Towns returns with 26 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Knicks past the Nets 114-104

By BRIAN MAHONEY The Associated Press
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives to the basket against Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith, second from left, and Cam Johnson, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Noah K. Murray]

NEW YORK (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns returned from a one-game absence with 26 points, 15 rebounds and six assists, and the New York Knicks completed a two-game weekend sweep of the Brooklyn Nets with a 114-104 victory on Sunday night.

OG Anunoby had 24 points and eight rebounds for the Knicks, who were without Towns because of a bruised left knee when they beat the Nets 124-122 on Friday on Jalen Brunson’s 3-pointer with 6.2 seconds remaining.

Mikal Bridges added 21 points and Josh Hart had 20 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Knicks, who beat their city rivals for the eighth straight time. Brunson finished with just 12 points, shooting 3 for 14, but had 10 assists.

Cam Johnson scored 22 points for the Nets, who dropped their third straight.

Takeaways

Nets: Forced by injuries to currently use the 6-foot-7 Dorian Finney-Smith as their starting center, the Nets didn’t have much ability to defend the 7-foot Towns or even the 6-7 Anunoby, who scored 49 points in the two games.

Knicks: The Knicks won’t have many nights where they can win fairly easily without much scoring from Brunson, but their size and defense just overwhelmed the Nets.

Key moment

Brunson didn’t have a basket until making a jumper with 9:11 left in the third quarter. He had another one in what became a 12-4 spurt that extended a two-point lead to 76-66, and New York kept the advantage at or near double digits most of the way from there.

Key stat

The Knicks held Cam Thomas to 16 points on 4-for-11 shooting after he scored a season-high 43 Friday, his second straight game with 40 or more at Madison Square Garden.

Up next

The Knicks host Washington on Monday, and the Nets host Charlotte on Tuesday before both go on the road through Thanksgiving.

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