The New York Knicks found their stroke against the Orlando Magic and it propelled them to a 121-106 win on Tuesday night.
Knicks shoot 50-40-90 in statement win against Magic
The Knicks were as efficient as ever against an elite defensive team in the Magic. Orlando owned the third-best defensive rating (105.1) in the NBA entering the night. New York shot 51 percent from the field, 43 percent from the three-point line, and was unblemished at the free-throw line on the affair.
The 50-40-90 showing was impressive. The Magic played man defense through and through, using their length to hound the Knicks’ playmakers. Elite wing defenders like Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Isaac tried to make life hell for Knicks All-Star Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and company to little avail.
Knicks guards showed out against top-shelf Magic defense
While the Knicks’ starters all made steady contributions, Miles McBride was perhaps the brightest spot for the team. McBride scored 18 points on 5-7 shooting from outside and dished out four assists along with it.
New York’s bench has immensely struggled to score this season. Therefore, it was refreshing to see their premier sixth man get going. He was confident launching off of the catch and seizing the opportunities he was given.
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The Knicks as a unit were on the money in catch-and-shoot situations. Another bright spot for the championship-hopeful franchise was Brunson. The Villanova product was assertive when getting into the lane, finishing runners with ease and using his aggression to get to the line, where he made all four of his attempts. Mikal Bridges remaining hot with 19 points on 8-13 shooting from the floor was also encouraging.
All in all, New York executed well offensively and made Orlando’s defense look much worse than it is. They’ll look to ride the momentum from the win into their next outing against the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday.
