For three quarters, the Knicks were playing down to their opponent. They were, in a word, terrible. Knicks-Nets was so ugly it should’ve been blurred out for indecency.
But then the defending champs woke up. OG Anunoby caught fire, Josh Hart provided a spark and the Knicks ultimately cakewalked to a 103-90 victory Monday at MSG.
With Jalen Brunson on the bench at the start of the final period, the Knicks (3-4) went from a four-point deficit to a 10-point advantage in about four minutes. It spurred the Knicks’ 15th straight victory over the Nets (1-6), a streak that began in 2023 — right after the Durant-Kyrie era in Brooklyn.
But Monday was in doubt for the majority of the night.
The first half was a slopfest from both sides. The Knicks shot 36 percent but still held a seven-point advantage at the break because of their abundance of free throws.
Brunson and Landry Shamet were the lone bright spots. The Nets were a misfiring mess but found a rhythm after the break — particularly Michael Porter Jr. — and won the third quarter 35-24.
Mike Brown responded with a new lineup — with Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson in the backcourt — and the Nets folded with just 11 total points in the fourth quarter.
Anunoby scored eight of his 18 points in the first six minutes of the fourth. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 16 rebounds and 11 points. Brunson had 19 points, but was again inefficient on 6-for-16 shooting. Shamet scored all 20 of his points in the first three quarters. Mikal Bridges pulled another Houdini and was benched for all but three minutes of the second half. He had six points on 1-for-7 shooting from the field.
For the Nets, Julius Randle, the former Knicks All-Star, forced the issue and often missed — shooting 5-for-16 with a team-high 21 points.
The interborough matchup, once touted as a powerful rivalry when the Nets moved from Jersey to Brooklyn, now carries the juice of a steamrolled grape. The Knicks have always dominated the attention of New York City, and it’s never been more lopsided than in 2026 — the year of James Dolan’s first title.
The Nets have become an afterthought under the stewardship of GM Sean Marks, who is second to only Brian Cashman as the longest-tenured top sports executive in town. They haven’t won a playoff game since 2021, and there’s little hope Marks’ latest incarnation will break the streak.
They have two win-now veterans in Randle and Michael Porter Jr., who are surrounded by the young and unproven, operating a great distance from contending basketball.
Still, the Knicks were in trouble and playing ugly ball until the fourth-quarter whistle.
