By Brian Mahoney
NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson had 41 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, leading the New York Knicks to a 113-109 victory over the Washington Wizards on Thursday night.
Brunson scored 18 of the Knicks’ 21 points during a lengthy stretch of the fourth quarter, helping them push a one-point lead to 105-97 with 1:26 remaining. He finished 14 for 27 from the field and scored at least 30 for the second straight night after missing two games because of a bruised left calf.
Julius Randle added 21 points for the Knicks, while Donte DiVincenzo and OG Anunoby each had 19. The Knicks improved to 8-2 since Anunoby joined the lineup Jan. 1 after being acquired from Toronto.
The Knicks host the Raptors in the first meeting between the teams since the trade Saturday when RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley return to Madison Square Garden.
Jordan Poole scored 24 points for the Wizards, while Marvin Bagley III had 20 points and 11 rebounds in his first start for the Wizards. Deni Avdija and Kyle Kuzma each scored 15 points.
With center Daniel Gafford out with a concussion, Bagley moved right into the lineup in his first appearance for the Wizards since last week’s trade in which Washington also acquired Isaiah Livers and a couple future second-round picks for Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala.
The Knicks played without key reserve Josh Hart because of knee soreness. Coach Tom Thibodeau even tried Evan Fournier, out of the rotation for much of the last year, in the first quarter — he missed all four shots — but played all his starters at least 38 minutes after a victory over Houston on Wednesday.
Brunson made sure they were good enough to win a game in which the Knicks were ahead just 84-83 with 7:50 remaining and never led by more than 10.
Randle scored 12 points in the first quarter, but Washington finished the period with a 12-2 run to tie it at 22, despite missing all eight 3-point tries. There were six lead changes and five ties in the second, with Brunson’s basket with 31 seconds remaining giving the Knicks a 46-45 edge.
