Knicks silence Jazz for 9th straight win

MANILA, Philippines — The New York Knicks won their ninth straight game, blasting the Utah Jazz, 119-103, Thursday morning (Manila time) in their NBA clash at the Madison Square Garden. 

The Knicks played without star guard Jalen Brunson and backup playmaker Deuce McBride, but they banked on monster performances from Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart to grab the win. 

Towns had this third 30-10 game, finishing with 31 points, 21 rebounds and four assists to go with a block and a steal. He shot 10-of-20 from the field, including three 3-pointers.

Hart, for his part, finished with a triple-double of 15 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists.

While the home team led by double-digits multiple times, they could not leave the visitors firmly on the rear-view mirror through three quarters, with the Jazz trailing by just eight, 79-87, heading into the fourth quarter. 

In the final frame, though, the Knicks started to erupt, unleashing an 8-0 run capped by a split from the line by Hart to go up by 16, 95-79. 

Walker Kessler finally broke Utah’s dry spell with a layup, 95-81, but New York simply had answer after answer. 

The Knicks lead grew to as much as 20 points, 117-97, late in the game after a 3-pointer by Mikal Bridges to seal the deal. 

Bridges finished with 27 points, while OG Anunoby had 22 markers for the Knicks. 

Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson led the Jazz with 25 points apiece. 

With the win, the Knicks rose to 24-10 in the season. The Jazz, for their part, dropped to 7-25 and lost their fifth straight game. 

New York’s next game will be against the red-hot Oklahoma City Thunder, whose 12-game winning streak is the league’s longest. 

In Toronto, the Raptors snapped their 11 game losing streak at the expense of the Brooklyn Nets, 130-113.

Scottie Barnes led the home team with 33 points and 13 rebounds. Gradey Dick and Immanuel Quickley registered 22 and 21 points, respectively. 

Cam Johnson powered the nets with 24 points, while returning D’Angelo Russell had 22 points and eight assists off the bench. 

The Miami Heat also drubbed the New Orleans Pelicans, 119-108; the Detroit Pistons manhandled the Orlando Magic, 105-96; and the Washington Wizards tamed the Chicago Bulls, 125-107.