Brunson, Mitch & Knicks’ DEFENSE Takes It at End. NY 103 Sacramento 87

January 28, 2026 LouV 2025-26 0
Mitchell Robinson had 7 pts, 13 rebounds, 2 steals, and a game-high +25 in 27 minutes. Photo courtesy NY Knicks.

The Knicks had a 5-pt lead with 4:18 left when the Knick Defense went to another level of intensity and Jalen Brunson went on a tear, scoring 11 pts in a 13-0 Knick run that gave NY a 103-87 win over Sacramento on a Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

The game was tied at 72-72 entering the 4th, but NY’s defense tightened up, as they outscored Sacramento 31-15 in the period to get the win.

Karl-Anthony Towns began the 4th by hitting consecutive 3’s to give the Knicks the lead, but it was Mitchell Robinson who was the key defender in the middle for NY in the final 5 minutes, as KAT came out for Brunson with 5 minutes left. Towns had a big night on the boards with 11 rebounds in only 27 minutes, and 17 pts on 5-15 shooting (3-8 from 3) but a -3. Robinson also played 27 minutes, and had 7 pts, 13 rebounds, 2 steals, and a +25.

Brunson led NY with 28 pts on 9-17 shooting (4-8 from 3), and Mikal Bridges had a bounce-back game from the horrid shooting game on Saturday — with 18 pts on 8-13 shooting (2-3 from 3). OG Anunoby had 15 pts on 5-7 shooting (3-4 from 3) with 2 steals, and Josh Hart had 7 pts and 9 rebounds and 3 steals.

The Knicks were able to ‘take care of business’ against the Kings — 2nd to last in the West — who beat them in Sacramento 2 weeks ago when Jalen Brunson had to leave the game in the 1st quarter with an ankle sprain. Zach LaVine was out in this game for the Kings.

DeMar DeRozan killed the Knicks all night with his midrange game, scoring 34 pts on 13-26 shooting (1-7 from 3), while Russell Westbrook had 14 pts, Domantas Sabonis had 11 pts, and Precious Achiuwa had 6 pts. Achiuwa had killed NY in the prior game, but this time he was neutralized.

“Our communication,” said Mitchell Robinson afterwards about the Knick D at the end. “We were able to get stops, push, and kept going thru whole the game like that. They shot like 14 free throws, pretty damn good especially for (them having) a guy who draws a lot of fouls (in DeRozan).”

“At the end of the game, we had a group on the floor that was playing well,” said coach Mike Brown about not playing KAT in the final 5 minutes. “It’s a tight ballgame, so I rode that group to the end of the game. We needed to get the win.”

“Coach saw what he saw,” said KAT afterwards about not playing in the final 5 minutes. “We’ve got to win. That’s the most important thing. That’s all I care about, New York cares about, this team cares about — is wins.”

NY improves to 28-18; Sacramento falls to 12-36.

1. Bridges Comes Out on Fire — Knicks Take 10-Pt Lead After 1

Mikal Bridges was coming off a horrid shooting night when he almost capsized a late 17-pt lead over Philly by missing shot after shot in the 4th quarter and finishing 3-16 (1-9 from 3) in a close Knick win.

He came out looking to make up for it and did, missing his first shot but then hitting 3 in a row and 4 of 5, including a couple of pullups, a 3, and a dunk to give NY a 17-16 lead.

Then Jalen Brunson hit a couple of 3’s, Miles hit a 3, and Mitchell Robinson tipped in an offensive rebound and NY had a 10-pt lead, 36-26, after 1 quarter.

2. Mitch Stifles Sabonis All Game

 

3. DeRozan Goes Nuts in 2nd Quarter — Kings Pull Within 52-51 at Half

But Sacramento pushed back — DeMar DeRozan went into his mid-range game and killed the Knicks throughout the 2nd quarter — scoring 6 pts early in the period on a floater-and-1, and several free throws, and then 7 pts at the end of the quarter — a floater, free throws, and a 3 — to put Sacramento ahead 51-50.

Karl-Anthony Towns put the Knicks back on top with a drive with 14 seconds left in the quarter to make it 52-51 Knicks at the half.

4. Tie Game After 3 Quarters — 72-72

The two teams played evenly in the 3rd quarter — DeRozan was again Sacramento’s primary scorer with 6 pts in the period, with Russell Westbrook and Dennis Schroder helping out.

Mitchell Robinson kept Sabonis in check — Mitch was too big for Sabonis to do anything against inside. NY also kept Precious Achiuwa in check.

NY’s offense was distributed in the period, with OG, KAT, Bridges, Hart, Brunson, and Miles McBride all contributing.

The Knicks held a slight lead throughout the quarter until Nique Clifford scored consecutive buckets at the end of the period to tie the game at 72.

5. KAT 3’s Give Knicks Advantage Early in 4th

And then it was 4th quarter and Go time for NY — KAT coming out and hitting two early 3’s — sandwiching a DeRozan jumper and a Bridges jumper — to put NY up 80-74.

KAT and Mitch were playing together — Mitch making sure Sabonis could do nothing inside.

KAT missed a heat-check 3 and was taken out for Brunson with 6:51 left during a Knick timeout, Coach Brown staying with Mitch who was suffocating Sabonis.

An OG 3 put NY up 85-78, but DeRozan fired back with a mid-range jumper; McBride answered with a deuce; Russell Westbrook fired back with a 3, Bridges answered with a 3; and DeRozan hit another mid-range jumper for a 90-85 game, Knicks up, with 4 minutes left.

6. Brunson, Mitch, & Knick DEFENSE Take It

And that is when Brunson went to work — scoring 7 straight points — a 3-pter, a 21-foot stepback, and 19-foot pullup — for a 99-85 Knick lead with 2:19 left.

Then OG stole the ball from Precious Achiuwa and dunked for a 101-85 Knick lead with 2:02 left.

Brunson followed with a technical free throw after a loose ball scramble had Westbrook and the Kings howling for a foul, and then Brunson hit a 3 to put icing on the cake.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401810520

 

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