Jalen Brunson’s late efforts lead Knicks to a difficult win against the Rockets

Knicks’ Comeback Against Rockets

After two disappointing losses to championship contenders following the All-Star break, the Knicks seemed to be down for the count.

Jalen Brunson was having an off night—arguably his worst of the season—while his teammates struggled to provide support. With the Knicks trailing by 18 points early in the fourth quarter, the atmosphere at Madison Square Garden turned tense, and boos filled the air.

But, of course, counting Brunson out is usually a mistake.

With about 4:40 remaining in the game, Brunson hit a jumper to cut the deficit to four. Shortly after, he drew a charge that allowed the Knicks to regain possession.

Then, just a couple of plays later, he scored again, bringing the Knicks within two points. With 1:14 on the clock, a layup tied the game at 103.

But the real highlight came next.

Brunson executed a smooth crossover on Tali Eason, sinking a jumper with just 21.2 seconds left, giving the Knicks a crucial two-point lead. They held on to defeat the Rockets 108-106, marking their biggest comeback of the season.

Interestingly, Brunson hadn’t made a basket until late in the third quarter, missing his initial five shots. By halftime, he’d managed only two points from free throws. However, he turned it around in the fourth, scoring eight points with perfect shooting, which was critical in avoiding another upsetting loss.

Jose Alvarado made a significant impact with five points and three steals during an important stretch in the fourth quarter, contributing to a total of nine forced turnovers by the Rockets, while only committing one himself.

Karl-Anthony Towns, a subject of speculation following the Knicks’ prior loss, added seven points in the final quarter, finishing the game with a high of 25 points.

OG Anunoby started strong with 16 points in the first half but only managed four in the second. Still, he effectively sealed the game with two free throws in the final moments. Landry Shamet also played a pivotal role off the bench, scoring 14 points as he stepped in more frequently over Mikal Bridges.

Kevin Durant entered the fourth quarter with 25 points but was limited to just five in that period, shooting only 2 of 6 from the field, including three from beyond the arc after Anunoby’s free throws.

The Knicks’ defense initially struggled but made a crucial turnaround in the fourth quarter, replicating their earlier lapse against the Pistons. The Rockets had shot over 50% until that point but ended the quarter hitting only 3 of 12 attempts.