Knicks snipe Bulls at MSG, hand Chicago its first loss (Highlights)

For most of the game, the Knicks were shooting over 50% from three-point range. Whether it was the starting lineup or the shorter bench, head coach Mike Brown played in this one, the home team’s sniping was sizzling.

Jalen Brunson finished with a team-high 31 points on 10 of 22 shooting. Nineteen of those points came in the first quarter, as it felt apparent that the Knicks captain was all business on this night.

The Knicks’ bench contributed 46 points in the win, which significantly helped the team build upon a strong first quarter that saw them outscore Chicago 34-24.

The man who got the bench party started was Jordan Clarkson, who, for the first time this season, looked like the guy this franchise envisioned him to be. Clarkson came out firing early in the second quarter, ultimately finishing with 15 points on 6-11 from the floor (3-6 from downtown).

The individual who made the most significant difference from an energy and familiar slant was undoubtedly Josh Hart.

Considering Hart played 26 minutes, many of which came with the starters, while starting center Mitchell Robinson spent a lot of time off the floor (just 13 minutes total), New York’s victory felt as vintage as it gets (as it relates to this group). Mike Brown went just nine deep until the final minutes of garbage time.

Hart scored 14 points, ripped down 9 rebounds, dimed out 3 assists, and snagged a steal.

Whatever it may have been, Billy Donovan’s team started this one sluggish and never recovered. Unlike Friday night’s victory over the Knicks, the Bulls were incapable of knocking down open shots.

Josh Giddey led the way for Chicago with a team-high 23 points and 12 assists, which included a second-quarter stretch when he was targeting Karl-Anthony Towns‘s defensive responsibility.

While the Knicks’ defensive effort on Sunday night was encouraging, they have a long way to go. The signs that the opposition simply shot cold, as opposed to New York’s defense earning it, were everywhere.

Elsewhere, Mikal Bridges dished out nine assists and OG Anunoby supported Brunson with 21 strong points.

This was a rarity of an NBA game (in the modern era) where the trailing team couldn’t even make the opposition sweat a little. Even Chicago’s mini-runs in the second half failed to create a semblance of a scare.

The win propels the Knicks to a perfect 3-0 at home (while they remain 0-3 on the road). Next up for the New York Knicks is a quick turnaround game against the Washington Wizards (Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET).