The New York Knicks faced off against the crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on the evening of Jan. 23 and came away with a 108-103 victory. With the win, the Knicks have won four in a row and currently sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with a 27-17 record. With 38 games left in the NBA season, the Knicks show no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
First half
The game started with the Knicks getting first possession, but the Nets would score the first points of the night on a shot from behind the arc from Cameron Johnson, following that up with a layup to put the team up 5-0.
The first points on the board for the Knicks were scored on a three-pointer from Donte DiVincenzo. Afterward, both teams would go back and forth for the rest of the first quarter, but the Nets led 28-26 at the sound of the buzzer.
The start of the second quarter was quiet for the first two minutes until a 19-foot shot from Cam Thomas extended the Nets lead. After going up by four on a dunk from Nic Claxton, the Knicks started to fight back, as Jalen Brunson nailed a three to put the team down by one, and took the lead on a layup from Precious Achiuwa. Like the first quarter, both teams battled back and forth the rest of the way and by the end of the first half, the Knicks led 50-49.
Comeback
The Nets started taking control of the game from the start of the quarter, going on a 10-2 run through the first two minutes.
They would hold a big lead for the rest of the quarter, including a 6-0 run with two minutes remaining, which was capped by another dunk from Claxton to put the Nets up by 10. The Knicks also had some help on offense with Julius Randle scoring five points to put the Knicks within reach, but it was not enough, as the Nets lead 86-75 at the start of the fourth quarter.
Things started to take a turn as the game drew to a close. Despite a couple of shots from Miles McBride and OG Anunoby, the Nets took an eight-point lead with 7:12 remaining on a jump shot from Lonnie Walker. However, the Knicks started to fight back and showed no signs of getting tired out, as they went on an 11-2 run for the next minute and 50 seconds, taking a one-point lead on a layup from Randle.
The Nets would retake the lead instantly on a three from Dorian Finney-Smith. Another three from Randle gave the Knicks a one-point lead, and after the Nets tied it up on one of two free throw attempts from Mikal Bridges, it was the Knicks who came away with the 108-103 come-from-behind victory.
It would prove to be an impressive night for the Knicks, as they outscored the Nets 32-18 in the fourth quarter after starting the last period of the game down by nine. Brunson ended the night with 30 points, and Randle scored 30 points of his own, while also adding nine rebounds and seven assists. DiVincenzo scored 11 points and Anunoby ended the night with 10 points. Though the Nets lost, Bridges had quite the performance, scoring 36 points, including nailing seven of 13 attempts from behind the arc. All in all, the game was a battle for the ages in all of New York.
