The Knicks, who hope to get Jalen Brunson back from injury soon, overcame an off night by Karl-Anthony Towns as OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges combined for 56 points in Sunday’s 110-93 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Takeaways
- Deni Avidija dropped a game-high 33 points, and the Knicks (47-27) needed someone to keep up — especially with Towns struggling. New York got a pair of team-high scorers as Anunoby and Bridges rose to the occasion, contributing 28 points apiece. Anunoby and Bridges were a combined 23-of-38 shooting in 37 and 40 respective minutes.
- The same could be said with Anunoby and Bridges leading the charge on the other end of the floor in the second half, where the Knicks held Portland (32-43) to 35 points. Initially, New York trailed 58-50 at halftime and by a largest deficit of 14 points (68-54 with roughly eight minutes into the third quarter). In a game where the Knicks lacked the offensive firepower from Towns, who finished with 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting over 32 minutes despite a double-double via 11 rebounds, New York’s wing-anchored defense clamped the Blazers down the decisive stretch.
- Totaling 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, Josh Hart flirted with a triple-double in 38 minutes while making the plays that mattered late as the Knicks pushed a double-digit lead into the final three minutes. New York needed Hart to hit another gear.
- The Knicks are 20 games over .500 for the first time since early March. They were 40-20 after their March 2 game at the Miami Heat, a 116-112 overtime win. New York ends this month with a 7-5 record in the absence of Brunson, who started missing games March 7.
Who’s the MVP?
Anunoby and Bridges, who gave the Knicks the two-way play that they needed to mount their comeback and eventual 17-point win.
What’s next
The Knicks return to action in Tuesday’s 7:30 p.m. game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
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