The New York Knicks finally found the Magic words to vanquish their Central Floridian adversaries on Sunday afternoon.
An imposing physical effort allowed the Knicks to finally master the Orlando Magic, capping off a perfect three-game homestand with a 106-100 victory at Madison Square Garden. Jalen Brunson led the way with 30 points while OG Anunoby built a 21-point tally with five three-pointers in his second game back from injury.
Coming into Sunday’s game, the Magic was the only team to defeat the Knicks under MSG’s iconic roof so far this season. Orlando had also successfully defended its homecourt last month, making it the only team to beat the Knicks twice in this early campaign. The Knicks were also missing Karl-Anthony Towns in this latest get-together, as the All-Star center was a late scratch due to calf tightness. Miles McBride also left during second half action, hurting his ankle after a Desmond Bane foul sent him to the charity stripe. McBride stayed in the game to shoot his free throws but did not return after that.
But even with the sizable Towns sitting out, the Knicks (16-7) had prowess in the paint: New York won the rebounding battle by four as four different Manhattanites pulled in at least seven. Mitchell Robinson was the leader with 13 (eight of the offensive variety as the Knicks scored a dozen second chance points) while Josh Hart was one behind him with 12 while scoring 17 points. Sunday also provided an opportunity for Ariel Hukporti, who put up seven boards, six points, and three blocks in an extended 23-minute showing.
More second period squalor for the Knicks allowed Orlando, partly energized by the continued return of franchise face Paolo Banchero, to stick around for a while. Anthony Black, for example, closed the first half with a three-point that allowed the visiting Magic to take a slim one-point lead into the halftime break.
But the Knicks scored the first 13 points of the second half, with eight such tallies coming from the hands of Brunson. The lead was expanded to nine by the end of the third and seven straight from the Knicks at the tip of the fourth more or less shifted momentum for good.
The primary bit of second half drama came when Desmond Bane chucked the ball at the back of Anunoby when the latter’s fastbreak off a Mikal Bridges steal drive to the rim was interrupted by a Black swat. The two sides came together with a slight shove from Anunoby but cooler heads prevailed, with Bane charged with a technical foul that led to a Brunson single.
It was also a painful day for the Magic (14-10) in more ways than one, as Franz Wagner was forced to leave the game early with a lower leg injury sustained when Ariel Hukporti collapsed upon him in the rejection of a first quarter shot attempt. Jalen Suggs had 17 to lead the visitors while Black had 14 points and 11 boards off the bench.
The Knicks have some extracirriculars coming up in their next game, as they’ll face the Toronto Raptors in NBA Cup quarterfinal action on Tuesday night in Ontario (8:30 p.m. ET, MSG/Prime Video). Orlando will likewise be partaking, facing a Floridian civil war with the Miami Heat beforehand.
