Escape From New York: Knicks Survive Nets' Rally
Brooklyn's finest for three periods wasn't enough to take down the New York Knicks.
The latest edition of New York City's cross-borough hardwood rivalry went down to the wire on Tuesday night at Barclays Center but the Knicks dug out the win to the tune of a 108-103 final over the Brooklyn Nets.
Matching 30-point efforts for Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle led the way for the Knicks (27-17) who took their fourth consecutive victory back home to Manhattan. Much to the delight of a Brooklyn crowd primarily packed with Knicks fans, New York also won its fourth in a row against the Nets.
Brad Penner, USA TODAY SPORTS
It was deja vu all over again in the worst way possible for the hosting Nets (17-26), who returned home after surrendering an 18-point lead in a double-figure loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday: the Knicks dominated the final dozen after trailing by nine at the onset, winning the period 32-18. Randle and Josh Hart united to end the game in a perfectly symbolic fashion in front of a crowd that included New York Liberty stars Betnijah Laney and Courtney Vandersloot.
After Hart prevented an OG Anunoby block of Cameron Johnson from going out of bounds (picking up a block of Dennis Smith Jr. in the same sequence), he was able to get the ball to a streaking Randle, who emphatically slammed down his final double with exactly a minute remaining. Randle returned the favor by providing the means for Hart's driving lay-up that put the Knicks up four and turned the remainder of the game into a free throw contest.
The relative anti-conclusion at the foul line was perfectly acceptable to the Knicks, who once again let a meandering opponent linger for far too long. Mikal Bridges showed off for his fellow former Villanova teammates Brunson and Hart, sinking a career-best seven three-pointers over the first three periods. The Knicks also had no answers for Nic Claxton, who took full advantage of Isaiah Hartenstein's absence with 14 rebounds in the first 36. Brooklyn held a plus-four advantage on the glass with Claxton falling just short of earning half of the 30 boards.
But the Knicks' defense buckled down for the remainder of the game, holding the Nets to a mere 7-of-23 effort from the field in the final dozen (including 3-of-13 from three-point range) to set up the wild finish.
In addition to failing to turn the tide in the tri-state area rivalry, the Nets have now lost 11 of their last 13 as they tumble down the Eastern Conference leaderboard. Two spring trips to Madison Square Garden await to finish out the set, which the Knicks haven't swept since 2017-18.
The Knicks get to go back to MSG on Thursday to resume a lengthy homestand but a dangerous challenge awaits in the form of the defending champion Denver Nuggets (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).
