NBA: Jalen Brunson, Knicks push past Pelicans for 7th straight win

Jalen Brunson scored 32 points and Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a double-double as the New York Knicks defeated the visiting New Orleans Pelicans 121-116 on Tuesday night, marking their seventh consecutive win.

Towns finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds for the Knicks (48-25). OG Anunoby also contributed 21 points, Mikal Bridges added 14, Mitchell Robinson had 11, and both Jordan Clarkson and Josh Hart scored 10 each.

For New Orleans (25-48), Zion Williamson led with 22 points, Jeremiah Favors added 21, Saddiq Bey had 18, Trey Murphy III scored 14, Herb Jones contributed 13, and Karlo Matkovic finished with 12. The Pelicans have dropped two straight games following a 5-1 run.

Williamson started the second half with a three-point play, and Murphy hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 66. Towns scored five points, while Bridges and Anunoby each made a 3-pointer as New York pulled ahead 77-70.

The Pelicans scored the next seven points, tying the game three more times before Brunson assisted Robinson for a dunk, giving the Knicks a 93-92 lead at the end of the third quarter.

New York opened the fourth quarter with five straight points, but Favors scored 11 as New Orleans closed the gap to 109-107. Brunson then made consecutive jumpers to extend the lead to 113-107 with 3:26 remaining.

New Orleans got within three points with 15 seconds left on a Murphy layup, but Brunson sealed the win with two free throws.

The game began with New Orleans taking an early 13-7 lead, as Dejounte Murray made a 3-pointer and Bey added two more. Towns scored five straight points, and Brunson’s 3-pointer gave New York a 22-21 lead.

Anunoby hit two 3-pointers and Brunson added another during a 15-0 run, giving the Knicks a 42-28 lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter, Favors scored seven points during an 18-2 Pelicans run to take a two-point lead. Bridges tied the game for New York, but Favors responded with a 3-pointer. New York then scored seven consecutive points, and after New Orleans tied it at 56, Murphy’s dunk in the final seconds gave the Knicks a 66-60 halftime lead.

-Field Level Media/Reuters