Knicks roll past Nets 113-100 as Towns erupts for 37 in rivalry win

The Knicks made their trip across the bridge look routine, cruising to a 113-100 win over the Nets at Barclays Center and extending their dominance in the rivalry to a staggering 12 straight victories. From start to finish, it felt like New York had complete control of the game, even if the scoreboard didn’t fully crack open until late in the fourth quarter.

Karl-Anthony Towns delivered one of his sharpest performances of the season, exploding for 37 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 3-of-4 from deep. His first-half stretch was especially ridiculous: during a 17-2 run, Towns scored 11 of the Knicks’ points, mixing inside power with effortless range. Every bucket looked smoother than the last.

Jalen Brunson added 27 points, keeping the offense steady and attacking the Nets’ defense from every angle. Mikal Bridges chipped in 16 points, giving the Knicks another reliable two-way effort.

Outside of a couple of fluky moments early – one in the opening minutes and another early in the second quarter – the Knicks were the better team throughout. The Nets did tie the game at 51 in the leading seconds of the second half, but that was as close as they’d get. New York took the hit, reset, and gradually reasserted control.

The real separation came late in the fourth when Brunson floated in a smooth runner to give the Knicks a 106-87 cushion. From there, it was just about closing the door and securing their second road win of the season.

Brooklyn at least had one bright spot: Noah Clowney went off for a career-high 31 points, knocking down 7-of-13 from three and practically carrying the Nets’ long-range attack by himself. Michael Porter Jr. added 16, and rookie Drake Powell had a career-best 15.

But the Nets as a whole were ice cold from beyond the arc. Porter shot 1-of-9, Egor Demin 1-of-8, Jalen Wilson 1-of-5, and Tyrese Martin 1-of-4. Clowney made half of Brooklyn’s threes, and even with his big night, the team still finished a brutal 14-of-48.

The Knicks weren’t lights-out either, going 12-of-35, but the difference was consistency. Only a couple of players truly struggled from deep – Miles McBride and Jordan Clarkson combined for 1-of-11 – and the Knicks made up for it by absolutely owning the paint. The final tally was 52-28 inside, a physical beating the Nets never found an answer for.

With the win, New York improves to 10-6 and finally picks up some momentum away from home. Brooklyn, meanwhile, drops to 3-14 and continues sinking into the bottom of the East