The New York Knicks defeated the Orlando Magic 106-100, despite not having Karl-Anthony Towns.
On Sunday afternoon, the New York Knicks knew they had a tough task ahead of them when they faced off against the Orlando Magic without Karl-Anthony Towns.
Even without Towns, the Knicks found a way to win by a total of 106-100 in a very hard-fought game. Jalen Brunson continued his usual heroics, putting up 30 points, 9 assists, and 2 rebounds on 44/14/75 shooting from the field.
However, the team had to look for help in unfamiliar places, and that's what they got with Ariel Hukporti. The 23-year-old had seldom played up until today, but he still put up 6 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks, and 1 steal in 22 minutes off the bench.
Jalen Brunson's Reaction to the Win
After the win, Brunson was asked about how the up-and-coming Magic, to which he gave them massive credit for their inability to quit.
"A lot of focus and attention to detail," Brunson said. "They're not going to quit, that's how they're coached, and that's how they play. They're going to keep fighting, just not falling into any of that and finding a way to win."
Sunday's battle between the two teams was an absolute rock fight, with neither team wanting to quit. The Knicks collectively shot 43/31/85 from the field, while the Magic shot 38/29/67. Neither team shot particularly well at all, but the Knicks just edged out the Magic slightly.
Everyone Stepping Up for the Knicks
Without Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks looked for answers against a gritty Magic team. Fortunately, New York is one of the deeper teams in the league, and the whole squad collectively answered the challenge.
"Everyone came in and did their job, and everyone did well," Brunson added. "We've got to find a way to close games better. At the same time, happy with the way we responded, happy with the way we fought, glad we won."
After Sunday night, the New York Knicks remain one of the best NBA teams at defending home court. The team has an overall home record of 13-1, with their only home loss being against the same Orlando Magic team. The only team better than the New York Knicks at home are the Oklahoma City Thunder, currently standing tall with an 11-0 record at home and 22-1 record overall.
Up next for the New York Knicks is a struggling Toronto Raptors team, currently on a three-game losing streak.