RSS Knicks Team Notes

[New York Knicks]

Knicks 124, Spurs 113: Mitch, Clarkson, and Kolek earn their bonuses in NBA Cup win

The New York Knicks have won the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup! Maybe it means nothing to you, but some of us are reveling in it. To finally add another trophy to the case (and another banner in the rafters), to beat the San Antonio Spurs 124-113, and to see our Knickerbockers celebrating with confetti on a national stage? That’s some sweet stuff right there.

At the neutral location of T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the teams were neck-and-neck through the first, closing the quarter 30-28, and the trend continued through to halftime, with the Knicks on the wrong side of a 61-59 score. The Knicks got decked to start the third but managed to escape the quarter down by only five. And in the fourth quarter, Mitchell Robinson generated more second looks, Jordan Clarkson hit a bunch of timely buckets, and Tyler Kolek earned every penny of his Cup winnings, pushing the lead to 12 and closing out the win.

Jalen Brunson won the Cup MVP honors. He played great, scoring 25 points on 11-of-27 shooting, dishing eight dimes, and posting a team-best +15 in 41 minutes. You could make a fair case for the MVP to go to OG Anunoby, too. He led all scorers with 28 points on 10-of-17 shooting, knocking down 5-of-10 from three while adding nine rebounds and a +7. Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double, and added two steals; and Josh Hart contributed 11 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a block.

The bench, though. The bench. Often maligned, they came through huge tonight. Clarkson scored 15 points on 6-of-15 shooting with three threes and finished +15. Tyler Kolek delivered a stellar all-around performance with 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting, five assists, and a +14. And Mitchell Robinson, the human cheat code, controlled the glass with 15 rebounds, including 10(!) offensive boards, added two blocks, and finished +9 despite scoring.

The Knicks shot 49-of-105 (47%) from the field and 15-of-40 (38%) from three, and finished with 32 second-chance points. They won the glass 59-42 and the points in the paint 56-44.

The Spurs finished shooting 41-of-99 (41%) from the field and 14-of-39 (36%) from three. Dylan Harper led them with 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting, hitting 5-of-7 from three and adding seven rebounds, though he finished –15 in 28 minutes. Victor Wembanyama scored 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting, hitting 2-of-6 from deep, with six rebounds, 2 blocks, and a –18 plus-minus in 25 minutes. De’Aaron Fox contributed 16 points and a team-high nine assists, but also committed five turnovers and finished –4.

Our heroes won something. Enjoy it, fans.

Jalen Brunson immediately credits his teammates after being announced the NBA Cup MVP

“Without Tyler Kolek, OG Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson and Jordan Clarkson, we don’t win this game.” pic.twitter.com/uDo4Hd0WpO

— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) December 17, 2025

First Half​

Through the opening possessions, Jalen Brunson attempted to draw contact, but the refs swallowed their whistles. It seemed to be a let-em-play kinda game. Spreading the ball around, the Knicks took an early lead, but a few one-and-dones resulted in buckets going away. As the Knicks bricked, the Texans went on a 9-0 run to claim an 11-7 lead before OG drilled a corner three to slow the bleeding.

Around the seven-minute mark, the 7’4” Wembanyama checked into the game. Thanks to alert play by Anunoby (getting open in the paint for an uncontested dunk; striking again from the other side of the court), the Knicks mounted a 9-5 run to briefly reclaim the lead.

The quarter was evenly played, with both teams shooting 50% from the field and San Antonio holding a slight lead on the glass. Thanks to two late free throws by De’Aaron Fox and a Brunson miss at the buzzer, the Spurs took a 30-28 lead into the second.

Karl-Anthony Towns is an excellent passer.

