation to Carl Braun), Aaron Gordon, and Michael Porter, and Jamaal Murray.
A Murray flurry of buckets at the end of the 1st quarter — a drive, 2 free throws off a drive, and a 3 — brought Denver to within 31-27.
2. Towns vs Jokic — Joker Out of Sorts
After the 2 quick fouls, Jokic came out of the game with 9:48 left in the 1st quarter and didn’t re-enter the game until 7:14 left in the 2nd quarter with the Knicks up 43-37.
If you had missed the reason why Jokic went out you would have thought he was injured because he played that way all night — immobile most of the time on Defense as the Knicks attacked him constantly — and out of sorts on offense.
As Walt Frazier said at one point in the 3rd, “Jokic in no rhythm tonite folks. He’s not been a factor. Telegraphing his passes. Not moving and grooving with fluidity.” As Clyde said that Jokic hit a 3 but it was one of the few highlights of the night for Jokic — as he went 6-15 (3-7 from 3) for 17 points and had only 6 rebounds, but with 6 assists and a -2.
Jokic is the starting center on the West for this year’s upcoming All Star game and facing him of course will be Karl-Anthony Towns, the starting center of the East.
Towns had a quiet night offensively due to his own foul trouble; he had 14 pts on 6-12 shooting (0-4 from 3) but played extremely active Defense all night, had 10 rebounds, made some nifty passes finishing with 5 assists, and was a -1.
Karl-Anthony Towns is too strong 💪 pic.twitter.com/c4nWTNrJ7j
— Knicks Fan TV 🏀🎥📺🏁 (@KnicksFanTv) January 30, 2025
3. Knicks Up by 6 at the Half
Denver tied the game on Peyton Watson free throws with 8:41 left in the 2nd quarter, but NY took back the lead on big buckets by Miles McBride — a deuce and a 3 — and then a 3 by OG Anunoby which forced a Denver timeout. NY 43 Denver 37 with 7:14 left in the 2nd.
Russell Westbrook scored a flurry of points but the Knicks countered with buckets by Brunson, Josh Hart, a dunk by Precious Achuiwa off a Brunson pass, and a deuce by Mikal Bridges.
Bridges’ shot was off on the night — he shot 5-16 (3-7 from 3) for 13 points — but OG Anunoby made up for it with 23 pts on 9-15 shooting (5-7 from 3). Both played tremendous hounding defense — Bridges taking Jamaal Murray for most of the night, while Hart was on Westbrook and OG was on Aaron Gordon or Michael Porter Jr.
YESSSSIR pic.twitter.com/xUTNWoVkCw
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 30, 2025
An OG 3 and a Josh Hart dunk off a Jalen Brunson pass gave NY an 8 pt lead late in the quarter, and NY had a 6-pt lead at the half — 60-54.
4. Denver Goes on Run to Start 3rd
And then at the start of the 3rd quarter, the Knicks simply missed some shots — good open looks — corner 3’s and shots inside that rimmed out — and Denver kept hitting shots to go on a 20-6 run and take an 8-pt lead at 74-66.
In that run Westbrook hit a deuce, Murray hit a deuce, Michael Porter scored inside, Murray hit a 3 and a deuce, Gordon hit a layup, Murray hit a 3, and Porter scored again inside.
5. Brunson Leads Knick Comeback in 3rd
But Brunson put on his cape. He drove for a bucket. NY was back within 5.
OG Anunoby stole a pass and Jamaal Murray grabbed him before he could break away down the court for a transition-take foul. Brunson hit the free throw.
Brunson then drove and fed Hart for a layup and the Knicks were back within 3.
Brunson then drove again for a bucket-and-1 as Westbrook fell over him and it was a tie game at 74-74.
“Jalen Brunson puts his defender on their heels,” noted NBA Analyst Ross Kreines, “Especially when getting in the lane where you’re at his mercy with his use of fundamentals in jump stops, shot fakes, use of pivot foot along with the art of creating space and contact. Also, created for others and valued the basketball.”
Jokic finally hit a 3 (just as Clyde Frazier was saying he was out of sorts — see above) — but Brunson answered with a drive to bring NY back within 1. ‘Bouncing and announcing is Brunson,” gushed Clyde.
The two teams then flurried back and forth — Braun hitting a 3; OG answering with a 3; and Westbrook with a drive to make it 82-81 Denver.
Play of the Game #1
That’s when Play of the Game #1 came: a Brunson pass inside was intercepted by Jokic, who threw a quarterback pass downcourt to 2 waiting Nuggets for an easy layup — but Josh Hart came out of NOWHERE to intercept it — and fed it back the other way to Brunson who hit a 3 that rolled in and out and in — an All-Star Starter roll:
.@joshhart STEAL ➡️ @jalenbrunson1 SPLASH pic.twitter.com/gOl9JSn4N6
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 30, 2025
As tge 3rd quarter wound down, Jokic made free throws; Brunson answered with free throws off a drive, Brunson hit Another drive, Bridges hit a 3 from the corner, and Brunson drove and fed Precious Achiuwa for a dunk to give NY a 93-86 entering the 4th.
6. McBride Leads Knicks to Start 4th
But Denver came right back to start the 4th on a 3 by Julian Strawther, a Murray drive, and a bucket inside by Jokic for a 2-pt game at 95-93 NY.
That’s when Deuce McBride came up big again — a Deuce from 15 feet after dribbling in the lane left and right — then a Huge 3 and NY was up 100-93.
DEEEUUUUUUCCCCCCCCEEEEEEE pic.twitter.com/U2IY7CV8c5
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 30, 2025
Cameron Payne added a floater and OG hit a 3 and NY was up by 12 at 105-93 — a 10-pt Knick run.
7. Denver Hangs In
But Denver were the Champs 2 years ago and are #4 in the West and are well coached by Mike Malone. They came right back — Jokic with a 3, Christain Braun with a drive and then back-to-back 3’s by Jokic and Aaron Gordon following a Bridges 3 and it was a 108-104 game NY with 5:30 left.
8. Brunson Passing Carries Knicks to Win
Brunson was back in the game after a rest to start the 4th wherein McBride and Payne and the 2nd team did a great job holding the lead — and he went back to work.
Brunson fed Karl-Anthony Towns who went right past Jokic to the rim for a dunk and NY went back up by 6.
KAT with AUTHORITY 💥 pic.twitter.com/obpPVB5t8f
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 30, 2025
After an Aaron Gordon bucket, Brunson drove again and fed Hart for a layup and NY was up 112-106 with 4:13 left.
Play of the Game #2
And then play of the game #2 came: Karl-Anthony Towns BLOCKED a Russell Westbrook drive, Brunson grabbed the loose ball, and fed Mikal Bridges ahead of the field with a NIFTY pass for a SLICK layup and NY was up 114-106 with 3:12 left.
WHAT A SEQUENCE.
KAT’s rejection gets the Knicks on the break… Brunson drops a dime and Bridges finishes with the reverse 😮💨
DEN/NYK on ESPN pic.twitter.com/voZtzcFAM1
— NBA (@NBA) January 30, 2025
Brunson wasn’t done — he grabbed a rebound off a Murray miss and fed Josh Hart for a drive and NY was up 116-106 with 2:44 left and Ballgame. Denver timeout.
After the timeout it was more Brunson — driving and feeding Towns for a layup.
Precious Achiuwa missed inside but Towns had the offensive put back and then Brunson fed Hart for a drive with 47 seconds left to give NY a 122-110 lead.
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