In a stunning comeback victory, Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart propelled the New York Knicks (45-31) to a 120-109 triumph over the Sacramento Kings (44-32) on Thursday night.
Despite trailing by 21 points, the Knicks rallied behind Brunson’s 35-point performance and Hart’s season-high 31 points to snap a three-game losing streak.
Brunson also added 11 points, while Hart flirted with triple-double as he grabbed nine rebounds and dished out eight assists. Donte DiVincenzo also made significant contributions with 21 points.
The Knicks fought hart in the absence of Julius Randle, who will miss the remainder of the season due to right shoulder surgery.
With the victory, the Knicks moved into a tie with the Orlando Magic for the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference. Despite the tie, the Magic currently hold the head-to-head tiebreaker, giving them the edge in securing home-court advantage in a potential first-round playoff series.
De’Aaron Fox led the Kings with 29 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, but it wasn’t enough to propel Sacramento to victory.
Domantas Sabonis continued his series of double-doubles with 17 points and 11 rebounds. He also dished out seven assists. Keegan Murray contributed 18 points.
Despite their efforts, the Kings missed an opportunity to climb higher in the Western Conference standings, failing to capitalize on a chance to join New Orleans and Phoenix for sixth place.
As the game progressed, Brunson and Hart took charge, spearheading a crucial 13-0 run in the fourth quarter to seize control of the contest. Their clutch performances down the stretch proved decisive, ensuring the Knicks emerged victorious in a pivotal matchup with playoff implications.
