NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks hadn’t won at all in more than a week. They had never won like this in 80 years.
The Knicks ended their four-game losing streak Wednesday night with the most lopsided victory in franchise history, beating the Brooklyn Nets 120-66.
Jalen Brunson and the starters were already done for the night after three quarters, with the Knicks ahead 88-56. But instead of coasting to the finish, the reserves poured it on, outscoring the Nets 16-0 to open the fourth as the lead ballooned to 104-56.
“We’ve been in the midst of a pretty rough stretch and it’s not about just one game right now. There’s got to be a continual pursuit for us getting better and growing,” swingman Landry Shamet said. “So, fourth-quarter blowout, cool, whatever. It’s an opportunity against a talented NBA team to build and grow on some of the things that we’re trying to grow on and get better at. So kudos to our guys continuing to carry the standard and finish out the right way.”
Brunson scored 20 points and Shamet had 18 in just 15 minutes, going 6 for 6 from 3-point range. The Knicks shot 57.5% from the field and led by as much as 59 points.
The Knicks had lost nine of their previous 11 games and were just two days removed from the low point of their season. They trailed by 30 points in the first half Monday at home against Dallas, booed repeatedly in their 114-97 loss.
The 54-point victory surpassed three 48-point wins that had stood as the previous franchise record. Karl-Anthony Towns, a target of some of the boos Monday, was asked what the Knicks needed Wednesday.
“A win. That was the most important thing, just finding a way to break the ice and get one in the left column,” Towns said. “So good game, good day for us to show what we’re capable of, but consistency is what makes champions and we’ve got to find that consistency and bring this kind of intensity and energy and execution every single night.”
They certainly do it against the Nets. They have won the last 13 meetings in a three-year winning streak and have handed Brooklyn its two worst losses of this season. The Knicks won 134-98 on Nov. 9 at Madison Square Garden.
“Tonight was even worse and I’m the one responsible for it,” Nets coach Jordi Fernandez said.
The Knicks limited the Nets to 29% shooting, outscored them 12-0 in second-chance points and 29-4 on the fast break.
But New York is a team built to compete for a championship and the Nets are headed for the lottery. The Knicks know a more realistic test comes Saturday when they visit the Philadelphia 76ers, who won both matchups this season in New York.
“This was a good step for us,” Brunson said, “but we’ve got to continue to press the issue of getting better every single day.”
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