Jalen Brunson scored the first six points of the decisive run in the second overtime Wednesday night for the host New York Knicks, who earned their eighth straight win by outlasting the Denver Nuggets 134-127.
Brunson outscored the Nuggets 10-8 in the second overtime and finished with 42 points, nine assists and eight rebounds as the Knicks continued their longest winning streak since a nine-game run from Dec. 15, 2024 through Jan. 1, 2025.
Karl-Anthony Towns (24 points, 12 rebounds) had a double-double despite missing most of the second quarter with a cut around his right eye following a collision with the Nuggets’ Spencer Jones.
OG Anunoby had 20 points while Landry Shamet added 16 points off the bench. Starter Jordan Clarkson (11 points) and reserve Mitchell Robinson (10 points) also got into double figures.
Nuggets star Nikola Jokic (30 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists) tied Oscar Robertson for second place all time with his 181st regular-season triple-double, but he shot a career-worst 1-for-13 from 3-point land and just 37% (10-of-27) overall.
Jamal Murray had 39 points as the Nuggets suffered their season-high third straight loss. Tim Hardaway Jr. (19 points), Julian Strawther (11 points) and Bruce Brown (10 points) all scored in double digits off the bench for Denver, which also received 10 points from Peyton Watson.
Jones didn’t play after the first quarter.
Brunson’s big overtime capped a wild game between a pair of NBA title contenders playing the second game of a back-to-back. There were 20 lead changes and 19 ties and neither team led by more than nine points.
Jokic had a game-winning 3-pointer at the regulation buzzer bounce off the back of the rim. The Knicks appeared to clinch a 119-117 win when Murray missed a 3-pointer just before the overtime buzzer, but Mikal Bridges fouled Christian Braun away from the ball with 0.3 seconds left and Braun drained the free throws – his only free-throw attempts of the game.
A dunk by Murray of a Brunson steal opened the second overtime, but Brunson hit a bank shot before putting the Knicks ahead for good by splitting a pair of free throws with 3:39 left. He then drained a 3-pointer following an errant 3-pointer by Jokic.
Bridges’ lone 3-pointer gave the Knicks a 130-123 lead with 1:25 remaining, after which Jokic went 1-of-3 from the free-throw line and Hardaway hit a 3-pointer. Brunson hit a floater and then iced the win with a pair of free throws following another missed 3-pointer by Jokic.
–Field Level Media
