Karl-Anthony Towns delivered a dominant performance with 32 points and 18 rebounds, leading the New York Knicks to a 113-111 overtime victory over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night.
Jalen Brunson added 22 points and 12 assists, while Miles McBride contributed 22 points as the Knicks improved to 37-18, securing their third consecutive win. Mikal Bridges chipped in with 13 points and 10 rebounds, helping New York overcome the absence of key players Josh Hart and OG Anunoby.
Josh Giddey paced the Bulls (22-34) with 27 points and 16 rebounds, while Nikola Vucevic recorded 21 points and nine rebounds. Chicago, which has now lost five straight games, had a chance to force double overtime, but Vucevic’s final attempt over Landry Shamet missed as time expired.
The game remained tight throughout, with the Knicks erasing a three-point deficit in the final minute of regulation. Vucevic briefly gave the Bulls a 104-102 lead with a three-pointer, but Brunson responded with a stepback jumper over Ayo Dosunmu to tie it. On the ensuing possession, Bridges blocked Vucevic’s shot under the basket, forcing overtime.
Giddey opened the extra period with a three-pointer, but the Knicks countered with a 9-0 run, fueled by three straight baskets from Towns. Chicago closed the gap behind two late shots from Coby White, but Vucevic’s final attempt fell short, sealing New York’s win.
New York, which has won nine of its last 11 games, saw a major second-half surge from Towns. After struggling with just six points on 2-for-15 shooting in the first half, he erupted for 26 points in the second half and overtime, finishing 12-for-15 from the field after the break.
Bridges’ defensive presence proved crucial, with his late-game block on Vucevic preventing a potential game-winner. The Knicks also received key contributions from Precious Achiuwa, who finished with 11 points and nine rebounds, and Landry Shamet, who played pivotal minutes off the bench.
Chicago struggled offensively, shooting just 39.8% from the field, despite making 19 three-pointers. The Bulls failed to capitalize on a strong third quarter in which they outscored New York 38-33. White was limited to 11 points, while Lonzo Ball added 14.
