NBA: Jalen Brunson scores 40, Knicks run away from Nets
Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks poses for a picture with Iggy Azalea after the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Madison Square Garden on February 13, 2023 in New York City. The New York Knicks defeated the Brooklyn Nets 124-106. Elsa/Getty Images/AFP
Jalen Brunson scored 17 of his 40 points in the third quarter as the host New York Knicks pulled away for a 124-106 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night.
Brunson’s latest big game helped the Knicks end a nine-game losing streak to the Nets. It was New York’s first win over Brooklyn since Jan. 26, 2020.
Brunson produced his third career 40-point game by shooting 15-for-21, including 6-for-9 on 3-point shots, as the Knicks outscored the Nets 66-45 in the second half. Each of Brunson’s 40-point performances have been this season with the Knicks, and he exited to a standing ovation with 3:51 remaining.
40 PTS
6 3PMJalen Brunson powered the @nyknicks to the win over their cross-town rivals 😤 pic.twitter.com/PBXF2xzsaE
— NBA (@NBA) February 14, 2023
Josh Hart, Brunson’s close friend from their Villanova days, added a season-high 27 points off the bench and made 10 of 14 shots. Julius Randle contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds while Immanuel Quickley chipped in 14 points as the Knicks shot 54.9 percent and won for the fifth time in seven games.
Spencer Dinwiddie led the Nets with 28 points but shot 8 of 21 and was visibly frustrated with the officiating most of the game. Cameron Johnson added 14 points and Nic Claxton finished with 11, but Mikal Bridges was held to seven after getting 23 in his debut for Brooklyn Saturday.
Josh Hart provided the @nyknicks with a scoring spark off the bench with 27 PTS and 4 3PM in the win! pic.twitter.com/629SqcbSdc
— NBA (@NBA) February 14, 2023
The Knicks ended the opening quarter by hitting eight straight shots and took a 32-26 lead on Brunson’s 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left. Dinwiddie scored 13 points in the final 6:14 of the second and his 3-pointer with 34.4 seconds left staked Brooklyn to a 61-58 lead by halftime.
Brunson reached 30 points for the third straight game when his crossover layup around Joe Harris snapped an 80-80 tie with 2:10 left in the third quarter. The tiebreaking basket started a 13-3 run, and the Knicks took a 93-83 lead into the fourth when Brunson drained a 3-pointer from the right side over Johnson with 12 seconds left.
New York held a 100-91 lead with 8:07 left when Brunson and Randle returned. The Knicks extended the lead to 106-94 on Hart’s three-point play with 7:05 left, and Brunson’s 10-footer opened a 110-96 lead with 5:33 remaining to put it out of reach.
