Knicks Thrash Magic; Get Lucky After Pulling Starters Too Early. NY 106 Orlando 100

December 8, 2025 LouV 2025-26 0
Ariel Hukporti had 6 pts, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 21 minutes as backup center with KAT out.

The Knicks beat Orlando soundly on a Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden, then got lucky when coach Mike Brown emptied the bench with 1:35 left and NY up by 12 points.

Brown pulled Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby and brought in Guerschon Yabusele, Mohamed Diawara, Tosan Evbuomwan, and Tyler Kolek — and Orlando immediately scored 4 pts on a layup and a dunk to make it an 8-pt game with 1:03 left. Undeterred, Brown took out Ariel Hukporti — who was having a great game defensively at center with Karl-Anthony Towns missing the game with a minor undisclosed injury — and brought in defensive light-weight Jordan Clarkson.

And the Magic came on stronger, but couldn’t hit a shot — missing two 3’s, a layup, and 4 free throws in the final minute — some of that coming after Brown brought the starters back in with 19 seconds left and NY up by 6 — and the Knicks survived with the win.

A big phew from Knick fans and somewhere out there a big “I told you so” from former coach Tom Thibodeau.

Before all of that, the story of the game was OG Anunoby — who starred on both defense and offense — and the Knicks’ overall pluckiness on both ends of the court to take down the very physical Orlando team that had beaten NY soundly in both prior meetings this year.

Desmond Bane was so frustrated with OG’s defense, that he WHIPPED the ball at OG who was on the floor out of bounds after a play with 6 minutes left in the game — and somehow only got a technical for the act. Orlando lost Franz Wagner in the 1st quarter with a possible torn ACL in a collision with Hukporti. NY was without KAT. NY used a 28-18 3rd quarter to take control of the game, and maintain that control in the 4th — until the final 1:35.

Afterwards not a single beat reporter asked the coach if he thought the game was won with 1:35 left, or even if he had bet on the game, which we implored them to via Twitter.

“A lot of focus and attention to detail,” said Jalen Brunson afterwards on what it took to win the physical game against Orlando. “Everyone came in and did their job. We have to find a way to close a game better; but at the same time happy with the way we responded; happy with the way we fought, and glad we won.”

NY improves to 16-7; Orlando falls to 14-10.

1. Franz Goes Down Late in 1st Quarter

It was Kids day at Madison Square Garden — the game kicking off at noontime on a Sunday. Josh Hart’s twin sons were with him, sitting behind the bench.

NY looked to have a good showing against Orlando, which has crushed them in the two prior meetings this year.

But the Knicks were out without Karl-Anthony Towns — out for the game with an undisclosed minor injury. Mitchell Robinson started and played big ball inside all night — ripping down rebounds like a man against boys, and scoring on alley oop slams. Robinson would end up playing 25 minutes and have 13 rebounds, and 6 pts on 3-4 shooting.

Jalen Brunson attacked from the start against the very physical Magic, and was able to get buckets.

With Mitchell Robinson starting, Ariel Hukporti became the backup center — and he matched Robinson with a Great game — and in fact was named the Defensive Player of the Game by coach Mike Brown afterwards. The 7-foot Hukporti played 23 minutes and had 7 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 6 pts on 1-2 shooting — and importantly — 4-4 in free throws.

Unfortunately with 4:43 left in the 1st quarter, Hukporti jumped to block a Franz Wagner drive, and Wagner went down with a bad knee injury — it looked like it might be a torn ACL.

2. NY Leads throughout 2nd But Orlando Takes 55-54 Lead

NY led by 6 at the end of the 1st quarter, and maintained a narrow 2- to 4-pt lead throughout the 2nd quarter, with Jalen Brunson scoring against the tough Orlando defense, OG Anunoby scoring on drives and 3’s, Josh Hart hitting key jumpers, and Mikal Bridges scoring on drives.

