OKLAHOMA CITY — For part of a big Friday night in Knicksland, Tom Thibodeau's team was battling the red-hot Thunder.
In fact, it's more than just hanging.
They crushed the top defense with an exquisite second quarter. But in the final game, as the clock ticked down for victory in the fourth quarter, the Thunder showed superior depth with slippery MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the Knicks had a 117 -107 and couldn't catch up. defeat.
Jalen Brunson's two turnovers played a pivotal role in the final three-plus minutes, and Gilgeous-Alexander had a 33-point, seven-assist performance.
Brunson, returning from a one-game absence due to a sore calf, threw two passes with just over three minutes remaining to keep the game even.
“It didn't look like it at all,” said Brunson, who also missed all five 3-pointers. “That's not what I would do in that situation.”
With this loss, the Knicks (24-11), who were aiming for their first double-digit winning streak since 2013, ended their winning streak at nine. The Thunder (29 wins, 5 losses), a powerhouse in the West Division, have won 14 straight games.
In the end, the Knicks couldn't measure up high enough.
“Nothing positive. We've got to be better,” Josh Hart said after scoring 19 points in 44 minutes. “We've got to execute a little bit better, especially in the fourth quarter. We know that. We've got to find it. We can't rely on anyone else. We're definitely going to go out there and try to make sure we're on the field.” We need to execute and play our game.”
Over the past month, the Knicks have made light work of the cake portion of their schedule, entertaining the residents of the bottom half while winning nine straight and 19 of their last 23 games.
Friday marked the first time since 2000 that teams with simultaneous winning streaks of at least nine games faced each other.
Last time it was Scottie Pippen's Trail Blazers vs. Shaquille O'Neal's Lakers.
So the night had the feel of a big game, and an opportunity for the Knicks to earn some due recognition as they look to earn respect as a legitimate contender. The Thunder were already attracting national attention.
“They're the No. 1 defense and they've played really well all year,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “Aside from the defensive side, they've been playing really good basketball. And we've been playing great basketball. So it's a good opportunity for both of us to meet each other and test our skills.”
The initial response was positive.
After a close first quarter, the Knicks displayed overwhelming offensive power in the second quarter. Their standard balanced attack outscored Oklahoma City 36-21 in the second quarter and overwhelmed OKC's athletic defense.
At the break, the Knicks led 66-54.
However, things quickly unraveled in the second half as the Knicks bench became thin without the injured Myles McBride.
Thibodeau's reserves were outscored 44-5 and barely played. It was the first time since 2013 that all Knicks starters played at least 40 minutes.
“I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tired,” said Towns, who played 42 minutes and grabbed 22 rebounds. “I think this film shows that. But I was going to do whatever it took to get a win. I just wanted to help my teammates win and put myself in a position to keep winning.” I just wanted to. Unfortunately, I couldn't finish work tonight. It hurts.”
The Thunder deployed a strategy that worked against the Knicks this season. They used a smaller but stronger player, in this case Jaylen Williams, to protect Towns and limit his play on the perimeter.
It was effective enough, and Towns only scored 17 points, but it was just a small reason why the Knicks lost when it really mattered and the level of competition went up.
“We know we're a good team,” Hart said. “We know we have to keep going. But in certain situations, it wasn't a good game for us.”
