The New York Knicks snapped a four-game losing streak in emphatic fashion Wednesday night, rolling past the Brooklyn Nets 120-66 in the most lopsided victory in franchise history.
Jalen Brunson scored 20 points, while Landry Shamet was perfect from beyond the arc, going 6-for-6 on 3-pointers and finishing with 18 points for New York. The Knicks led by as many as 59 points and eclipsed their previous largest margin of victory, 48 points, with the 54-point blowout.
After dropping nine of their previous 11 games, the Knicks found a welcome opponent in their crosstown rivals. New York extended its dominance over Brooklyn with a 13th consecutive win in the series.
The outcome was never in doubt. The Knicks seized control early with a 14-0 run to take an 18-6 lead midway through the first quarter, then closed the period on a 14-3 spurt to lead 38-20 after Shamet buried consecutive 3-pointers. New York carried a 60-38 advantage into halftime.
Any remaining suspense vanished to start the fourth quarter, when the Knicks opened with a 16-0 run to turn a 32-point lead into a 104-56 cushion. New York outscored Brooklyn 60-28 in the second half.
Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 12 points on 4-of-14 shooting, a snapshot of a difficult night for a Brooklyn team that has lost eight of its last nine games.
The blowout came just two days after Knicks fans voiced their displeasure during a first-half collapse in a loss to Dallas. This time, the scoreboard told a very different story.
Brooklyn once dominated the rivalry during the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving era, winning nine straight meetings before their last victory on Jan. 28, 2023. Since then, the Knicks have owned the matchup, a contrast that has been especially stark this season as New York eyes a deep playoff run while the Nets look toward the draft lottery.
Up next:
Up next, the Nets host the Boston Celtics on Friday, while the Knicks visit the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.
