Jalen Brunson gets real on ‘desperate’ mindset in win over Clippers

The The New York Knicks snapped a season-worst four-game losing streak on Wednesday night with a 123–111 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at Madison Square Garden. The win improved New York to 24–13 and prevented the team from experiencing its longest skid since December 2022.

After the game, the Knicks play Jalen Brunson acknowledged the urgency of the performance after several uneven outings.

“For the most part, we played a little bit desperate tonight. We needed a win,” Brunson said. “The way we competed, the way we played, even if we were down in the first half, it was Knicks basketball. We continued to play that way and found a way to win.”

New York chased the game for most of the first half, but moving the ball and spreading the offense helped them settle down and get back on their feet.

Brunson led the Knicks with 26 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three-point range, while adding seven assists, three rebounds and just two turnovers. He didn’t take his first shot until more than six minutes into the first quarter, as New York prioritized ball movement right off the top. The Knicks finished with 31 assists on 47 field goals and only 10 turnovers, a significant improvement over their previous matchup against the Detroit Pistons.

Karl-Anthony Towns had 20 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists on the season. After scoring just six points in the first half, Towns added 10 points in the fourth quarter as New York pulled away. OG Anunoby also scored 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting as he spent much of the night defending Kawhi Leonard. Leonard finished with 25 points, but was held scoreless in the fourth quarter.

All five New York starters reached double figures. Myles McBride, inserted into the starting lineup, scored 16 points and knocked down four three-pointers while primarily guarding James Harden. Mikal Bridges had 15 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Off the bench, Jordan Clarkson scored 12 points, Tyler Kolek dished out five assists and led the team in plus-minus, and Gershon Yabusele added eight points in 13 minutes.

The game turned late in the third quarter. The Knicks closed the period on a short run, then opened the fourth by outscoring Los Angeles 20–5, extending the lead to as many as 15 points. New York scored 39 points in the third quarter alone after going into halftime down 56–51.

As a team, the Knicks shot 50 percent from the field and 42 percent from three-point range, while outrebounding the Clippers 48–40. Los Angeles shot 43 percent overall and 36 percent from deep. James Harden finished with 23 points, but only two came in the fourth quarter.

New York played without Josh Hartwho remains sidelined with an ankle injury and will be re-evaluated on Friday. The Knicks now embark on a four-game road trip, starting Friday night against the Phoenix Suns.