It’s the time of the NBA calendar in which the games at the top of the league matter a little bit more.
Wednesday’s matchup between the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder was one of those games.
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The Thunder rolled to a 50-40 halftime lead behind a big half from Chet Holmgren while limiting Jalen Brunson to 2 points. They then fended off a Knicks rally sparked by a 40-point third quarter to hold on for a 103-100 win. They needed one last defensive stop at the end to secure the win.
New York turned a 57-42 third-quarter deficit into an 80-77 lead by the start of the fourth. But the Thunder quickly reseized an 86-83 advantage that they didn’t relinquish again.
Fueled by a Madison Square Garden crowd watching the reigning NBA champs for the only time this season, the Knicks kept things close down the stretch. But the Thunder remain the best team in basketball and demonstrated why while keeping the Knicks at bay.
In the end, the Thunder won by doing what they do best — flustering New York with relentless defensive effort while leaning on their two best players on the offensive side of the ball.
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New York’s best player felt the brunt of OKC’s defense. The Thunder built their 10-point first half lead while limiting Jalen Brunson to 2 points on 1 of 7 shooting from the field.
And when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went to the bench with early foul trouble, Chet Holmgren carried the load on offense. Holmgren scored a career-high 14 first-quarter points. By halftime, he’d matched his career high for a game in 3s while shooting 6 of 8 from long distance.
Brunson broke out of his first-half funk with 11 second-quarter points to help spark New York’s 40-point fourth quarter. He hit a floater in the game’s final minute to cut OKC’s lead to 103-100, ultimately setting New York up with a chance to tie the game and force overtime.
Brunson and OG Anunoby both had looks at game-tying 3s in the end. But both missed the mark as OKC held on for the win.
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