Jalen Brunson scored 30 points and added nine assists for the host New York Knicks, who mounted their biggest comeback of the season and edged the undermanned Golden State Warriors, 110-107, yesterday (Philippine time).
The Knicks went 22-of-23 from the line — the third time this season they’ve had one miss or fewer from the line while hoisting at least 20 attempts — as they overcame a 21-point second-quarter deficit.
Karl-Anthony Towns posted a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds, while OG Anunoby had 14 points, including a pair of free throws for the game’s final points with 6.2 seconds left.
Jordan Clarkson (14 points) and Landry Shamet (10) each got into double figures off the bench.
Josh Hart pulled down 12 boards, and Mitchell Robinson had 10.
Brandin Podziemski scored 25 points for the skidding Warriors, who played without injured leading scorers Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III and De’Anthony Melton as well as hobbled veterans Draymond Green, Seth Curry and Al Horford.
Quinten Post had 22 points while Gui Santos scored 20 and Gary Payton II added 19 as the Warriors suffered their fifth straight loss.
Podziemski hit a pair of free throws with 8:43 left in the first quarter to give the Warriors a 13-11 lead and start a stretch of 28-plus minutes in which the visitors never relinquished the lead.
Golden State scored the final 11 points of the first quarter to take a 35-21 lead and opened the second on an 11-4 run to take its biggest lead at 46-25 on Post’s putback with 9:30 left.
But the Knicks began cooling off the Warriors, who shot 4-of-13 the rest of the quarter as New York went into halftime with a 20-8 surge to pull within 54-45.
The Knicks got within two points five times before Mikal Bridges’ runner tied the score at 73-73 with 3:58 left in the third.
The teams later traded the lead on four consecutive possessions, after which Robinson’s putback gave New York the lead for good at 81-80 with 1:07 remaining. Shamet ended the quarter with a layup.
The Knicks never trailed in the fourth, when the Warriors pulled within one point three times in the final 2:04.
Golden State had a chance to tie it in the waning seconds, but Santos’ pass intended for Post glanced off his hands and Shamet collected the ball before running out the clock. (Field Level Media / Reuters)