A win is a win.
That’s how the Knicks feel after their 149-148 overtime win over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
New York, playing on the second of a back-to-back, let a sizeable second-half lead slip away including being up six points with 10 seconds remaining in regulation. However, the combination of Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson led the Knicks to their second win in a row as they head into the All-Star break.
“It’s great to go into the break on a win,” Brunson said after the game. “No matter how we got it or what happened. I’m just happy we fought through regardless of what we did, positive or negative. And we came away with a win.”
Brunson scored 36 points on 13-of-21 shooting to go along with his eight assists. But the Knicks captain’s biggest contribution was his game-winner in the closing seconds of overtime.
With 20 seconds remaining, Brunson took the ball upcourt and escaped his defender with some nifty dribbling to hit the go-ahead shot from the top of the key, and give the Knicks the one-point lead with 11 seconds remaining.
For Towns, he followed up his 40-point performance against the Pacers on Tuesday with 44 points against the Hawks. The big man became just the fifth Knick in franchise history to have back-to-back 40-point games.
Oh, and he also came down with 10 rebounds and dished three assists while making seven threes.
“I’m just happy that those kind of nights result in wins,” Towns said of Wednesday’s performance. “That’s the most important part for the city. We got ourselves going into the break with momentum.”
Towns then paused before adding with smile, ”But worst time to have something working right now.”
While most of the Knicks will enjoy the week off, Towns and Brunson will represent the team in All-Star weekend. Both players were selected as All-Star starters, and Brunson will compete for the second consecutive year in the 3-Point contest on Saturday.
But once the break is over, it’s back to the grind for the Knicks who sit at 36-18 at third in the Eastern Conference.
The Knicks still have 28 games to play before the postseason, and although they acknowledge there are still aspects of their game that need to be cleaned up, the way they fight continues to set them apart from other teams in the conference.
“Obviously we didn’t play as well as we would like. But I love the resolve,” coach Tom Thibodeau said of Wednesday’s win. “What happened at the end of the game and go into overtime and just find a way to win. That’s what this team has done all year. We’re scoring a lot of points, but obviously there’s room to improve, too.”
“Feel like you’re doing a lot. Then you feel like you gave the game up for your team and then you fight back to get it again,” Towns said of the emotional swings of Wednesday’s game. “Shows a lot of resilience and grit by our team to be in that position and to find ourselves to come away with a win. It’s something our team has done all year.”
Last season, the Knicks met a sudden end in the second round when they fell to the Pacers in seven games. This team is building on the successes of a year ago, with Towns and a few other new pieces contributing to one of the most potent Knicks offenses in recent memory.
They entered play Wednesday fourth in the NBA in points per game (118.4) — second in the East behind the Cavaliers — and are now tied for the second-most points scored by a team in a single game this season.
And while Towns would love to continue playing while he’s on a personal heater, the Knicks can use the All-Star break. OG Anunoby has missed the last few weeks with a foot sprain while Mitchell Robinson, who hasn’t played since last April after undergoing offseason foot surgery, could be back when the Knicks return. And then there’s Deuce McBride who left Wednesday’s game with a rib contusion.
So while it’s great to applaud what this Knicks team has done heading into the break, a week off can go a long way to the team’s higher aspirations. No one understands that more than Wednesday night’s hero.
“We haven’t really accomplished anything,” Brunson said. “We have a long way to go to continue to where we want to go. But it’s all about taking one day at a time. Right now to rest and recharge and come back ready to go.”
The Knicks resume their regular season next Thursday when they host the Chicago Bulls.
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