Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns has double-double in narrow win over Nets
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns drives past Nets center Nic Claxton in the first half of an NBA basketball game at Barclays Center on Friday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points and 15 rebounds as the Knicks outlasted the Nets, 93-92, on Friday night for their fifth consecutive victory.
Jalen Brunson scored 17 points and OG Anunoby finished with 16 for the Knicks (46-25), who scored 14 points in the first quarter, trailed by 13 points in the first half and blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead.
Ben Saraf had a chance to win it for the Nets at the buzzer but missed a 45-footer.
The Knicks beat the Nets for the 14th straight time, the longest winning streak for either team in the rivalry. The Nets’ last victory over the Knicks was on Jan. 28, 2023, shortly before trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Josh Minott scored 22 points and Ziaire Williams added 17 for the Nets, who have lost six straight games.
The Knicks trailed 50-44 at the break before outscoring the Nets 31-15 in the third quarter to take a 75-65 lead.
Towns’ layup increased the lead to 84-70 with 9:34 remaining before the Nets went on a 17-0 run to take a 87-84 lead with 3:33 left in regulation.
Towns and Brunson then scored a combined eight points to give the Knicks a 92-87 lead with 1:04 left.
The Nets’ Nolan Traore hit a layup, Brunson made a free throw and Traore’s three-pointer pulled the Nets within one. Towns then missed two free throws before Saraf missed.