Tyler Kolek was on the floor to start the quarter, and his 29-footer trimmed a six-point Spurs lead. Buckets from Bridges and Anunoby helped space the floor, but San Antonio (who hit less than 30% from deep in the first frame) answered with improved perimeter shooting. Wembanyama’s minutes stabilized San Antonio defensively, and the Knicks missed six straight shots. Unsurprisingly, Wemby was a problem, intercepting a pass from Brunson to Hart that became an assist to a breaking Castle. The Knicks were down by seven at the five-minute mark.

Missed bunnies! Blame the nerves. Towns missed a layup, Bridges missed a 13-foot chip shot, and Wemby bricked a dunk that he tried to reverse. The Knicks needed a steady hand, and Jalen stepped into the void. He scored at the rim and then blocked Luke Kornet (you read that right) at the other end. The Knicks cut their deficit to one. T-Mobile Arena might be a neutral site, but the MVP chants were loud when Jalen stepped to the charity stripe. He’d finish the half with 15 points.

Anunoby scored back-to-back buckets and tied the game with 27 seconds on the clock, but Fox hit a jumper to put San Antonio up 61-59 at the break.

Through the half, the Spurs shot 20-of-37 (54%) overall and scored 24 points in the paint, while also getting to the line more often (5-of-8 FT) and committing only three turnovers. They dished out 15 assists and spent 53% of the half in front, despite shooting 5-of-15 (33%) from the field.

The Knicks won the rebounding battle (20–18, 8 O-Boards) and sank 6-of-16 threes (38%), but they shot just 18-of-41 (44%) overall, got to the line only four times, and committed five turnovers. Anunoby led the Knicks with 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting, while Vassell topped the Spurs’ scoresheet with 12 points.

Second Half​

While the Knicks thought they were still warming up, the Spurs rattled off six unanswered points. With a 17-9 run, the villains took their first double-digit lead of the evening by the midway point. Luckily for them, they have a talented seven-footer of their own, and KAT lined up a tree to slow down what was starting to feel like a runaway train. One of the biggest concerns about the Cup Final is the potential for injury in a non-consequential (to the standings at least) game. You could almost hear the told-you-so’s from here to Vegas when Towns injured his leg in the third and limped to the bench. This wasn’t Towns hamming it up for the refs; he was in obvious pain.

With Towns out, the Knicks clipped the deficit to five, but Wemby drilled a pair from yard and alley-ooped a to temper New York’s momentum. Needing help, Jordan Clarkson dropped two triples to keep this from becoming a blowout. And thanks to a driving layup by Brunson, New York was down only 94-89 heading into the final frame.

The Knicks seized control early in the fourth quarter behind back-to-back triples from Clarkson and incredible play by Robinson and Kolek. The latter would have finished with more assists if Mitch hadn’t fumbled an inside pass and Bridges hadn’t whiffed on a wide-open three. Robinson was great, though, and dominated the glass as only he can. Meanwhile, the Spurs forgot how to put the ball in the net. When Brunson scored four unanswered, the Knicks were up by seven with just under eight minutes to go.

Towns returned, at last. The Knicks weathered a late push by the Spurs by leaning on timely scoring and defense. Hart delivered on both ends with a deep three and a key block on Fox, while Brunson, Towns, and Anunoby scored and chased down loose balls.

The Spurs tried to close the gap behind long-range shooting from Dylan Harper and free throws from Victor Wembanyama, but more turnovers and missed shots killed their energy. When Anunoby drained another triple with just under two minutes to go, New York’s eight-point lead had all the shine of that NBA Cup trophy. With under a minute to go, the Spurs had opportunities, but Fox bricked, and Kolek added four more points and an assist to put the cherry on top.

Knicks storm the court to celebrate winning the NBA Cup.

Jalen Brunson, however, acknowledged every Spurs player before joining in.

Victor Wembanyama wanted no part of him. Barely acknowledged Brunson, who big bro’d him this time with some taps and a W. pic.twitter.com/igEkMB1MNS

— Kris Pursiainen (@krispursiainen) December 17, 2025

Up Next​

The Knicks jet to Indiana to face the Pacers on Thursday. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

Box Score

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...n-and-kolek-earn-their-bonuses-in-nba-cup-win

 

[New York Knicks]

Tyler Kolek grew up in Vegas

If you asked men between the ages of 18 and 20 what one place they want to go when they turn 21, you would undoubtedly get a lot of the same responses.

