Knicks fall short to Booker, Suns, 116-113 despite Brunson’s heroics in late-game drama

In a heart-stopping clash that went down to the wire, the Knicks suffered a tough 116-113 home loss to the Suns, with Devin Booker delivering a dagger three-pointer with 1.7 seconds left. The Suns’ victory mirrored the intensity of the previous game, where Jimmy Butler had narrowly missed a game-winner from the same spot.

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with a game-high 35 points, along with 8 assists and 6 rebounds. Julius Randle contributed 29 points, and Immanuel Quickley added 18 buckets off the bench. Despite Brunson’s desperate buzzer-beater attempt hitting the rim, his earlier efforts were crucial in keeping the Knicks in contention.

Brunson’s clutch play tied the score at 113-113 with just 15 seconds left, while minute earlier, he assisted Randle for a dunk that narrowed the lead to 2 points. The Knicks had trailed 98-92 early in the fourth quarter and faced a 13-point deficit five minutes into the third.

However, a remarkable 20-5 run propelled the Knicks into their first lead of the game at 86-84, with 2:30 left in the third quarter. Julius Randle was instrumental in this comeback, scoring an impressive 17 points in the third quarter alone.

RJ Barrett, however, had a challenging night, finishing with just 9 points and a 3-11 field goal percentage. Barrett managed only 2 points, from the free-throw line in the second half, going 0-4 from the field.

The Suns played without key players Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, but Devin Booker stepped up with 28 points and 11 assists. Eric Gordon contributed 25 points, while Jordan Goodwin made a notable impact off the bench with 14 points.

Up-next: The Knicks (9-7) will host the Hornets (5-10) on Tuesday from 7:30pm for the last game that counts for the In-Season Tournament. Knicks need a solid win and the Bucks to lose to the Heat in order to win the group and advance to the Knockout rounds.