NEW YORK — In an impressive display, OG Anunoby poured in 33 points, helping lead the New York Knicks to a commanding 143-120 victory against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night. Josh Hart contributed significantly as well, achieving a triple-double with 20 points, 18 rebounds, and 11 assists—marking his sixth such feat this season.
Mikal Bridges also impressed with 27 points, while Jalen Brunson rounded out the top scorers for the Knicks with 25 points and 11 assists. Despite strong performances, Karl-Anthony Towns managed 16 points and secured 15 rebounds for the Knicks, who fell just short of their season-high scoring output.
Sacramento’s Malik Monk was the game’s leading scorer, finishing with 31 points. Domantas Sabonis also made an impact, recording a double-double with 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists. DeMar DeRozan chipped in with 18 points, De’Aaron Fox added 14, and Keegan Murray finished with 12 points.
The Knicks surged ahead with a 63-44 advantage following Anunoby’s three-pointer at 5:29 left in the second quarter. However, the Kings responded with a strong 23-6 run to narrow the gap to 69-67, capped off by a close-range shot from Sabonis just before halftime, leaving New York ahead 72-67 entering the break.
After the third quarter, the Knicks managed to extend their lead to 111-100, eventually creating a 24-point cushion in the final period.
In terms of milestones, nobody on Sacramento’s team has played every game this season, with only Keon Ellis making 44 appearances. The Kings have not managed to secure a victory against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden since early November 2019. Conversely, Bridges and Anunoby are the only players on the Knicks’ roster to have participated in all 46 games of the season. Brunson and Towns also marked their returns to the court as All-Star starters, a notable pairing among the Knicks since Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe accomplished the same feat back in 1975.
A peculiar moment arose when the game was interrupted early in the fourth quarter while officials checked that the basket height was correct.
Statistically, the Knicks showcased their shooting prowess, hitting 50% (9 of 18) from beyond the arc in the first half, compared to the Kings’ 35.3% (6 of 17).
Looking ahead, the Knicks are set to host Memphis on Monday, while the Kings will face the Brooklyn Nets the same evening.
