The New York Knicks’ four-game losing streak is finally over, and it came with one of their more aesthetically pleasing wins in a while. On Wednesday, they took control of the game late against the Los Angeles Clippers to win 123-111, putting that back in the second seed of the Eastern Conference with the Boston Celtics losing.
Just about every Knick made a positive contribution
This was a team victory by the Knicks, with just about every key rotation piece making an impact positively. Mike Brown stuck with a more concrete rotation in this game, and the continuity showed on the court.
Six different Knicks scored in double figures, with Jalen Brunson leading the way with 26 points and seven assists. Miles McBride entered the starting lineup and made a great impact, scoring 16 points and knocking down four three-pointers.
Seven of the nine players who played at least 10 minutes had a positive plus-minus. The leader in that category? Tyler Kolek, who was a +18 in the win with five assists off the bench.
Additionally, the Knicks dished out 31 assists, showcasing the ball movement that led them to success earlier in the season. If they continue to play that team brand of basketball, wins will come a lot easier.
Karl-Anthony Towns got going in the second half
The first half felt like the Pistons game all over again for Karl-Anthony Towns. He scored just six points and was 2-for-8 from the field in the first half, and just looked overmatched against Ivica Zubac.
However, he was a different player in the second half, playing with more aggression and getting good results. He scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the second half, en route to a 20-point, 11-rebound, and seven-assist night.
That is the kind of player the Knicks need Towns to be, as their success largely banks on his performances each night. Coach Brown gave Towns a lot of credit for making the adjustments following the win.
“He’s an explosive scorer…What I like about tonight is…All-Star level player…he was impactful defensively…rebounds…assists…scored [eventually] but did what All-Stars do…found other ways,” Brown said (h/t New York Basketball on X).
Knicks defense was a step slow early, but picked it up late
Through the first three quarters, it was mostly an offensive game from both teams. Neither team had a double-digit lead, and stops seemed hard to come by for either team. It felt like another slog of a night defensively was on the horizon for the Knicks.
However, the Knicks picked things up late, as fatigue settled in for the Clippers. The Knicks pushed their lead to 15 in the fourth quarter, outscoring them by nine in the closing period and making great plays on both ends of the floor.
The hope is that they can continue playing that strong defense moving forward. They need to be a better defensive team to impose their will on their opponents, and things are trending in the right direction for them.
Overview
This was a victory the Knicks needed to have, and they got it in a big way. They will now head out West for their first West coast trip of the season, starting with the Phoenix Suns on Friday.
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