NEW YORK — The Knicks have regained management of New York’s NBA basketball rivalry. They even received in Brooklyn once more.
Julius Randle scored 26 factors, Donte DiVincenzo added 23 and the Knicks beat the Nets 121-102 on Wednesday night time for his or her first victory at Barclays Center in 4 years.
Immanuel Quickley had 19 factors and Jalen Brunson completed with 16 factors, eight assists and 7 rebounds for the Knicks, who misplaced 9 straight conferences when Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have been in Brooklyn. The Knicks have simply received all three matchups for the reason that Nets traded the 2 stars final season.
Now the Knicks have ended a six-game shedding streak throughout city, the place they hadn’t received since Dec. 26, 2019.
“Everything’s back to normal I guess,” Randle mentioned.
Both groups have been enjoying their first video games again after coming back from journeys to the West, and the Knicks performed with much more vitality whereas main practically the whole recreation. DiVincenzo made 5 3-pointers and grabbed eight rebounds, whereas Josh Hart had 10 factors and 13 rebounds off the bench.
PHOTOS: Knicks beat Nets 121-102, win in Brooklyn for the primary time in 4 years
“We both were on the West Coast. Nobody can use that as an excuse,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn mentioned. “They came back home, we came back home, played a game, same amount of rest, and they were better than us tonight in all facets of the game.”
The Knicks have been technically nonetheless on their journey, ending 3-2 after beating the Lakers in Los Angeles on Monday. Coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned his workforce wouldn’t permit the schedule to be an excuse.
“When they tell us the ball’s going up at this time, we’re ready,” Thibodeau mentioned.
Cam Thomas and Cam Johnson every scored 20 factors for the Nets, who misplaced their fourth straight. Mikal Bridges continued to wrestle, lacking his first eight photographs and ending 4 for 21 for 15 factors, after going 4 for 16 on Monday at Utah.
The Nets missed 11 of their first 13 photographs and the Knicks had a double-digit lead by the midpoint of the primary quarter. They led 60-51 at halftime.
The Knicks opened the second half with an 11-0 burst for a 71-51 lead on Randle’s basket. DiVincenzo had a basket and a 3-pointer throughout the surge, then hit two extra 3s within the subsequent jiffy to maintain the Nets from constructing any momentum.
Brooklyn missed its first eight photographs of the third quarter, however finally put collectively a 16-5 run that lower it to 84-77. The Knicks bought the final three baskets of the interval to guide 90-77 going to the fourth, then got here again with an 8-0 burst that pushed it to 98-77 and put it away.
The Knicks have been all the way down to their third beginning middle of the season after saying earlier than the sport that Jericho Sims, who began all 5 video games since Mitchell Robinson was misplaced to left ankle surgical procedure that may sideline him not less than two months, would miss not less than every week after spraining his proper ankle Monday.
Isaiah Hartenstein, who has performed effectively because the backup and remained in that function when Robinson went down, moved into the beginning lineup Wednesday. He grabbed 10 rebounds.
The Nets performed for the twenty first time in 27 video games this season with out Ben Simmons, who shall be out till not less than January with a pinched nerve in his decrease again. The Nets mentioned earlier than the sport the No. 1 choose within the 2016 draft was displaying improved power within the space, however nonetheless doing solely particular person court docket work and that his standing could be up to date once more in roughly two weeks.
They do hope to have Dennis Smith Jr. (higher again) and Lonnie Walker IV (left hamstring) again on the ground subsequent week.
UP NEXT
Knicks: Host Milwaukee on Saturday within the opener of a two-game collection earlier than they meet once more on Christmas.
Nets: Host Denver on Friday night time.