Las Vegas.

The gambling capital of the world, Vegas is the quintessential place for debauchery and a place where men come of age, even if it’s through unscrupulous actions.

Tyler Kolek has already turned 21, but the 24-year-old still used Las Vegas to come of age.

Entering the NBA Cup semifinal on Saturday, Kolek’s role had been limited off the bench. He re-emerged from a several-week benching after injuries to Deuce McBride and Landry Shamet opened up bench minutes, but failed to make an impact right away.

Despite occasional flashes, the Knicks struggled mightily when he was on the court. In the five games prior to NBA Cup knockout play, Kolek had managed to be a minus-43 in a stretch where the Knicks went a dominant 4-1:

On court: -43 (64 min)
Off court: +114 (176 min)

This included a mind-boggling minus-23 in under 15 minutes in a six-point loss in Boston. He also had a negative plus/minus in the team’s 34-point blowout of the Jazz. It’s fair to say it’s not entirely on him, as the lineups that had him sharing the floor with Jalen Brunson and Jordan Clarkson were historically bad, but it spoke to the Knicks’ lack of playable depth.

Enter the knockout round.

While not in Vegas, the tide began to turn here. Kolek only scored two points and had one assist in an extremely brief 7:31 stint, but he was on the court when the Knicks blitzed the Raptors and took firm control of the game in the second quarter.

View Link

When the games moved to Las Vegas, you saw an increased confidence from the young player who was having to earn every opportunity that came his way. He registered three consecutive assists in the second quarter and was rewarded with an extended run in the second half.

Tyler Kolek steals the ball straight off an inbounds for back-to-back NY buckets pic.twitter.com/QnSJdFMX5F

— r/nba_highlights (@rNBAHighlights) December 13, 2025

Even more notable? He was out there alongside Brunson, a pairing that had previously been devastating for the Knicks on both sides of the ball. He provided the secondary playmaking that Leon Rose and company dreamed he could provide when he was drafted No. 38 overall in June 2024.

View Link

After two strong games leading into Tuesday’s final against the Spurs, Kolek’s strong play showed up on the statsheet. In a season-high 20 minutes, he scored a career-high 14 points with five assists, five rebounds, and just one turnover*

y'all asked for tyler kolek highlights???

14 PTS | 5 AST | 5 REB pic.twitter.com/ZdjovOwoOW

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 17, 2025

(*Technically, these stats do not count, but I’m sure it’ll count for him.)

Ultimately, the Marquette graduate completely flipped the script with how the team played with him on the court:

Tyler Kolek in the three NBA Cup knockout games:

On court: +45 (43 min)
Off court: -6 (101 min)

It wasn’t just his playmaking that stood out in these games, but his defensive intensity. It’s abundantly clear that the biggest thing that holds Kolek back from being an established rotation player is his physical limitations, but he plays with a similar Big East undersized guard who’s made it work with effort, and he appears to be learning.

A lot of it was just pure hustle. He hustled to grab a rebound off a missed free throw, he hustled to seal off a larger Spur to allow Mitchell Robinson to gobble up a rebound, he moved around off the ball, and when he did have the ball, he allowed Brunson to move off of it.

Speaking of Brunson, entering the NBA Cup knockout rounds, Kolek and Brunson had shared the floor for 20 total minutes, and the Knicks got obliterated to a minus-65.0 net rating.

In the last three games? They played together for 20 minutes and obliterated their opponents to the tune of a plus-70.7 net rating. It’s a stark reversal, and it has nothing to do with the personnel. The same three-man group of Kolek-Brunson-Clarkson that was getting smacked around was suddenly providing the energy against sturdy opponents.

