NBA: Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle propel Knicks past Jazz
Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks lifts up Jalen Brunson #11 during the fourth quarter of their game against the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden on February 11, 2023 in New York City. Evan Yu/Getty Images/AFP
Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle became the first pair of New York Knicks teammates to score 30 points in consecutive games in almost 36 years Saturday night, when the duo combined to lead the Knicks past the visiting Utah Jazz 126-120.
Brunson finished with 38 points, including the tiebreaking 3-pointer that gave the Knicks the lead for good with 4:17 left. Randle had 31 points, including a 3-pointer to cap the 9-0 run sparked by Brunson’s 3-pointer.
Julius Randle in the Knicks win:
31 PTS
6 REB
3 3PM pic.twitter.com/jYOJJnrkYt— NBA (@NBA) February 12, 2023
Brunson and Randle had 30 points apiece in Friday night’s 119-108 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. They are the first Knicks teammates to score 30 points in back-to-back games since Patrick Ewing (30 points, 31 points) and Gerald Wilkins (41 points, 33 points) on March 4 and 6, 1987.
RJ Barrett finished with 20 points while Immanuel Quickley scored 15 in a reserve role. Josh Hart, making his Knicks debut after being acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, added 11 points off the bench.
Lauri Markkanen scored 29 points to lead five players in double figures for the Jazz, who have lost four of five. Jordan Clarkson had 24 points while Talen Horton-Tucker scored 23 off the bench. Collin Sexton finished with 15 while Kelly Olynyk added 11.
Big bucket Brunson.
38 PTS
3 REB
5 AST
W pic.twitter.com/etp0F59dEE— NBA (@NBA) February 12, 2023
The Knicks trailed just once in the first half and took their biggest lead when Brunson and Randle combined for 12 points in a 15-7 run that put them ahead 62-50 with 1:37 left.
The Jazz responded by scoring the next 13 points bridging the halves. The run extended to 16-2 for Utah, which went ahead 66-64 on a free throw by Sexton with 8:29 left in the third quarter. Barrett hit a 3-pointer and Markkanen split a pair of free throws before Jericho Sims’ putback dunk gave the Knicks a 69-67 lead with 6:41 remaining.
The Knicks never trailed again, but the Jazz tied it three times — the last at 109-109 on a running layup by Clarkson with 4:32 left. Brunson drained a 25-footer on the next possession to begin the pivotal spurt in which Barrett and Randle also hit 3-pointers. Utah never got closer than six the rest of the way.
