Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points and 15 rebounds on Sunday night for the host New York Knicks, who pulled away in the second half for a 114-104 win over the Brooklyn Nets.
Towns scored 14 points during a decisive third-quarter run to help the Knicks sweep a two-game home set against the Nets. New York earned a 124-122 win in NBA Cup action on Friday.
Jalen Brunson, who hit the game-winning shot on Friday, posted a double-double on Sunday (12 points, 10 assists). OG Anunoby scored 24 points, while Josh Hart (20 points, eight rebounds, eight assists) flirted with a triple-double. Mikal Bridges added 21 points.
Cameron Johnson had 22 points for the Nets, who have lost three straight games and five of their past six. Dorian Finney-Smith and Cam Thomas had 16 points apiece while Jalen Wilson (15 points) and Noah Clowney (13) each scored in double figures off the bench.
Both teams held six-point leads in the first quarter before the Knicks scored the final seven points of the frame to take a 30-29 lead. Wilson opened the second quarter with a pair of free throws to give the Nets their final lead before Towns’ putback gave the Knicks the lead for good and sparked an 11-0 run.
The Nets inched back and got within four points twice before Wilson’s 3-pointer pulled Brooklyn within 60-57 at the half.
Finney-Smith began the third quarter with a layup, and Dennis Schroder’s 3-pointer cut the Brooklyn deficit to 64-62 before New York scored the next six points to start a quarter-ending 31-19 run. The Knicks opened up a trio of 14-point leads, the last when Towns ended the period with a three-point play to extend the New York lead to 95-81.
The Nets got within eight points three times during a sludgy fourth quarter in which the teams shot a combined 35.9 percent (14 of 39). A pair of free throws by Ziaire Williams cut the Knicks’ lead to 102-94 with 5:47 left, but New York responded with an 11-4 run and was never threatened thereafter.
–Field Level Media
