The New York Knicks secured a commanding 142-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night, with OG Anunoby leading the charge by scoring 34 points. The game was notable not only for the Knicks' dominant performance but also for the injury to Denver's All-Star point guard Jamal Murray, who sprained his ankle in the second quarter and did not return.
Key Takeaways
The New York Knicks secured a commanding 142-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets, with OG Anunoby scoring 34 points. The game was overshadowed by Jamal Murray's departure due to a sprained ankle in the second quarter.
- OG Anunoby led the Knicks with 34 points in their win over the Nuggets
- Jamal Murray left the game with a sprained ankle and did not return
- The loss tied the Nuggets' record for their largest home defeat
- Aaron Gordon returned from injury but had a poor shooting night (1/7)
- The Knicks' starters sat out the fourth quarter due to the lopsided score
The loss marked the Nuggets' largest home defeat, tying their record set against Chicago in 1998. Despite a strong start that saw them lead 13-4, Denver struggled offensively, missing 17 consecutive three-pointers before Nikola Jokic hit one with the team trailing 92-70. The Nuggets' deficit grew to 105-80 by the end of the third quarter.
Aaron Gordon, who returned from a hamstring injury, and Cam Johnson, back from an ankle sprain, gave Denver their original starting lineup for the first time since November. However, Gordon had a tough night, going 1-for-7 in 21 minutes with only one basket—a rim-rattling dunk early in the game.
The injury to Murray occurred with 1:05 left in the first half. He took contact from a driving Anunoby and stepped back on Jokic's right foot, causing him to tumble to the floor. Murray was helped off the court by teammate Jonas Valanciunas. During the stoppage, Knicks coach Mike Brown successfully challenged an Anunoby charge call, resulting in Murray being assessed a blocking foul. Anunoby sank both free throws, giving New York a 65-42 halftime lead.
The Knicks' starters took the fourth quarter off to enjoy the rare rout as they kicked off their five-game trip with a resounding victory. Josh Hart contributed 18 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns added 19 points and 17 rebounds. Jokic led Denver with 38 points, but it was not enough to overcome the Knicks' dominant performance.
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