Knicks achieve a historic level of dominance over Nets

Knicks Dominate Nets in Brooklyn

On Monday, the rivalry between the Knicks and Nets was front and center, reminding everyone just how close these teams are—barely five miles apart across the East River.

The Knicks secured a 113-100 win in Brooklyn, marking their 12th consecutive victory against the Nets, the longest streak in their history. It’s kind of impressive, really.

Even though the Knicks had struggled with a 1-5 record on the road, the packed house at Barclays Center, with 18,019 fans, made it feel a bit like home to them.

Knicks fans might not be as noisy as they once were, but perhaps this is just the new normal, considering the Nets haven’t managed to win this matchup since January 28, 2023.

Karl-Anthony Towns was a powerhouse, scoring 37 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. He led a decisive 17-2 run in the first half, ensuring the Knicks (10-6) never looked back. Jalen Brunson also shone, adding 27 points to the mix. The Nets struggled to find their rhythm shooting, which didn’t help their cause at all.

Noah Clowney had a career-high 31 points for the Nets, showcasing some shooting skills with a 7-of-13 performance from beyond the arc. Yet, the team overall only managed a 37.9 percent shooting rate, making just 14 of 48 attempts from deep.

This was a step up from their recent 134-98 defeat at the Garden on November 9, but they still faced a tough situation at home; they were now 0-8 at Barclays and 3-14 overall.

Looking at the standings, the Nets sat fourth in the lottery slots, trailing the Pacers by 1.5 games. Just before their game against the Bulls, they were also behind the Pelicans by the same margin.

Towns, during that early dominant stretch, managed 11 points while the Knicks’ defense smothered the Nets, forcing them to shoot just 1-of-10. Clowney’s free throws briefly gave the Nets a 31-28 lead, but they couldn’t hold on.

Despite their efforts, including Porter making one three-pointer to narrow the gap, it was the Knicks who had the last laugh. They scored seven points in a row toward the end of the half and never surrendered their lead again, even pushing it to a 19-point gap at one point.

Rookie Drake Powell made a name for himself, putting up 15 points, while Porter managed 16, although his long-range shooting was off (just 1-of-9).

The Knicks were without OG Anunoby (due to a hamstring issue) and Landry Shamet (shoulder), though Miles McBride played despite being under the weather.