The Knicks didn’t want lengthy to show this one into an announcement.
With Madison Sq. Backyard buzzing and each groups looking for traction amid January skids, the Knicks’ stars introduced the urgency from the opening tip, blitzing the Nets early and by no means trying again in a 120-66 win Tuesday evening to snap a four-game shedding streak and enhance to 26-18, whereas extending Brooklyn’s skid to 3 and dropping the Nets to 12-30.
It was the most important margin of victory in Knicks franchise historical past.
“I didn’t know about the record until it was mentioned [postgame],” Knicks head coach Mike Brown stated. “But just seeing us play the way we’re capable of playing again, I don’t know what the score will be every night we get out on the floor… Our guys are more than capable of going out there and putting it together for 48 minutes, and that was a lot of fun.”
Jalen Brunson completed with a game-high 20 factors and set the tone along with his tempo and shot-making. Karl-Anthony Cities bullied his option to early buckets, Landry Shamet was unconscious from behind the arc, and the Knicks flattened Brooklyn’s preliminary confidence with a first-quarter surge that successfully determined the sport earlier than it ever had an opportunity to breathe.
Brooklyn briefly appeared prefer it got here to spoil the evening. Rookie Egor Demin opened the sport with no worry, drilling back-to-back 3-pointers to present the Nets an early spark. However the Knicks’ response was quick. Cities scored seven factors in a rush, with Brunson and Mikal Bridges weaving in buckets of their very own because the Knicks ripped off a 12-0 run and flipped a 6-4 deficit right into a 16-6 lead with 6:48 left within the opening quarter.
From there, the Nets’ offense stalled, and the Backyard smelled blood.
“It starts with pace,” Brunson stated. “Obviously getting stops and running helps, but our pace offensively was great. We got in the paint, made plays, and just made a lot of good reads tonight. I think us focusing on the things that matter, like the little stuff that allows us to kind of play free on offense… It’s big time for us.”
Michael Porter Jr., confirmed to be taking part in by means of a minor MCL sprain suffered Jan. 7, began the evening 0-for-4 from the sector and Brooklyn struggled to generate something exterior of Demin’s early taking pictures. The Nets didn’t get their first non-Demin bucket, and simply their third general, till Nic Claxton jumped a passing lane and went coast-to-coast for a layup on the 6:09 mark.
By then, the Knicks had been already in rhythm and Brooklyn was left in a well-known spot on this constructing, chasing the sport from behind.
The Knicks’ lead solely grew because the quarter moved alongside. Brunson poured in 11 factors within the opening interval, Cities added seven and Shamet knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers late to push them forward by 18 after one, turning what started as a aggressive feel-out right into a sport that was out of the blue all Knicks.
For the Nets, the early collapse was one other reminder of how skinny the margin has develop into as its season drifts. And it got here within the actual approach they’ve been attempting to keep away from: a promising begin worn out by a chilly spell, a fast deficit and never sufficient solutions as soon as the opponent discovered its groove.
The Knicks hung 60 first-half factors on 55% taking pictures behind Brunson and Cities, who had been each in double figures by the break. Additionally they smothered Brooklyn on the opposite finish, holding the Nets to 38 factors on 32.5% taking pictures whereas forcing seven turnovers. No Nets participant reached double figures within the opening 24 minutes, and even with Porter beginning to shake off his gradual begin by going 2-for-3 within the second quarter for 9 factors at halftime, the Knicks by no means let Brooklyn discover a regular rhythm.
They made certain of that within the second half, too.
Shamet’s sixth and ultimate 3-pointer pushed the Knicks over the century mark with 8:01 left, whereas Brooklyn was nonetheless sitting on 56 factors, the identical complete it had at the beginning of the fourth. The Nets didn’t rating their first factors of the ultimate body till 5:38 remained, when Day’Ron Sharpe hit a pair of free throws. For the Knicks, it didn’t get way more dominant defensively than that on an evening they held Brooklyn to an abysmal 29.1% taking pictures.
“It was my fault. I didn’t prepare them to play and compete at the highest level,” Nets head coach Jordi Fernández stated.
Porter led the Nets with 12 factors on 4-for-14 taking pictures.
“BTA” could be placing it too gently. Brooklyn’s 54-point loss was the second-worst in franchise historical past, and its 66 factors had been the fewest scored by any NBA workforce this season.
It was the sort of bounce-back the Knicks wanted to revive their edge, a reminder of how harmful they are often when their effort matches their expertise.
The Knicks received’t return to the ground till Saturday, after they go to the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Cell Area, whereas Brooklyn returns to motion Friday in opposition to the Boston Celtics at Barclays Heart.
