Brunson’s 47 Pts & Bridges’ 3’s Lead Knicks to Win. NY 132 Miami 125

December 22, 2025 LouV 2025-26 0
Mikal Bridges shot 7-8 from 3 for 24 pts. Photo courtesy NY Knicks.

Jalen Brunson made up for a stinkeroo shooting performance the prior game by seemingly hitting every shot he took from the opening bell — scoring 47 pts on 15-26 shooting (6-13 from 3, 11-11 from the free throw line) with 8 assists and 0 turnovers to lead the Knicks to a 132-125 win over Miami on a Sunday night at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks in general shot lights out — 20-38 from 3 (53%) on the night — with Mikal Bridges adding 24 pts on 9-14 shooting (6-7 from 3), OG Anunoby adding 18 pts (on 6-12 shooting), and Josh Hart pushing the pace all night and scoring 13 pts on 5-10 shooting (3-5 from 3). Tyler Kolek also had a bounce-back night (6 pts, orchestration, and good D in 22 min), and Jordan Clarkson was Fire (10 pts on 4-5 shooting, 3-4 from 3).

The lights-out shooting included several circus shots — a Josh Hart 40 footer late in the 4th; a Brunson dagger 3 from the corner even later in the 4th, after a wild save of a ball from going out of bounds by Mitchell Robinson as the 24-second clock was expiring; a Mikal Bridges heave, and a Brunson buzzer-beater-3 to end the 1st half.

Karl-Anthony Towns was the lone Knick to have a poor shooting night — only 2 pts on only 5 shots taken (1-5) in 29 minutes — as he had to deal with 20-year-old 7-footer Kel’el Ware all night — who was a load-ful. KAT Dominated Ware in their first meeting this year, but since then Ware has upped his game and dominated the Knick front line of KAT and Robinson this night — a very rare thing to do. Ware had 28 pts on 11-15 shooting (5-7 from 3) with 19 rebounds, and led Miami to a 45-36 rebounding advantage in the game.

Even Mitchell Robinson had a hard time ripping rebounds away from Ware — although Mitch had a good night with 9 pts on 3-4 shooting and 7 rebounds in 22 minutes — and was 3-3 from the free throw line, which means he has now hit 9 free throws in a row after the NY shooting coaches had him adjust his elbow on his shot.

“When you talk about MVPs especially, but All-Stars as well, you have to find a way to impact the game,” said coach Mike Brown afterwards about Brunson. “Sometimes, your shot’s not going in. How else can you do it? You could try to do it defensively, you could try to do it rebounding offensively, rebounding defensively, running the floor to see if you can get an easy one. Jalen’s constantly trying to do those things; he’s trying to test the paint and spray it; if he doesn’t get the outlet he’s putting his dead down and trying to get to the corner.”

“When you’re that type of player,” Brown continued, “just trying to constantly find different ways to impact the game — especially offensively when you can score like he can — is huge. And he’s been doing that night in and night out.”

NY is now 2-2 vs Miami this year. The Knick. improve to 20-8, 2 games back of Detroit in the East. Miami falls to 15-14.

1. Miami & Ware Jump Out to Lead, Brunson Starts to Light Up

The Knicks knew going in they would have to fight on the boards against the rapidly rising Kel’el Ware and old-timer Bam Adebayo.

  • In the 1st matchup between the teams this year, KAT had 15 pts (on 6-14 shooting, 2-8 from 3) but ripped down 18 rebounds against Ware who had 5 pts and 10 rebounds in 22 minutes.
  • In their 2nd matchup, in November, KAT Dominated Kel’el Ware from the opening bell — scoring 39 pts on 13-26 shooting (6-14 from 3) with 11 rebounds to Ware’s 15 pts and 10 rebounds.
  • In their 3rd matchup, KAT had 22 pts (on 7-19 shooting (1-7 from 3) and 15 rebounds to Ware’s 16 pts (on 7-9 shooting) and 14 rebounds.

On this night it was all Ware from the opening bell. Ware hit a deuce, then consecutive 3’s, then an alley-oop layup and Miami was up 18-9 early.

Andrew Wiggins hit a 3 and Davion Mitchell made a runner to increase Miami’s lead to 10 pts at 26-16.

But Jalen Brunson started to catch fire and light it up in the last 5 minutes of the 1st quarter — a floater, a 3, another floater, free throws off a drive, and then hitting Mitchell Robinson for a slam dunk underneath.

