Madison Square Garden turned into a test of endurance Thursday night, and when the dust finally settled after two overtimes, it was Jalen Brunson who stood tallest as the New York Knicks edged the Denver Nuggets, 134-127, in one of the season’s most grueling battles.
Brunson delivered when fatigue threatened to take over, pouring in 10 of his 42 points in the second overtime alone to drag the Knicks past the defending champions. He finished with a near triple-double of 42 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds, steering New York to its eighth straight victory and its longest winning run since the turn of the year.
The matchup had all the markings of a playoff preview, with both teams grinding through the second night of a back-to-back. The game featured 20 lead changes and 19 ties, with neither side building more than a nine-point cushion. Every possession felt borrowed, and every mistake carried weight.
Karl-Anthony Towns battled through adversity to give New York steady support, posting 24 points and 12 rebounds despite missing much of the second quarter after suffering a cut near his right eye. OG Anunoby added 20 points, while Landry Shamet sparked the Knicks off the bench with 16. Jordan Clarkson and Mitchell Robinson chipped in timely contributions as New York leaned on depth as much as star power.
Denver countered with its own heavy hitters. Nikola Jokic authored a 30-point, 14-rebound, 10-assist night, recording his 181st career regular-season triple-double to tie Oscar Robertson for second all-time. Yet it was an oddly inefficient evening by his standards, highlighted by a career-worst 1-for-13 showing from beyond the arc and several late misses that loomed large. Jamal Murray carried much of the scoring load with 39 points, but the Nuggets still absorbed their third straight loss, their longest skid of the season.
The drama peaked repeatedly. Jokic’s potential game-winner at the end of regulation rattled out. New York thought it had escaped at the end of the first overtime, only for a foul away from the ball with 0.3 seconds left to send Christian Braun to the line, where he calmly forced a second extra period.
From there, Brunson took control. After Denver briefly nudged ahead, he answered with a bank shot, split a pair of free throws to seize the lead for good, then buried a three following a Jokic miss. A rare three-pointer from Mikal Bridges extended the cushion, and even as Denver clawed back, Brunson closed the door with a floater and two final free throws.
For the Knicks, it was a statement win built on resilience rather than rhythm, a reminder that their surge is being fueled as much by toughness as talent. For the Nuggets, it was a night of what-ifs, defined by missed chances and the thin margins that separate contenders in games like this.