Jalen Brunson leads Knicks to seventh straight win on the eve of playoffs

The New York Knicks continue their excellent streak with a seventh consecutive victory, defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 121-116 Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. Jalen Brunson was the main architect of this success with 32 points, including 15 crucial points in the fourth quarter.

Brunson catches fire in crunch time

The Knicks guard made the difference in the game’s crucial moments. After the Pelicans had cut the lead to 109-107 with four and a half minutes remaining, Brunson scored 10 consecutive points for his team, including two straight baskets that gave his team breathing room.

Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby also contributed with 21 points each. Towns completed his performance with 14 rebounds, confirming his impact on both ends of the floor. This collective performance allows the Knicks (48-25) to close in dangerously on the Boston Celtics (47-24) for second place in the Eastern Conference.

LIRE AUSSI

The Knicks dominate Wizards and secure their sixth consecutive victory

23 mars 2026

Nicolas Flamecourt

A back-and-forth game

The game featured contrasting phases of play. The Knicks started strong with an excellent first quarter, making 15 of their 21 attempts (71.4%) including 7 of 11 from 3-point range (63.6%). They closed out the period with an impressive 15-0 run to lead 42-28.

The Pelicans responded early in the second quarter with an 18-2 run that put them ahead 48-46, taking advantage of a New York cold stretch of over five minutes without a basket. New York regained control to lead 66-60 at halftime.

For New Orleans, Zion Williamson finished with 22 points while Jeremiah Fears added 21. Despite these individual performances, the Pelicans suffered their second consecutive loss after a three-game winning streak.

This winning streak for the Knicks has come against teams with losing records, including two wins against Indiana, as well as victories against Utah, Brooklyn and Washington. The real test will come during the next four-game road trip, starting Thursday at Charlotte and including trips to defending NBA champion Oklahoma City and Houston.