The Knicks came back twice from 12-pt deficits to tie the game at 101-101 with 2 minutes left, but the Suns’ intense defense in the final two minutes — slapping the ball away from NY to cause multiple Knick turnovers — enabled them to edge out a 112-107 win on a Friday night in Phoenix.
NY was down by 4 when OG Anunoby missed a 3 but drew a foul with 2.2 seconds left — had it gone in he could have tied the score with a free throw; instead he missed 2 of 3 free throws and Phoenix had their victory.
It was a “good loss” for NY, as Phoenix has one of the better records in the West at 23-15.
Jalen Brunson led NY with 27 pts (5-10 from 3); Miles McBride had 17; OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns both had 15 pts, Mikal Bridges had 11 pts, and Mitchell Robinson was a monster off the bench with 8 pts (on 4-5 shooting) and 14 rebounds (8 offensive) in 24 minutes. Robinson was a big factor late in the 4th quarter, grabbing offensive rebound after offensive rebound to help NY come back from a 9-pt deficit with 6 minutes left.
Devin Booker led Phoenix with 31 pts (4-6 from 3) and Dillon Brooks had 27 pts (5-9 from 3).
“I thought to start the game, we gave Dillon (Brooks) too much space and he got too comfortable,” said coach Mike Brown afterwards. On the turnovers, Brown said NY missed Josh Hart and Landry Shamet in the clutch. Shamet played point guard in college.
NY drops to 24-14; Phoenix improves to 23-15.
1. Phoenix Jumps Out to 25-14 Lead; Knicks Pull Back In It
It’s a different Phoenix team this year — they play a scrappy pressure defense under rookie coach Jordan Ott. He was previously an assistant coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and before that the LA Lakers, and before that the Brooklyn Nets. He started his NBA career as a video coordinator with the Atlanta Hawks, and before that was an assistant coach for the Michigan State Spartans.
As has been their usual lately, the Knicks got off to a slow start and found themselves almost immediately in an 11-pt hole, as the Suns came out hitting their shot, and the Knicks didn’t.
Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks both hit a couple of early 3’s and 7’1 center Mark Williams — in his first year with Phoenix after 3 years in Charlotte — scored inside and the Suns broke out to a 25-14 lead.
But Mitchell Robinson banged back — an alley oop slam off a perfect Jalen Brunson pass — then OG slammed off a Bridges assist, Brunson scored on a floater, and Miles McBride nailed a 3 and NY was within 28-23 by the end of the quarter.
MITCHELL ROBINSON. pic.twitter.com/xW3B9eZGrM
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 10, 2026
2. Knicks Take Lead in 2nd; Phoenix Up at Half, 62-60
Jordan Clarkson scored 7 straight points for the Knicks early in the 2nd quarter — a drive, a 3, and an offensive rebound and tip in, to tie the score 32-32.
Clarkson then made 3 free throws after being fouled taking a trey, KAT scored inside off a Tyler Kolek assist, and Kolek scored on a drive and NY was up 42-41.
The game went back and forth the rest of the quarter — NY taking a 3-pt lead on a Brunson 3 with 2:18 left — it would be NY’s biggest lead of the night.
In the last 47 seconds of the quarter — Mitchell Robinson dunked inside to tie the game, Devin Booker hit a 3, Mikal Bridges hit a 3 to tie it again, and Grayson Allen got a bucket side to give Phoenix a 62-60 halftime lead. It was that kind of game.
Mitch throws down the reverse oop! pic.twitter.com/tCs75iP1WJ
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 10, 2026
3. Phoenix Takes 12-Pt Lead in 3rd
NY had an 80-78 lead with 6 minutes left in the 3rd as Jalen Brunson continued to lead NY on the offensive end.
Jalen 👌 pic.twitter.com/9ROWvDeNSd
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 10, 2026
But Phoenix reeled off 13 straight points — two consecutive 3’s by Royce O’Neal followed by a 3 by Devin Booker, a reverse layup by Jordan Goodwin, and another 3 by Booker for an 92-80 Suns lead.
Miles McBride punched back with a 3 and KAT hit 2 free throws off a drive but NY was still down by 8 heading into the 4th at 94-86 Phoenix.
4. Robinson & OG Lead Knick Comeback in 4th to Tie It 101-101
NY was down by 7 with 8 minutes left when OG Anunoby hit a big 3 off a Mitchell Robinson assist to pull NY within 5.
The next time down, Mitch ripped down a defensive rebound, and then 2 offensive rebounds on one play — getting the ball to OG for a 3 and a 99-95 game with 6 minutes left.
back-to-back threes from OG? back-to-back threes from OG‼️
vote KNICKS for #NBAAllStar starters ⭐️ https://t.co/Ov3esq1i8z pic.twitter.com/VRLJKTHmY0
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 10, 2026
Two minutes later Mitch pulled down another offensive rebound and put it back in for a 101-97 game.
The next time down Mitch slammed inside off an alley oop pass from Brunson and it was 101-99 Phoenix.
OG free throws on the next Knick possession tied the game 101-101 with 3:04 left.
5. Phoenix “Slapping” Defense Takes It at End
But Devin Booker hit a drive and the Phoenix defense — which had been slapping the ball away from NY all evening causing turnovers — did it again, causing Brunson to lose the ball out of bounds.
Royce O’Neal hit a 3, Miles McBride answered with a 3 — but yet again the Phoenix defense caused Brunson to lose the ball out of bounds on a bad pass with 13 seconds left and NY down by 3 at 106-103.
NY was forced to foul in the final 13 seconds. Miles McBride hit yet another 3 to make it a 108-106 game with 5 seconds left, and after Grayson Allen free throws, OG took a 3 with 2 seconds left and NY down 4 — and was fouled — but the shot didn’t go in and he got 3 free throws instead. The only chance for NY was for him to miss the 3rd — but he missed the first 2 and it was good night NY.
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