Knicks Turn Another One Over. LA Clippers 126 NY 118

March 10, 2026 LouV 2025-26 0
KAT had 35 pts on 13-17 shooting, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, and a block. Photo courtesy NY Knicks.

The good news is that Karl-Anthony Towns‘ left knee is ok. He came down hard on it twice in the first half and spent time massaging it — not a good thing to see for Knick fans. But Towns — who was in the middle of having a big night — continued to have that big night in the 2nd half, scoring 35 pts on 13-17 shooting with 12 rebounds and a block.

The bad news is that the Knicks turned the ball over 19 times — vs 18 times the game before vs the Lakers — and that was too many times to win the game, as they went down in defeat, 126-118 to the Clippers in LA on a Monday night.

Stellar play by Kawhi Leonard, Bennedict Mathurin, and Darius Garland proved too much for them — with the occasional 3 by old pain-in-the-ass Brook Lopez. LA led by 9 at the half, and by 7 entering the 4th. NY pulled to within 5 points several times in the last 5 minutes, but could not get over the hump, as one of the above 3 kept coming up with big buckets.

For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson was back on his game after a poor shooting game vs the Lakers; Brunson scored 28 pts on 12-23 shooting (2-7 from 3). OG Anunoby had 22 pts on 8-15 shooting (3-8 from 3); Josh Hart had 12 pts (on 5-7 shooting) with 13 rebounds; and Mikal Bridges missed his first 3 shots (after going 0-6 vs the Lakers) but then went 3-4 to finish with 7 pts — with 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals.

Mitchell Robinson didn’t play due to the back-to-back, and Landry Shamet didn’t have a great shooting game — going 3-12 for 9 pts.

“Biggest difference in the basketball game was our turnovers,” said coach Mike Brown afterwards. “I liked our fight. I liked the way we played in the second half for the most part. We’ve just got to find a way to take care of the basketball.”

NY has lost 3 of 4 on the roadtrip and falls to 41-25 and are now 3 back of Boston, 5.5 behind 1st place Detroit, and only .5 ahead of Cleveland. The Clippers improve to 32-32.

1. Kawhi a Tough Cover in 1st Half — LA Up 28-24 After 1

LA isn’t the team it used to be the year before last when they had the big 3 of Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Paul George. George signed with Philly 2 years ago, and Harden demanded a trade earlier this season and is on Cleveland now.

But Kawhi Leonard is still here, and he is healthy, and he is still really good at age 34, averaging 27.9 ppg this year. He was a Tough Cover even for OG Anunoby, one of the best defenders in the game.

Kawhi was hitting 3’s and powering to the basket for drives or soft mid-range jumpers. And Darius Garland was slicing to the basket or hitting 3’s as LA took an early lead.

For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson came out hitting his shot — making sure to amend the misfiring of the night before vs the Lakers.

Darius Garland was also getting buckets for LA, and they took a 28-24 lead after 1.

2. KAT Hurts Knee — But Stays In — LA Up 9 at the Half

Karl-Anthony Towns was also scoring from the start for NY. He had 12 pts already midway thru the 2nd quarter when he came down hard on his left knee on a drive, and spent time massaging it off court as the play went the other way. He stayed in the game, but on a play a few minutes later, he again drove to the basket — and was fouled — and grabbed his left knee again, causing coach Mike Brown and assistant coaches to come out on the court to see if he was ok.

But he stayed in the game and a few minutes later splashed a 3 to pull NY with 52-46.

But Kawhi Leonard continued to cook — at one point he almost broke OG’s ankles before swishing a 3.

And Benedict Mathurin — an old Knick nemesis when he was with Indiana — started flashing athletic drives to the hoop — and LA took a 9-pt halftime lead.

3. Mathurin a Tough Cover in 2nd Half — But KAT Brings Knicks Closer

Bennedict Mathurin was really on his game in the 3rd quarter, scoring 11 pts with 2 dunks and a 3. Kawhi also hit a 3 and then there was Brook Lopez as well hitting a 3 when NY let its guard down for a minute.

The Knicks fell behind by 15 pts before they went on a 8-0 run to close back within 7 — at 85-78 — with buckets by Mohamed Diawara and 3 straight floaters by Brunson.

Diawara closed the quarter with a 3 pulling NY within 7 at 88-81.

4. Knicks Pull Within 5 Several Times Late — But Can’t Get Over Hump

LA pushed their lead to 11 to start the 4th, but KAT came back with free throws off a drive and Mikal Bridges finally hit a 3 to pull NY back within 6.

But then it was Darius Garland’s turn to thwart the Knicks — a bucket and a 3 put LA back up 11.

  • KAT pushed back with a drive; Kawhi got a drive-and-1; KAT answered with and a drive-and-1.

  • A Derrick Jones Jr. 3 put LA up 13 with 7 minutes left — but NY kept pushing back.
  • OG hit a deuce and then a 3 to pull NY within 5 at 109-104 with 4:12 left.
  • But Brook Lopez answered with a 3.
  • Josh Hart hit a drive-and-1 to pull NY back within 5 with 2:36 left.
  • But Mathurin hit a drive-and-1 the other way.
  • Hart scored a bucket to pull NY back within 6.
  • But Derrick Jones Jr. hit another 3 to put LA up 9 with 1:41 left and that was pretty much ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401810790

 

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