NBA: Jalen Brunson scores 39 as Knicks manhandle Nets
Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks heads for the net as Nic Claxton #33 anfd Mikal Bridges #1 of the Brooklyn Nets defend in the second half at Madison Square Garden on March 01, 2023 in New York City. Elsa/Getty Images/AFP
Jalen Brunson scored 30 of his 39 points during a blistering first half for the New York Knicks, who continued surging with a 142-118 rout of the visiting Brooklyn Nets.
The Knicks, who have won seven straight to move into fifth place in the Eastern Conference, scored 47 points in the first quarter, one shy of the franchise record for an opening period.
New York tied a franchise record by hitting 14 3-pointers in the first half, and the Knicks maintained a lead of at least 16 points throughout the final three quarters. The 142 points were a season high for New York.
Mitchell Robinson (13 points, 10 rebounds) posted his fourth consecutive double-double while Julius Randle added 21 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Knicks.
New York’s Quentin Grimes scored 22 points while RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley added 15 points apiece.
Jalen Brunson put on a SHOW tonight.
39 points
5 rebounds
6 assists
5 threes
15/18 FGKnicks win their 7th straight 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4Z5XkXt8TJ
— NBA (@NBA) March 2, 2023
Cameron Johnson scored 33 points for the Nets, who have lost four straight and are 2-8 since dealing Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks on Feb. 6, shortly before Kevin Durant was traded to the Phoenix Suns. Brooklyn is in sixth place — the last guaranteed playoff spot — in the East, 1 1/2 games ahead of the Miami Heat.
Spencer Dinwiddle (11 points, 10 assists) had a double-double for the Nets while Mikal Bridges finished with 21 points. Reserves Cam Thomas (15 points) and Seth Curry (10 points) also scored in double digits.
The Knicks, who only trailed at 3-0 in a 109-94 win over the visiting Boston Celtics on Monday night, trailed 3-0 and 11-10 on Wednesday before going on a 13-0 run. New York took its first double-digit lead at 23-11 with 6:19 left in the first on a Brunson 3-pointer.
The Knicks led by as many as 27 in the second quarter before carrying an 81-57 lead into the half. The Nets got within 17 points in the third, when they trailed 103-86 after a three-point play by Bridges, before New York extended the lead to 110-87 at the end of the period.
The hosts led by as many as 30 in the fourth quarter.
