Jalen Brunson was on track to drop a staggering 76 points on the Chicago Bulls last night, setting the tone for a New York Knicks blowout 135-105 victory at Madison Square Garden. The alerts were blowing up phones everywhere, spoiling the surprise long before the final buzzer, but nothing could diminish the sheer dominance on display as the Knicks pushed their record to 4-4 against the Bulls’ 1-7.
Brunson’s First-Quarter Onslaught Puts Bulls on Ice
Let’s be real, the moment Landry Shamet, stepping in for an injured Josh Hart with a sore ankle, drained the team’s first four points, you knew something was brewing. But then Jalen Brunson took over. After a quick 6-6 tie, the Knicks hit hyperdrive, attacking the paint and shooting with stunning efficiency to grab a 17-8 lead. Who was leading the charge? Captain Jalen Brunson, absolutely torching the Bulls with his first 14 points coming on just seven shots. By the end of the first quarter, he already had 22 points. Think that’s crazy? It’s not even his personal best for a first quarter, he dropped 23 on Milwaukee back in January 2025. Still, it was absolutely stunning. Brunson was responsible for all but six of the Knicks’ first 19 points! OG Anunoby wasn’t just standing around either, he chipped in seven points in the first frame, including four from the charity stripe, gorging at the free-throw line.
Bench Boost and Blowing It Out
The bench wasn’t letting up. Rookie Mohamed Diawara checked in around the middle of the first and put together some of his best minutes of the season. We saw a slick three-pointer and a huge block on Wilson’s layup. Fellow bench spark plug Jordan Clarkson added five points, highlighted by a sweet transition three-ball off a dime from Brunson. The lead exploded, hitting 22 points in a flash. Karl-Anthony Towns might’ve started slow for his second straight game on the scoring front, with just two points in the first, but he was everywhere else, logging four boards, a steal, and an assist, continuing his incredible run toward an eighth straight double-double. The Knicks were absolutely lighting it up from deep, shooting 43% from beyond the arc and at one point held a ridiculous 44-point lead. It was a complete dismantling. Not everything was perfect, Mikal, the struggling wing, didn’t score in the first, dishing two dimes and grabbing two boards, doing little to calm nerves about his recent play. For the Bulls, Normal Norman Powell managed four points, while Tre Jones added… well, we can only imagine what else Tre Jones added as the box score trailed off.
What a statement win for the Knicks. With Brunson blazing like that and guys like Knecht (10 PTS, 7 RBS in just 16 MIN for a very promising debut) stepping up, it feels like they’re just getting started. What does this kind of dominant performance mean for the 4-4 Knicks as they look to build on this momentum? We’ll be watching every possession.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Posting and Toasting.
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