In a noon matinee—and Kid’s Day at the Garden—the Knicks (16-7) won a bruising first quarter that featured a scary Franz Wagner injury. After beating the Magic (14-10) in the first period, 35–31, the home
team couldn’t muster 20 points and went down 55–54 at halftime. After the break, the New York reclaimed control behind Jalen Brunson’s steady scoring, Josh Hart’s motor, OG Anunoby’s shooting, and Hukporti’s best two-way stretch as a pro. They carried an 82-73 lead into the fourth and, despite a gnarly stretch that included hostile actions and a near-12-point-collapse in the final 90 seconds, the Knicks came away with a 106-100 win.
With the victory, New York beat the only team that had defeated them this season at home. In his second game back, OG Anunoby delivered one of his sharpest two-way outings of the year, scoring 21 on hyper-efficient 8-for-14 shooting—including 5-of-7 from deep—while racking up seven rebounds and three steals for a team-best +20.
Jalen Brunson was the engine of the offense, pouring in 30 points on 10-of-23 shooting and a perfect 9-of-12 at the line while adding nine assists and calmly steering the Knicks through turbulence. Mikal Bridges posted 12 points on a meh shooting day (6-for-17) but chipped in six rebounds, seven assists, a steal, and a block. That’s 14 straight games with at least one steal. And Josh Hart stuffed the box score yet again with 16 points, 12 boards, two steals, and a block in his 33 minutes. His twins visited Dad on the bench, sat on his lap, just like Jalen and Rick. (I kid, I kid)
Karl-Anthony Towns missed his first game of the season with a calf strain. Taking the starter’s duties from KAT, Mitchell Robinson was a force inside with six points, 13 boards (eight offensive!), a block and a steal, anchoring the paint in his 25 minutes.
Saving (possibly) the best for last, Ariel Hukporti turned in a standout performance off the bench—arguably his most complete game as a Knick. The big German recorded seven points, seven rebounds, three blocks, and a steal while contributing relentless interior defense in 23 minutes. Most importantly: just three fouls!
Prayers are up for Miles McBride, who played just 21 minutes and shot just 1-of-7 before leaving with an injury (see below); and for Orlando’s Wagner, who suffered a knee injury (see below). Paolo Banchero played his second game back after sitting out 10 with a groin strain. He and Desmond Bane scored 16 apiece, and Jalen Suggs led the team with 17 points before getting injured (see below). Ugly game, gutsy win.
First Half
Orlando spotted the Knicks four points, then made eight of 12 field goal tries to take a 20-18 lead midway through the quarter. The game was physical, as predicted, but not necessarily in ways that benefited either team’s defensive efforts yet.
Anunoby, on a minutes restriction, took a blow after three minutes. His replacement, Guerschon Yabusele, promptly drilled a three, and then a second—a welcome sign! Soon after, McBride checked in and added his own triple—naturally, since his fingertips are smoking these days. Mitchell Robinson started at center for Towns and collected two fouls in six minutes. Subbed for Mitch, Ariel Hukporti made contact with Franz Wagner while competing for a rebound. The Magic’s top player landed in an awkward pretzel twist and, after remaining down for a while, was escorted to the locker room.
There was no malicious intent; Hukporti made a play on the ball and was visibly distressed afterward. You may recall, he and Wagner were teammates on the 2019-2020 German National Team.
The Knicks’ transition defense continued to be a spooky apparition, with seemingly every Knick make resulting in a running layup at the opposite end. With Wagner gone, the home team managed to string together a seven-point lead (highlights: Hukporti’s Banchero block; five straight Brunson points; an OG driving bucket), but a couple of misses and fouls allowed Disney’s Finest to mostly erase that. In a gift, Banchero committed a shooting foul on Jalen with 0.6 seconds on the clock. Jalen made both and gave the good guys a 35-31 advantage.
The defense improved in the second quarter, with Robinson and Hukporti (playing possibly his best minutes of the season) both swatting back shots. Meanwhile, OG drilled two early threes and smashed a dunk to nudge the Knicks ahead.
Orlando countered with midrange jumpers and jams from Suggs and Bane, but turnovers and misses kept them lagging behind. Hart gave New York a spark with a corner three (his second of the game) and a transition layup, while Brunson repeatedly set the table as a generous host. As the quarter progressed, both teams traded sloppy possessions and rebounds, yet the Knicks’ timely shooting and interior scoring helped them cling to a narrow lead. At the end of the frame, a foul and an Anthony Black triple upended the score, giving the Magic a 55-54 lead.
Once again the Knicks fizzled after a hot start. After posting 35 points in the first quarter, they couldn’t break 20 in the second. Through the half, Orlando shot more efficiently (48% from the field, 40% from three, and a +4 edge at the line). The Knicks benefited from second-chance production (10 offensive boards to 5), a 26–22 advantage in the paint, and 14 assists on 21 makes (seven dimes for Cap so far). Fouls, though, there’s the rub: 11 for NYK, just five for ORL. Let’s see if Tony Brothers has a more favorable whistle in the second half.
Second Half
Post intermission, the Jalens, Brunson and Suggs, kept annoying each other. Both led their teams in points, both tried to get under the other’s jersey. Captain Clutch shot better, though, and paired with timely efforts by Hart and Anunoby, New York built and maintained a multi-possession buffer through much of the third. Some nice stuff from Mikal, too:
Carrying over from the first half, Hukporti played his ass off in his most consistent game as a Knick. He had a hand in nearly every defensive possession—and made his free throws! It was an important performance with the Knicks shorthanded at center and Robinson on a minutes restriction. It also gave us hope for the rest of the season: a reliable back-up center only increases the Knicks chances of a deep postseason run.
Orlando is a tenacious team, not one to surrender easily. They pried open some daylight thanks to Bane and Banchero, who combined for a couple of threes and downhill finishes. That duo, and that pesky Suggs, kept the visitors within striking distance despite choppy execution. But New York’s paint work and Hart’s full-court energy allowed them to stay in front, taking an 82-73 lead into the final stretch.
With a minute and change left in the period, McBride was fouled on a drive and suffered an injury on the landing. He made two freebies but retired to the locker room soon after. We pray it’s not a serious injury for Deuce, who’s having a tremendous season.
This season, the Knicks were 14-0 when taking a lead into the fourth quarter. Make it 15.
The game continued to trudge along. Physical games take their toll. Suggs left midway through the fourth, the third important player to depart with an injury. Before he did, though, there was this. In the next sequence, OG grabs and tugs Suggs out of the air to prevent a defensive rebound. Whether it was in retaliation for OG’s play is unclear, but Bane cocks back and drives a fastball off OG’s hip. Ouch. The refs called it a hostile act, appropriately.
Mike Brown sent in his subs with a minute and a half to go. His team was up by 12, but Jamahl Mosley wasn’t in a quitting mood. The Magic outscored the Knicks 8-2—thanks to some Keystone Cops goofiness and Clarkson blowing an uncontested layup—so Brunson and Hart returned to the game with 20 seconds left and the lead just six. It was a fuh-ugly stretch (including a Brunson backcourt violation), but the Magic missed a few dangerous attempts and New York escaped with the win.
Up Next
Up to Toronto our heroes go, to face the Raptors in an NBA Cup Quaterfinal game. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.
