NBA: Brunson posts another 40-point game, leads Knicks past Kings

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) pulls up for a shot as Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes (40) runs over to defend in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Saturday, March 16, 2024. (AP Photo/José Luis Villegas)

SACRAMENTO, California — Jalen Brunson scored 42 points, becoming the fourth player in franchise history with 40 or more in consecutive games, and the New York Knicks beat the Sacramento Kings 98-91 on Saturday night in the NBA.

Brunson had 45 points in Thursday’s win at Portland. He has seven 40-point games this season, when he was a first-time All-Star.

“You almost come to expect what Jalen did,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “It’s every night and it’s big play after big play. Every time you need a big bucket, he comes up with it.”

Brunson is the first Knicks player to reach 40 in back-to-back games since Carmelo Anthony on Feb. 19 and 21, 2014. Hall of Famers Bernard King and Patrick Ewing are the other Knicks to do it.

READ: NBA: Anunoby returns, Hart has triple-double as Knicks rout 76ers

BACK-TO-BACK 40-PIECES 🔥🔥

After 45 on Thursday, Jalen Brunson drops 42, including big buckets down the stretch, as the Knicks get the road W in Sacramento.

42 PTS | 5 3PM | 4 STL pic.twitter.com/dq5aYhB5St

— NBA (@NBA) March 17, 2024

“I don’t have the resume those guys do, so it means a lot,” Brunson said. “But I’m just happy we found a way to win.”

Donte DiVincenzo scored 15 points and Josh Hart had nine points and 12 rebounds. Isaiah Hartenstein was a force on the defensive end, blocking five shots and grabbing 14 rebounds, along with seven points.

“It was a good team win,” Thibodeau said. “I thought the defense was really good. They’re a gifted offensive team.”

Domantas Sabonis led the Kings with 21 points and 14 rebounds for his 49th consecutive double-double.

De’Aaron Fox added 20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, but was held to 5-for-19 shooting. Malik Monk scored 18 off the bench.

“I feel like we got good looks,” Fox said. “I feel like a lot of it (was) we just didn’t make shots. But that’s a good defensive team that you have to be able to capitalize on any of their mistakes, and I don’t think we did a good job of that tonight.”

The Kings’ 91 points were their fewest in a home game this season. Sacramento fell to 0-8 when scoring fewer than 100 points, as New York held its fifth straight opponent under that number.

“They’re a great team, explosive on offense and Mike (Brown) has done a great job coaching them here,” Brunson said. “They present a lot of problems on that side of the ball and we were able to keep them under 100 points, which is not easy to do. Like I said, we found a way.”

It was the Kings’ first loss when allowing fewer than 100 points, dropping to 6-1.

The game featured 20 lead changes and 13 ties.

The Knicks led 53-48 at the half and extended the advantage to nine early in the third quarter on a pair of layups by Brunson.

Sacramento responded with a 15-4 run to go up 63-61, but New York took a 75-74 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Knicks outscored the Kings 23-17 in the final period.

NEXT SCHEDULE

Knicks: At Golden State on Monday night.

Kings: Host Memphis on Monday night.