The defending champion New York Knicks are finding their rhythm. Jalen Brunson scored 23 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 16 rebounds as New York thrashed the struggling Milwaukee Bucks 117-85 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, the Knicks’ fourth straight victory and their sixth win in seven games since an 0-3 start.
OG Anunoby made five three-pointers and finished with 19 points, according to the Associated Press, as the Knicks outscored Milwaukee 32-13 in the second quarter to blow the game open, then put it away in the fourth after the Bucks had pulled back to 85-72 after three quarters. Towns led the response, and consecutive three-pointers from Anunoby pushed the lead beyond 20 at 106-78. Milwaukee, now 1-10, had no answer.
Towns keeps making history
Towns’ double-double was his 10th straight to open the season, making him only the third Knick ever to achieve the feat, joining Walt Bellamy and Willis Reed, according to the NBA’s own account of the game. It is a remarkable run for a player who has been the Knicks’ most consistent performer in the early weeks, and it underlines how central he has become to the champions’ title defence.
The Knicks’ turnaround has been swift. After losing their first three games, they have won six of seven, and the defence that carried them to the title last season is starting to look like itself again. Brunson is finding his scoring touch, Towns is dominating the glass, and Anunoby’s shooting gives them a third option that most teams cannot match.
Milwaukee’s misery deepens
For the Bucks, the defeat was another low point in a dreadful start. At 1-10, Milwaukee are bottom of the pile, and the 32-point margin at the Garden was the latest evidence of a team that looks lost. The Bucks host the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, and things do not get any easier. Josh Hart missed his third straight game for the Knicks through illness, a reminder that New York are winning even without a full deck.
The Knicks host Cleveland on Wednesday, and they will fancy their chances of extending the winning run to five. The champions are back, and the rest of the East has been warned.
Related reading: LeBron Leads 76ers Past Bulls as Celtics Rout Bucks 117-97 and Flagg Drops 43 as Mavericks Edge Pacers 125-122 in Thriller
