Knicks defeat Suns 102-83 as Jalen Brunson returns

The Knicks won 8 straight games last month only to lose the next five after. Some of them in dramatic fashion. Last night, however, the Knicks looked solid again. With Jalen Brunson returning after missing the previous three games from the Texas trip, the Suns were eaten alive, 102-83 at the Garden yesterday afternoon.

Julius Randle scored 28 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, Brunson scored 24 and dished-out 10 assists and Immanuel Quickley finished with 15 points as the New York Knicks remained over .500 in a game in which all starters finished in double-figures.

The Knicks went on a 21-0 run early in the second quarter to build a 52-20 lead and from there on, they never looked back.

The Suns tried to get back in the game and cut the lead to 18 points two minutes into the final act with plenty of time left.

Duane Washington and Chris Paul scored 5 straight to make it 65-83, then continued to shoot well but their baskets received strong replies from Randle, Quickley and Evan Fournier, all of them making threes to keep the Knicks safe, 70-94.

Randle even got “MVP” chants from the crowd at the free throw line, something that he didn’t hear in a long time.

“It’s good to be on the good side of the Garden. It’s definitely a lot better feeling to be on that side.”

– Julius Randle

The Suns were led by DeAndre Ayton with 12 points. Chris Paul finished with 11 and Mikal Bridges added 10 as Phoenix lost the third straight game and are now 1-6 in the last seven matchups.

Worth mentioning that their star, Devin Booker has missed most of these games after suffering a left groin injury and is expected to miss at least three more weeks.

The Knicks outscored the Suns in the paint 36-28 and 17-5 from the free throw line. The Suns had only 7 free throw attempts to Knicks 25, something that doesn’t happen very often.

Mitchell Robinson was in double double with 10 and 10 yesterday but the Knicks lost Derrick Rose who played in all three Texas-trip games. Rose was ruled out for the Suns game with a contused left knee.

RJ Barrett missed his third straight game with a lacerated right index finger while Obi Toppin, with a non-displaced fracture on his fibula hasn’t seen any action since December 7th, missing 13 games.

Up-next: The Knicks (20-18) will try on Wednesday from 7:30pm to get back on the Spurs (12-23) after the 122-115 loss suffered on December 29th.