The New York Knicks faced a tall task without OG Anunoby for the first time this season, but they persevered and made a ferocious fourth quarter comeback to defeat the Houston Rockets 124-118. New York gets back in the win column as they improve to 33-17 while the Rockets fall to 32-17.
Jalen Brunson took over the game for the Knicks
The Knicks entered the fourth quarter trailing by 11, and things looked bleak as they were previously 0-8 in games they entered the fourth quarter trailing. However, Jalen Brunson put an end to that with an inspiring fourth quarter performance to get the Knicks over the hump.
Brunson scored 17 points in the fourth quarter en route to a 42-point, 10-assist night. Brunson was having his way every possession down the stretch, which was huge for them as they continued to trade buckets with the Rockets. He hit several clutch shots in the final minute to help secure the win, including a massive three-pointer to put the Knicks up by 4.
He is now the sixth Knicks player in history to record 40+ points and 10+ assists in a single game. Brunson needed a game like this after a rough performance against the Lakers, and he stepped up big time when his team needed him.
Despite the win, the Knicks struggled badly from three-point range
Despite coming away victorious, the Knicks had a rough night shooting the three against the Rockets. They shot just 6-for-26 (23.1%) from downtown as a team. Karl-Anthony Towns’ recent shooting woes continued as he shot just 1-for-5 from three, but luckily he was able to make an impact elsewhere to help contribute to the comeback win.
Fortunately for New York, Houston also struggled to light it up from three, as they shot just 8-for-28 (28.6%) from beyond the arc. The Knicks were lucky enough to not let the Rockets get hot from three, as they have great shooters spread out across the court.
The main reason the Rockets were in it despite the poor shooting was the stellar play from Amen Thompson. The second-year guard recorded a triple-double with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists as his recent stretch of solid play continued. For a while, it felt as though Thompson was going to will their way to a win, but New York silenced him in the fourth quarter as he scored just four points and shot 1-for-5 in the closing frame.
Overview
The Knicks got themselves an emphatic bounce-back win against a very good Rockets team without their best perimeter defender in Anunoby. New York goes right back to work on Tuesday with a back-to-back against the Toronto Raptors.