A few nights after a Halloween meltdown in Chicago, the Knicks came back with a vengeance. Jalen Brunson dropped 31 points, OG Anunoby added 20, and New York handled the Bulls 128-116 at Madison Square Garden to finally snap a three-game losing streak.
From the opening minutes, it was clear this was a different Knicks team than the one that fell apart on the road. They dropped 68 points in the first half and then piled on another 37 in the third quarter. Outside of a brief stretch early in the first when the Bulls hit their opening shots, New York never trailed again. The ball movement was sharp, the energy was relentless, and the Garden crowd could feel the weight of frustration from the previous week lift almost instantly.
Karl-Anthony Towns continued his steady start to the season, posting 20 points and 15 rebounds – his fifth double-double of the young year. His presence on the glass and ability to stretch the floor kept Chicago from loading up defensively on Brunson, who looked completely in control. The Knicks’ offense flowed through him, but unlike recent games, he had plenty of help.
The bench, which had been missing in action during the losing streak, came alive in a big way. The second unit poured in 46 points, led by Jordan Clarkson’s 15 on 3-of-6 shooting from deep. Clarkson’s spark was most evident in the second quarter, when he dropped 11 points and turned the game’s tempo entirely in New York’s favor.
Josh Hart was everywhere, putting together a vintage all-around effort – 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists – and playing like a man out to erase the memory of his rough Halloween performance.
By halftime, the Knicks led 68-60, and when they built their cushion to 121-96 midway through the fourth, the result was all but sealed. Even as the Bulls pushed late to trim the deficit, New York’s composure never wavered.
“This group is more than capable of playing fast. We scored 128 points and probably could have scored a few more.”
– Mike Brown
Chicago got 23 points from Josh Giddey, while Nikola Vucevic added 17 points and 14 rebounds. Derrick Jones Jr. chipped in 15, but the Bulls couldn’t find the same rhythm they had just days earlier. Once again, they dominated inside – outscoring the Knicks 54-42 in the paint – but this time, New York made up the difference at the line.
The Knicks were flawless from the stripe, hitting all 22 of their free throws, while Chicago went just 8-for-11. That disparity was the difference-maker, a sign of how aggressively the Knicks attacked compared to the flat, jumper-happy effort they showed in the last meeting.
It wasn’t just a win – it was a reset. After three straight losses, including one to this same Bulls team, the Knicks finally looked like themselves again: balanced, tough, and confident. If they can bottle this version of their play, maybe that early-season stumble will just be a footnote in what’s still a long road ahead.
Up-next: The Knicks (3-3) will host the Wizards (1-5) tonight from 7:30.
rady
KnicksOnline.com founder. Software tester by day time, sports shooter by free time. Rocking with the orange and blue since the mid 90s.