Daily Report – 2/5/26
Knicks
The Knicks were simply sensational last night. They put on a show at the World’s Most Famous Arena, earning a double-overtime victory over Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and the Denver Nuggets. The win marked the Knicks’ eighth in a row, and they survived two overtime frames without Josh Hart or Miles McBride.
This game had it all: A triple-double by Jokic, one of the best players on the planet, 42 points from Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns’ grittiest performance of the year, and at least four separate plays that could have won the game for either team.
Mikal Bridges, who finished the game with just five points, nearly cost the Knicks a win at the end of the first overtime. With the Knicks up by two points, Murray missed a three-point shot, and it looked like New York was going to win. However, 0.3 seconds before the game clock expired, Bridges committed a loose-ball foul against Christian Braun, sending him to the free-throw line. Bruan nailed both free throws to force a second overtime period.
That was the second time the Knicks mistakenly thought they had won this game. In the waning moments of regulation, Brunson missed a potential game-winning shot with 0.6 seconds left on the clock. Off an inbound, Jokic attempted a long three-pointer from the top of the key, but as the ball looked like it was going to sink, the Garden energy muscled it back out.
Jokic finished the game with a costly 1-for-13 clip from beyond the arc, a stat for which the Knicks can thank Mitchell Robinson. During the first quarter, when Towns went down with a deep cut above his right eye, Robinson guarded Jokic in his place. Jokic was supposed to be on a minutes restriction, but he played for 45 minutes.
Towns fouled out at the end of the first overtime period, so Robinson was back on Jokic duty for the second overtime frame. He could not have been more effective, holding the world-class center to a single point and a 0-for-3 mark from three-point range.
“Mitchell Robinson is one of the most versatile defenders in the NBA,” said Towns, who returned to the game to shoot free throws after getting fouled on a shot in the opening quarter. The cut above his eye was deep, and there was blood flowing down his cheek, plus a big red splotch on his jersey.
“I didn’t really know how bad it was,” Towns said. “But I realized how much I was bleeding.”
Towns added that the Knicks are “lucky” to have Robinson backing him up. His defensive performance against Jokic, a three-time league MVP, helped the Knicks overcome the Nuggets.
Landry Shamet was also a big contributor. Coming off the bench, he scored 16 points, including a trio of triples. His speed and precision continued to benefit the Knicks, and he finished the game with a team-leading +22 rating. He was also one of the five players Mike Brown chose to close out the game in the second leg of overtime, during which Brunson posted 10 points in five minutes.
In addition to his 42 points, Brunson posted eight rebounds and nine assists, falling three marks short of his first career triple-double. It was his ninth game as a Knick in which he recorded over 40 points, five assists, and five rebounds, setting a franchise record.
“That’s an MVP performance,” Brown said. “MVPs make the game easy for their teammates, getting their own shots without shooting all the time.”
This win, or more like what it took to get there, represented a landmark moment in the Knicks’ season. After the game, Towns posted an image on his Instagram account of the cut on his forehead before and after stitches. It was gruesome, but Towns was reiterating a point his head coach emphasized postgame.
“Just a resilient win by our guys,” Brown said.
At the beginning of January, it felt like the Knicks had lost the special touch they had carried to and through their NBA Cup title run. The end of January was a different story, which has continued into February. Winning eight straight games is a remarkable achievement. The Knicks are the hottest team in the NBA, and they need to keep that streak going amid their tough stretch before the All-Star break.
The challenges will continue tomorrow night in Detroit. The Pistons, who lead the Eastern Conference, beat the Knicks by 31 points in their previous matchup on January 5. The Knicks understand the importance of tomorrow’s game, and perhaps even more important, their game in Boston on Sunday afternoon.
A few weeks ago, it looked like Jayson Tatum was planning to make his return on February 8. As of now, that seems less likely. If the Knicks really want to stick it to Boston, they can parlay a win over the Celtics with a Patriots loss in the Super Bowl. They are going to have to do that without Miles McBride, who is set to undergo surgery tomorrow to repair a “core muscle injury,” per Fred Katz. He will likely miss the remainder of the regular season, but he could return for the playoffs.
The Knicks traded for Jose Alvarado today, who will replace McBride on the bench. Alvarado is a New York native whom the Knicks have been targeting for years. He is a defensive-first guard, which is exactly what this team needs.
To acquire Alvarado, the Knicks flipped Dalen Terry, whom they acquired from Chicago last night, in exchange for Guerschon Yabusele. It was a smart move by Leon Rose that not only deepens the Knicks’ roster but also puts the team firmly under the second apron. They now have roster room to work with. Among other things, this puts them in a better position to land Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason.
But, make no mistake. This Knicks team was in a fortunate position at today’s deadline because they were, justifiably, comfortable enough with their current roster to avoid any desperation moves. The Knicks could not be in a better position right now.
Schedule
7:00 PM (6:00 PM CST): NYR vs. CAR; MSG, Gotham Sports
Cover Image Courtesy: New York Knicks
