The Knicks faced off against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night, securing a 130-125 victory that propelled them into first place.
Here are some key highlights:
– Mohamed Diawara made his third start this season and second consecutive year, immediately making an impact by drawing defenders back and scoring the game’s first points. He then nailed a 3-pointer, giving the Knicks an early 5-0 advantage. This early scoring matched Diawara’s career high, and the French player, picked in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft by New York, was just getting started.
– After the Pelicans surged ahead with a 9-0 run, Jalen Brunson stopped the momentum with a 3-point play and soon hit his first 3-pointer to even the score. Diawara, who entered the game shooting 6-for-18 on threes this season, retook the lead with his second three-pointer. Within six minutes, he had racked up 11 points by hitting another shot from downtown.
– New Orleans countered with an 8-0 run, including three points from Jordan Poole and Sadiq Bey, giving them a four-point lead. However, Diawara responded with a running layup assisted by Brunson, bringing the Knicks within two.
– In nine minutes, Diawara led New York with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting (including 3-of-3 from three), grabbing a rebound and two steals. Meanwhile, Bey was the top scorer in the first quarter with 23 points, making 8-of-11 shots and 4-of-5 threes, helping the Pelicans take a 41-37 lead after a fast-paced first quarter.
– Tyler Korek made an immediate impact in his first time on the court in the second quarter, hitting 1 of 2 free throws and then making three more points to open the quarter for the Knicks.
– Despite contributions from OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns, New York struggled to take an early lead in the quarter. Zion Williamson, starting for the first time after coming off the bench in seven straight games, scored 10 points before halftime, finishing with 18 in the first half.
– After nearly two scoreless minutes from both teams, the Knicks went on an 8-0 run led by Brunson off the bench, regaining momentum. However, Anunoby tied the game at 65 with a running layup, and Poole’s 3-pointer put New Orleans back ahead. Anunoby scored 16 points in the quarter after a quiet first quarter.
– Near the end of the first half, Diawara hit his fourth three-pointer, ending the half with 16 points, but the Pelicans held a 75-72 lead.
– After halftime, the offenses exchanged baskets rapidly. Williamson kept up his strong play against New Orleans, while Trey Murphy III sank two three-pointers, the second of which gave the Pelicans a 10-point lead.
– The Knicks showed a team effort on offense, with every starter scoring in the first six minutes. Kevin McCullar Jr., fresh off a big game against the Hawks, contributed as well. However, both teams experienced a three-minute scoring drought until Anunoby’s three with 5:48 left in the quarter. The ball didn’t hit the net again until Poole made a layup with 2:35 remaining.
– New York’s bench players took more shots from there, including Gershon Yabusele, Jordan Clarkson, and Trey Jemison III. Miles McBride returned from an ankle injury after missing nine games, scoring 14 points in 18 minutes. Despite this, New Orleans led 103-96 at the quarter’s close.
– The Knicks’ defense finally showed up in the fourth quarter, holding the Pelicans to just three points in the first five minutes. McBride hit a three to tie the game, and Towns followed with a triple to give the Knicks their first lead since early in the first quarter.
– After Towns’ shot, New York was scoreless for two minutes, and New Orleans regained the lead. But Brunson stepped up, hitting two critical threes to tie or take the lead, aided by McBride and Anunoby, who landed big shots to keep the Knicks ahead.
– Brunson sealed the win by scoring a floater and layup in the final minute, while McBride made four clutch free throws, clinching a 130-125 Knicks victory.
Game MVP: OG Anunoby
Though scoreless in the first quarter, Anunoby hit key shots throughout the night, finishing with 23 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block, earning a game-high plus-16.
What’s next:
The Knicks will wrap up their three-game road trip with a rematch of the NBA Cup Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on New Year’s Eve at 7 p.m.
Fan Take:
This thrilling win highlights the Knicks’ rising star power and depth, showing that they can compete with top teams on the road. For basketball fans, it’s a sign that the NBA’s competitive balance is shifting, making the games more exciting and unpredictable moving forward.
