Knicks respond: Nets blown out, Towns: “We needed a win”

The spark was needed – and the New York Knicks found it in the loudest way possible. After more than a week without a win and four straight losses, Mike Brown’s team crushed the Brooklyn Nets 120-66, the largest victory margin in 80 years of franchise history.

A game that was over by halftime, but one that became symbolic for what it represented: a response after one of the most difficult stretches of the season.

Total domination from the opening tip

With Jalen Brunson leading the offense, New York took immediate control of the game, closing the third quarter up 88-56. From there, the starters gave way to the bench – but the script didn’t change. If anything, it intensified.

The Knicks’ second unit opened the fourth quarter with a devastating 16-0 run, pushing the score to 104-56 and turning the final minutes into a victory lap. The numbers tell the story better than any words: 57.5% from the field, a 59-point maximum lead, and the Nets held to just 29% shooting.

Brunson finished with 20 points in three quarters, once again confirming himself as the team’s technical and emotional leader. But one of the defining images of the night was Landry Shamet, excellent off the bench: 18 points in 15 minutes, with a perfect 6/6 from three.

It’s not just about one game. We’re in a tough stretch and we have to keep building. Even on a night like this, the goal is to maintain our standards and keep growing.

Landry Shamet

Words that reflect a team aware it must look beyond the result.

From Garden boos to a players-only meeting

The context makes the win even more meaningful. Just two days earlier, the Knicks had been drowned out by boos at Madison Square Garden after a heavy loss to Dallas, trailing by 30 points already in the first half.

Following that defeat, Brunson called a players-only meeting, asking the group to find answers internally rather than placing everything on the coaching staff. A move that appears to have had an immediate impact.

Towns: “Winning to break the ice”

Among the most closely watched players was Karl-Anthony Towns, who had been targeted by boos against the Mavericks. His assessment was simple and direct:

We needed a win. We had to break the ice. This game shows what we can do, but the key is consistency. Without that, you go nowhere.

Karl-Anthony Towns

A clear message: talent alone isn’t enough – repeatability is essential.

New York knows well that this win, as historic as it was, doesn’t erase January’s struggles. The real test comes immediately: Saturday on the road against the Philadelphia 76ers, who have already beaten the Knicks twice at the Garden.

It’s a good step, but we have to keep pushing every day to get better.

Jalen Brunson

The message is clear: the road is long, but the response has finally arrived.