Brunson with another +40 pts night leads Knicks past Bulls

Fueled by another stellar performance from Jalen Brunson, who recorded his 10th 40+ point game of the season, the New York Knicks defeated the Bulls in Chicago, 128-117.

Brunson led the Knicks with a game-high 45 points and 8 assists, including seven three-pointers, marking his second consecutive game with over 40 points. OG Anunoby contributed 24 points and Donte DiVincenzo added 21 points to the Knicks’ tally.

“Brunson is a motherf*ker.”

– Coby White

Right from the tip-off, the Knicks set the tone, responding to the Bulls’ opening points with a quick 6-0 run, seizing the lead early and maintaining it throughout the game.

Anunoby notched nine points in the first quarter including the Knicks’ first four points of the night, and another ten in the third, finishing the game with an impressive 10-of-18 shooting, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. This was OG’s best game since his return from the elbow injury and his second best since joining the Knicks.

Meanwhile, Josh Hart delivered 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists, seeking redemption after being ejected in the previous matchup between the two teams.

One of the game’s highlights came from DiVincenzo, whose incredible half-court shot just before halftime provided a momentum boost for the Knicks, propelling them to a 68-62 lead. This shot followed Bulls’ Coby White’s own buzzer-beating three-pointer, underscoring the intensity of the first half.

The Bulls were led by DeMarr DeRozan who scored 34 points and dished-out 6 assists. Nikola Vucevic scored 26 points on a 12-16 shooting and Coby White finished with 24 buckets. Javonte Green, who had previously torched the Knicks with 25 points while shooting 85.7% from the field, was held to just nine points on the night on a 3-8 shooting.

With this crucial win, the Knicks have moved up to the 3rd place in the standings and are now just one game away from clinching a top-six seed.

Up-next: The Knicks (47-32) will visit Boston to take on the Celtics (62-17) on Thursday from 7:30pm