Jalen Brunson scored 31 points as the New York Knicks ended a three-game skid and the unbeaten run of the visiting Chicago Bulls with a 128-116 victory on Sunday night.
Brunson set the tone with a 19-point first-quarter explosion for the Knicks, who for the game connected on all 22 attempts from the free-throw line.
The home side buried 20 of 42 3-pointers (47.6%), including 18 of 31 across the first three quarters.
OG Anunoby contributed 21 game points and Karl-Anthony Towns paired 20 points with 15 rebounds. Jordan Clarkson chipped in with 15 off the bench and Josh Hart had 14.
Josh Giddey produced his 19th career triple-double, peeling off 23 points, 12 boards and 12 assists for the Bulls, who suffered their first loss this season after starting with five wins.
Nikola Vucovic posted 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Tre Jones scored 15 points, Matas Buzelis 14 and Isaac Okoro 14.
Brunson knocked down 3 of 4 from deep in the opening frame, at the end of which New York turned an 18-all deadlock into a 34-24 lead.
Chicago, which shot 9 of 26 from the floor in the opening frame, went 13 of 21 in the second, and edged in front 46-44 with 7:42 left in the second quarter.
Jalen Smith scored 10 points in less than five minutes off the bench and Giddey had eight points, five boards and five assists for the quarter.
Brunson didn’t score or attempt a field goal in the second, but Clarkson sparked the Knicks again.
After not seeing any action in the first period, Clarkson scored 10 points inside five minutes in the second stanza, at the end of which New York led 68-60.
The Bulls made 12 of 19 from the floor in the third, but they coughed up six turnovers and conceded seven offensive rebounds, allowing the Knicks to move ahead 105-89 with a quarter to play.
Back-to-back Landry Shamet threes and a Towns slam highlighted a 10-0 New York burst in the fourth as the gap swelled to 25 points, 119-94, with 7:42 left in regulation.
–Field Level Media
