The Knicks wrapped up their five-game homestand on a positive note, outlasting the Houston Rockets, 124-118, on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
Here are the takeaways…
— New York shared some unwanted injury news hours before tip-off, as they ruled out OG Anunoby due to a non-contact foot sprain he suffered in Saturday’s loss to the Lakers. But the veteran winger isn’t expected to miss much time — he underwent an MRI and is considered day-to-day, head coach Tom Thibodeau said pregame. Anunoby was initially listed as questionable for Monday’s contest.
— Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored a season-low 11 points on Saturday, made a concerted effort to be more aggressive from the jump. He took six shots in the first quarter for six points with two rebounds, but also committed two fouls that forced him to the bench midway through. The Knicks’ defense also wasn’t disruptive early on, as the Rockets orchestrated a 15-4 run that drew the ire of Thibodeau.
— The Knicks responded with a brief run of their own before the first quarter ended, and trailed by just two, 27-25, through 12 minutes. They weren’t efficient with the rock, however — they failed to make a three-pointer on five attempts. Jalen Brunson was also vocal about the Rockets’ physicality on defense, as the officials allowed plenty of contact that disrupted his moves inside the paint.
— New York couldn’t buy a bucket in the first few minutes of the second quarter, and Houston took advantage of those misses in transition to build a larger lead. By the 9:03 mark the Rockets held an 11-point advantage, and the cold spell prompted a Knicks timeout. The Knicks also didn’t make their first three until their 10th attempt — they entered Monday ranked fourth in the NBA in three-point percentage.
— While the first half was chock-full of frustration and erraticism from the Knicks, they threw just enough punches back to cut their halftime deficit to single-digits (57-52). With Anunoby in street clothes, Mikal Bridges stepped up on the wing, scoring a team-high 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting in 18 minutes. First-half offense came in bunches, as both teams shot 44 percent from the floor.
— The Knicks’ defense finally started providing some offense early in the third quarter, as three buckets from Brunson contributed to a 10-2 run that cut their deficit to a single point and made the Rockets burn a timeout at the 8:18 mark. Less than a minute later, a running bank shot from Josh Hart inside the paint put New York ahead for the first time since the opening quarter.
— The Rockets weren’t fazed by the Knicks’ sudden spark, however. They maintained their physicality and upped the intensity, orchestrating a strong 17-4 run in the closing minutes of the third. In the blink of an eye, the Knicks once again found themsleves trailing by double-digits, searching for answers on both ends of the court.
— The dogfight carried over into the fourth quarter, and the Knicks built enough momentum to cut their deficit back to three points on a Miles McBride three with 6:20 remaining. By the 3:38 mark, following several scrappy possesions from both teams, Towns placed the Knicks ahead, 109-108, on a clutch three-point play in the paint.
— The closing minutes were predictably intense, and while hearing “MVP” chants from the crowd, Brunson played the role of hero. He erupted in the fourth quarter, draining a three with 1:00 left to bump the Knicks’ lead to four. The de facto captain also gained composure on defense, forcing a lost ball turnover against Amen Thompson. Brunson then sank a pair of free throws that ultimately iced the game. The Knicks were 0-8 this season when trailing at home entering the fourth.
— Houston played without three of its top six scorers, and it was Cam Whitmore who stepped up with 18 points in 23 minutes off the bench. Aaron Holliday, averaging four points this season, also added 15 points in 17 minutes, and stars Jalen Green and Thompson combined for 46.
— The Knicks extended their rotation to nine, but only received 12 points from the bench. Precious Achiuwa, who started in place of Anunoby, contributed seven points and nine boards in 34 minutes. Towns and Bridges also finished with 22 points and nine-made shots apiece. New York outscored Houston by 17 in the fourth quarter, shot 50 percent overall from the floor, and committed only 15 fouls.
Game MVP: Jalen Brunson
On Saturday. Brunson was held under 20 points for just the 10th time this season. He made sure the MVP-version of himself appeared on Monday. He authored yet another masterpiece, scoring a whopping 42 points on 14-of-27 shooting with 10 assists, six rebounds, and two steals.
Highlights
What’s next
The Knicks (33-17) will carry their momentum north of the border in a Tuesday night matchup against the Toronto Raptors (7:30 tip-off).
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