Knicks grind out physical 100-91 win over shorthanded Magic to move up 3rd in the East

The Knicks took full advantage of a depleted Orlando Magic roster on Friday night, grinding out a 100-91 victory to move into third place in the East.

After a tough loss to the Atlanta Hawks earlier in the week, the extra rest seemed to pay off, as Jalen Brunson’s 31 points and Karl-Anthony Towns’ monster double-double of 22 points and 22 rebounds powered the Knicks past the shorthanded Magic.

“We made plays when we needed to for each other. I thought we played good defense, too. We did a lot of good things that we needed to do against a team that’s really good and that’s playing really well now in Orlando, found ourselves getting a win here, something that people haven’t been able to do.”

– Karl-Anthony Towns

It was a game defined by physicality and grit, with neither team finding much rhythm early. The Knicks leaned on their defense and a second-quarter burst to take control. Leading 33-32, they reeled off an 11-3 run, fueled by a couple of threes from Miles McBride and Towns, along with solid defensive plays, to stretch their lead. By halftime, they were firmly ahead, outscoring the Magic 29-19 in the period.

The Magic, missing both Paolo Banchero (out since October 31) and Franz Wagner (out for three games with injury), struggled to find consistent offense outside of Moritz Wagner’s 32-point explosion off the bench and Tristan da Silva’s 20-point effort. With all other Magic players finishing in single digits, the Knicks’ defensive game plan was effective in keeping Orlando at bay.

The Knicks’ lead grew to 16 midway through the fourth quarter when Towns muscled his way inside for a driving layup to make it 92-76 with 5:05 remaining. While the Magic managed to chip away at the deficit, they never got closer than six points down the stretch.

Mikal Bridges chipped in 17 points for the Knicks, and Josh Hart added a steady 12, helping to steady the offense in critical moments. The Knicks’ ability to dominate the glass, anchored by Towns, and to capitalize on their defensive stops made the difference in a game where every point was earned the hard way.

Up-next: The Knicks (16-10) take a few days to rest before traveling to Minneapolis on Thursday to take on the Timberwolves (14-11)