Brunson hit another 3 after buckets by Josh Hart and Jordan Clarkson and NY pulled to within 34-30 before a Dru Smith 3 gave Miami a 37-30 lead after 1 quarter.

“Tweeted below in 2018 on Jalen Brunson,” noted NBA Analyst Ross Kreines. “Also, Jalen puts his defender at his mercy not the other way around whether taking you off the bounce and finishing in lane, using floaters, hitting his jumper, backing u down, creating contact while using big time footwork, fundamentals and IQ.”

2. Bridges & Brunson Shoot Knicks to Lead at the Half

Tyler Kolek was in at the point to start the 2nd quarter, and he was ‘on point’ again — after an off game on Friday, after he lit MSG up on Thursday.

Jordan Clarkson started the quarter with a 3 off a Mikal Bridges assist, and then Bridges hit a 3 off a Clarkson assist, and Kolek penetrated for a drive and NY continued to cut Miami’s lead.

Mikal Bridges hit back-to-back 3’s, the later on a Kolek assist and then Brunson re-entered the game and he and Kolek played together.

Brunson continued to light it up with a 3 and a drive, Bridges hit consecutive 3’s, and Brunson hit a pull-up and a 3 for 13 consecutive Knick points and a 61-57 Knick lead.

Robinson Continues to Make Free Throws

As the half ended, Mitchell Robinson was fouled and went to the free throw line — where he had made his last 7 straight free throws the game before. And this time — he went 2-2 as the Garden roared.

Brunson hit a 3 at the buzzer to give NY a 66-62 halftime lead.

3. OG Leads the Defense As Knicks Hold Onto Lead in 3rd

Old nemesis Norman Powell started to heat up to start the 2nd half — making a bucket to pull Miami within 2, then hitting free throws off a drive the next time down to again pull Miami within 2.

But NY had an answer, as Josh Hart hit a 3 and OG Anuoby blocked a Davion Mitchell shot, leading to an OG dunk down the other end.

OG then blocked Andrew Wiggins’ jumper which led to a Brunson drive down the other end and NY was up 75-66.

NY was able to maintain a narrow lead throughout the 3rd quarter, despite Norman Powell being a pain in the ass with drives and 3’s, and a 3 by Jaime Jaquez Jr.

But Brunson continued to bring it for NY.

A Mitchell Robinson dunk-and-1 off an OG pass with .7 seconds left, and another made free throw gave NY a 105-99 lead heading into the 4th.

4. Knicks Push Lead to 11 Pts Early in 4th with Circus Shots

Tyler Kolek was in at the point to start the 4th, and he played a significant part of the period, playing alongside Brunson when he re-entered.

OG Anunoby continued to go to the basket and get fouled — he went 4-4 from the free throw line to start the quarter, and a Kolek drive gave NY an 11-pt lead at 111-100.

But Miami would not go away — a Jaquez fade-away jumper and Bam Adebayo jumper and 2 free throws off a drive pulled them back within 5.

Hart Circus Shot

But Mikal Bridges fired back with a 3, and then Josh Hart heaved up a 40-footer on a broken play as the 24-second clock was expiring and NY’s lead was back to 11 with 6:44 left.

But Kel’el Ware and Miami kept coming — a Ware free throw off a drive then alley-oop dunk next time down cut NY’s lead, and Bam Adebayo free throws pulled Miami within 6.

Brunson-from-Mitch Circus Shot

That’s when Mitchell Robinson scattered for an offensive rebound off an OG miss, saving the ball from going out of bounds and tossing it in to Brunson who hit a corner 3 as the 24 second clock expired for a 120-111 NY lead with 4:49 left.

5. Miami Pulls Within 2 Late– But Hart, Bridges, Brunson Finish It

Still Miami would not go away — Adebayo working it inside for free throws, another Ware 3, and Jamie Jaquez Jr. free throws and Miami was within 120-118 with 3:12 left.

But KAT fed Josh Hart underneath for a layup, the Knicks D forced Norman Powell into a missed drive, and Mikal Bridges hit ANOTHER 3 and NY was back up 125-118 with 2:15 left.

Jamie Jaquez Jr. missed 2 free throws with 1:53 left, and Brunson missed a 3 but landed on Norman Powell’s outstretched foot — a flagrant was called on Powell and Brunson sank 3 free throws and Miami’s chances. NY 128 Miami 118 with 1:34 left.

Jaquez hit a drive but OG countered with a bucket with 44 seconds left and that was the old ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401810253

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