The Knicks had been spinning their wheels. Losing. Booed. Searching. Then they absolutely took it out on the Nets.
New York snapped a four-game skid with a 120-66 demolition of Brooklyn on Wednesday, the most lopsided win in franchise history. Not just a win. A cleansing.
Jalen Brunson scored 20 points in three quarters. Landry Shamet poured in 18 in just 15 minutes and went a perfect 6-of-6 from deep. The Knicks shot 57.5 percent overall and led by as many as 59.
It got out of hand early and somehow kept getting worse. The starters built an 88-56 cushion after three. The bench opened the fourth quarter on a 16-0 run. It turned into a runway.
“We’ve been in the midst of a pretty rough stretch,” Shamet said, via the Associated Press. “It’s not about one game. It’s about continuing to build and grow.”
This came two days after Brunson reportedly called a players-only meeting following a loss to Dallas, per ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. The message was simple. Fix it internally.
Karl-Anthony Towns kept it blunt.
“A win,” Towns said. “That was the most important thing.”
The Knicks smothered Brooklyn, holding the Nets to 29 percent shooting and dominating fast-break points 29-4.
Nets coach Jordi Fernandez owned it afterward. “I’m the one responsible,” he said.
New York has now won 13 straight against Brooklyn. But the real test is coming. Saturday in Philadelphia. A team that already beat them twice.
Wednesday was a release. The next step is proving it means something.
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