Jalen Brunson scored 33 points in 28 minutes as the New York Knicks routed the Chicago Bulls 135-105 on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at Madison Square Garden.
Brunson shot 10-for-17 from the field, made five 3-pointers and added four assists without committing a turnover. He scored 22 points in the first quarter alone, going 8-for-10 from the field and 4-for-5 from beyond the arc.
New York opened a 43-21 lead after the first quarter and extended it to 84-52 at halftime. The Knicks became the first team in franchise history to score at least 40 points in each of the first two quarters of a game.
The Knicks led by as many as 44 points after Miles McBride converted a four-point play with 3:23 remaining in the third quarter. New York never allowed Chicago to cut the deficit below 30 points afterward.
OG Anunoby scored 18 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns posted 17 points and 12 rebounds. Dalton Knecht made his Knicks debut with 10 points, and Jordan Clarkson also finished with 10.
Chicago’s sixth consecutive loss dropped the Bulls to 1-7. Tre Jones led the team with 14 points, while Matas Buzelis and Norman Powell scored 12 apiece.
The Bulls shot 39% from the field and 23% from 3-point range. Every opponent has scored at least 124 points against Chicago this season.
New York improved to 4-4 after winning four of its last five games following an 0-3 start. The Knicks had also beaten Chicago 133-127 on Oct. 28.
The Bulls host the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, Nov. 8, while the Knicks visit the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, Nov. 7.
