The New York Knicks (9-6) came out firing, dominating the Phoenix Suns (9-7) from the start and cruising to a 138-122 victory on November 21, pushing their win streak to four games.
Jalen Brunson had the hot hand all night, dropping 36 points on a blistering 7-of-11 shooting from downtown, while also dishing out 10 assists. Karl-Anthony Towns added a huge double-double with 34 points and 10 rebounds, marking his sixth game this season with 30 points or more. Josh Hart rounded out the scoring with 19 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals.
The Suns continue to struggle, falling to their fifth consecutive loss and sixth in their last seven games. Devin Booker spearheaded their efforts, scoring 33 points and 5 assists. Tyus Jones contributed 15 points and 10 assists, while Jusuf Nurkic added 14 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 steals.
The Suns Couldn’t Stop Jalen Brunson
The Knicks’ offense burst out of the gates, connecting on 10 of their first 11 shots and building a 25-13 lead. The Suns couldn’t keep up as the Knicks extended their lead to 19 points with a furious 12-2 surge. By the end of the first, the Knicks had poured in 44 points, including a sizzling 8-of-11 (72.7%) from beyond the arc.
The Suns showed some fight in the second, but the Knicks’ lead remained comfortably in double digits, peaking at 24 points. Jalen Brunson was unstoppable, scoring 23 points in the half on a nearly flawless 8-of-9 shooting from the field and 4-of-4 from three-point range.
Phoenix found their touch in the third, hitting 5 three-pointers, including 3 from O’Neale, during a 17-5 run that closed the gap to 11. But the Knicks immediately responded with a flurry of baskets, re-establishing their 20-point lead. The Suns never mounted a serious challenge in the fourth.
The Suns resume NBA Cup action against the Lakers on Wednesday, while the Knicks travel to Utah on Sunday.
