NEW YORK — Karl-Anthony Towns delivered a stellar performance with 23 points and 15 rebounds, while Jalen Brunson contributed 21 points as the New York Knicks secured a 121-106 victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, progressing to the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup.
Having finished the group stage with a perfect 4-0 record in East Group A, the Knicks are slated to host the Atlanta Hawks on December 11. The Magic, who concluded their group stage with a 3-1 record, will move forward as a wild card from the Eastern Conference and prepare to face the Milwaukee Bucks.
Supporting Towns and Brunson, Mikal Bridges scored 19 points, and Josh Hart recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Knicks have demonstrated strong form lately, winning three consecutive games and eight out of their last ten.
On the other hand, Franz Wagner led the Magic’s scoring with 30 points, and his brother, Moritz Wagner, contributed 20 points coming off the bench. Unfortunately for Orlando, their six-game winning streak was halted by this defeat. The Magic only needed to lose by a maximum of 37 points to secure their spot in the next round, thanks to a tiebreaker rule.
The Knicks set the pace early, leading 36-26 at the end of the first quarter and extending their advantage to as much as 22 points in the second quarter. By halftime, New York established a commanding 71-51 lead.
Observations from the Game:
For their part, the Magic wrapped up a five-day stint in New York with a respectable 2-1 record against the city’s teams, having beaten the Brooklyn Nets the previous Friday and Sunday. They will return to New York to clash with the Knicks again on January 6.
The Knicks also had a balanced scoring attack, with all five starters contributing in double digits. OG Anunoby added 16 points, while Deuce McBride provided 18 points off the bench.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when the Knicks built a lead of 31 points by the end of the third quarter, putting the Magic at risk of elimination. However, Orlando made a late push, outscoring New York 31-15 in the final period.
Notably, the Magic have now extended their streak of making at least one three-pointer to 1,398 consecutive games, a run that dates back to March 17, 2007, marking it as the fifth-longest streak in NBA history.