NY was up 54-50 with a minute left in the half, looking to make it more — but a Mitchell Robinson foul on Jalen Suggs taking a 3 gave Orlando 3 free throws — Suggs hit 2, and then an Anthony Black 3 with 31 seconds left gave Orlando a 55-54 lead at the half instead.

3. Knicks Take Control in 3rd Quarter; OG Stars

Maybe that late Orlando run was good for the Knicks as they did not sit on a halftime lead — instead they came out strong in the 3rd to take command of the game.

Brunson came out of the lockerroom and hit a drive, OG Anunoby hit a 3, Brunson hit a floater, Mitchell Robinson dunked inside, Mikal Bridges hit a drive after NY forced a shot-clock violation with their defense, and Brunson hit a drive and NY had 13 straight points and a 67-55 lead.

4. Knicks Push Lead to 14 Pts Early in 4th

NY continued pushing it early in the 4th — Tyler Kolek with a drive off a Mitchell Robinson feed, OG with another 3, then OG with a steal leading to a Mikal Bridges drive for an 89-73 lead.

OG starred all night on defense and on offense — taking it to the rim from the corner all night and/or hitting 3’s from that corner.

“OG Anunoby plays with a purpose, moves with a purpose and needs no plays called for him,” noted NBA Analyst Ross Kreines. “He defends hard the entire possession while making u earn everything, rebounds, does the little things along with his action off ball leads to good looks and also creates space to hit his jumper.”

5. Bane Goes Nuts with 6 Minutes Left & NY Up by 9

With 6:18 left and NY up 91-80, Mikal Bridges stole the ball and fed OG Anunoby ahead of the field — but Anthony Black got back to block OG’s shot as OG fell out of bounds. Desmond Bane grabbed the ball and WHIPPED IT at OG — on the ground and out of bounds.

Afterwards Bane argued he was trying to bounce the ball off of OG so the ball would be out of bounds off him — but that didn’t make sense at all as OG was already out of bounds, not on the court.

Bane was hit with a simple unsportsmanlike conduct technical and Brunson hit the technical free throw.

6. Hukporti In at the End — Hits His Free Throws

Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti were a 2-headed monster all night for NY inside. Hukporti was in the last 7 minutes because he can hit his free throws. He went 4-4 from the line down the stretch for NY.

7. Coach Brown Empties Bench with 1:35 Left, NY Up 12

OG continued to star in the final minutes — making a dunk on a drive from the corner then next time down hitting a 3 from the corner and NY was up 101-90 with 2:42 left.

A Hukporti dunk gave NY a 104-92 lead with 1:43 left — and then — surprisingly — coach Mike Brown emptied the bench — bringing in Guerschon Yabusele, Mohamed Diawara, Tosan Evbuomwan, and Tyler Kolek.

Immediately Orland scored on a Jase Richardson drive, got the ball back on a Yabusele bad pass, and scored again on a Jase Richardson dunk. We’ve seen this movie before.

8. Orlando Last-Minute Run Falls Short a they Can’t Hit Shot

Undeterred, Brown took Hukporti out and put Jordan Clarkson in as Yabusele was fouled.

Yabusele made 2 free throws to put NY back up 10 with 54 seconds left.

Orlando kept coming — but couldn’t hit the side of a barn:

  • Richardson missed a 3, Orlando got the offensive rebound and Jonathan Isaac was fouled. He hit 1 of 2 free throws but Orlando got the offensive rebound again and Noah Penda scored to make it a 7-pt game
  • Clarkson missed a layup — and Yabusele fouled Jase Richardson — who went to the line and again missed a free throw — hitting 1 of 2 to make it a 6-pt game with 19 seconds left.

Coach Brown brought the starters back in — and in the final 19 seconds:

  • Clarkson turned the ball over on a backcourt violation,
  • Tristan da Silva missed a layup,
  • Orlando got the offensive rebound and Noah Penda was fouled — and he missed both free throws.
  • Orlando got the offensive rebound again — and Jase Richardson missed a 3.
  • Orlando got the offensive rebound again — and Jett Howard missed a 3 and the Knicks had their win.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401810212

 

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