ORLANDO, Fla. — With three days off following that embarrassing loss to the Hawks — when Trae Young gloated on the MSG brand — Sunday night time was a possibility for the Knicks to indicate proof of coronary heart.
They responded by successful a dogfight in opposition to a shorthanded however scrappy Magic squad, 100-91, a efficiency that was chippy and uneven however ok to set Tom Thibodeau’s squad again on the higher monitor.
“Hard-fought highway win,” the coach summed up.
win in opposition to the Magic on Dec. 15. AP
The Magic (17-11) had been lacking their unquestioned two finest gamers — Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner — because of accidents.
But they’re additionally feisty and entered undefeated at dwelling at 10-0.
The Knicks (16-10), who leapfrogged the Magic for third within the East, overcame 17 turnovers, quite a few falls to the courtroom and an antagonizing opposing middle in Mo Wagner (who dropped a season-high 32 factors).
The testy battle included a flagrant foul from Karl-Anthony Towns and double technicals issued to Cam Payne and Wendell Carter Jr. due to a small kerfuffle that spilled into the Knicks’ bench.
The refs had been, for essentially the most half, letting them play.
And the Knicks didn’t again down.
“I assumed we performed good as a workforce,” Towns mentioned. “We made performs once we wanted to for one another. I assumed we performed good protection, too. We did quite a lot of good issues that we would have liked to do in opposition to a workforce that’s actually good and that’s enjoying rather well now in Orlando, discovered ourselves getting a win right here, one thing that individuals haven’t been capable of do.”
Behind their level guard-center All-Star combo, the Knicks led for the ultimate 34 minutes and eventually created separation within the fourth quarter.
Jalen Brunson, whose step-back 3-pointer with eight minutes left felt just like the night’s largest shot, led the workforce with 31 factors on 8-for-18 capturing, attending to the road continuously and irritating Magic guard Jalen Suggs.
Towns added 22 factors and 22 rebounds in 43 minutes.
Mikal Bridges was additionally sturdy with 17 factors on 7-for-11 capturing.
And the scoring whole by the Magic was extra 1994 than 2024.
“It was bodily. There was quite a lot of contact. But I assumed we performed sensible,” Thibodeau mentioned. “I would like the contact with intelligence. Body place and communication. I assumed that was significantly better immediately.”
Still, the Knicks had been fortunate in some respects.
Without Franz Wagner and Banchero, the Magic offense was sterile.
They shot simply 30 % on 30 3-point makes an attempt.
Jalen Suggs was a depressing 4-for-19 from the sector and couldn’t lock down Brunson.
Multiple Magic gamers had been visibly pissed off after shedding to the Knicks for the second time in lower than two weeks.
“It’s robust, you’re getting grabbed, you’re getting held then you definitely’re not making photographs,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley mentioned.
The Knicks and their followers had been happier, in fact.
Enough supporters caught across the Kia Center to serenade Brunson with “MVP” chants.
At least for Sunday, the Hawks defeat served as a studying expertise.
“I would like us to know why we win or lose,” Thibodeau defined. “And I believe that’s a giant a part of enchancment. Obviously, I’d wish to study extra from successful, however typically you study extra from shedding and whenever you fall quick you must be trustworthy with your self and make corrections for the subsequent sport. And it’s a protracted season. So you possibly can’t get too excessive, too low, and perceive what goes into every day and never take any shortcuts. And when you do this, you’re going to enhance.
“And the aim is all the time to be enjoying your finest on the finish of the 12 months. So there are issues in each sport that you just do nicely, issues that you must do higher.”