It’s entirely possible that this is just a young player on a second-round salary being heavily motivated by a massive bonus, but it’s also possible that the Knicks are figuring out how to utilize one of their young players to create further depth.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...tyler-kolek-nba-cup-knicks-mike-brown-brunson

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Bulletin: ‘We can be special. Now we have to keep proving it’

There’s one and only one thing to say: believe the hype, fam.

Whether you love or hate the NBA Cup, out of 30 teams hooping out there, only one could win Game 83, and that’s your New York Knicks.

Here’s everything from yesterday’s historic night in Sin City:

"The most positive is being able to hang a banner up in MSG, the most iconic arena in the league"

Mike Brown was asked if the Knicks' NBA Cup championship can help propel them to new heights pic.twitter.com/QTlWAy9RTo

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 17, 2025

Mike Brown​

On competitiveness and leadership:

“So that competitive spirit exists throughout the organization. And then having a guy like Jalen as your leader, who embraces the work, embraces the process, more importantly embraces the details of what you need to do to go out there and win, at his size and his athleticism, he doesn’t have a lot of margin for error, so he embraces the little things. That feeds off to everybody else. So for us, we feel like we deserve to be here. We want to take advantage of being here by going out and trying to get this win.”

On creating pressure during the season:

“Throughout the course of the year, you try to find situations to put pressure on your group. We divvy the season up into five-game segments. We tell the guys we’d like to go 5–0. 4–1 is pretty good. We’ll take 3–2. To manufacture it during the regular season is tough because there’s so many games, but this is a single-elimination tournament. Every game counts. There’s pressure on every game if you expect to be who you think you are.”

On pressure created by the NBA Cup:

“This is a single-elimination tournament when you get to a certain point. Every game counts. There’s pressure on every game if you expect to be who you think you are.”

On manufactured pressure and confidence:

“That pressure is manufactured without you as a coach having to try to do it all the time. When you’re able to have success doing it, it breeds confidence in everybody within the organization. That can propel you come the right time when you’re in that environment to be able to handle the pressure because you’ve already been through it.”

On lineup decisions late:

“All those guys brought something to the table. And it was an easy decision for me going down the stretch that ‘Hey, these are the guys that had given us a lift, so we’re gonna stay with them.’ That’s what it’s about.”

On Mitchell Robinson’s rebounding:

“Mitch’s ability to challenge Wemby’s shots and then put pressure on Wemby and Luke Kornet on the other end of the floor, offensive rebounding, that changed the game.”

On offensive rebounding impact:

“Mitchell Robinson, he had 10 offensive rebounds in 18 minutes. That’s unbelievable. We had 23 offensive rebounds for the game. He had 10. OG had four. KAT had four. That was probably the biggest difference in the game when you’re scoring 32 second-chance points.”

On taking the NBA Cup seriously:

“Any time you can participate in an event where you can be the last team standing you take it seriously. These guys took it seriously.”

On hanging a banner at MSG:

“The most positive is being able to hang a banner up at MSG, the most iconic arena in the league.”

On Jalen Brunson’s MVP case:

“I hope on this stage, you guys, when you start talking about MVP candidates, his name is one of the first to come out of your mouth. Because on this stage, to go get it done while winning is what, in my opinion, what the MVP is about. So you guys do your job.”

On his postgame beer moment:

“Excuse me, I just had a beer. Usually when I have a beer, it kind of sits in my throat a little bit, so sorry about that. Excuse me mom.”

"We're gonna find a way to win. That's gonna be our motto…Things aren't always how you planned…Stay connected, focused…We're gonna fight…not gonna quit, not gonna lay down. The game may be ugly…We're not afraid of failure, big-time thing about us"

– Jalen Brunson on Knicks pic.twitter.com/gB0JOyzzzK

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 17, 2025

Jalen Brunson​

On winning the NBA Cup:

“It’s a goal of ours that we get to check off. It’s an important stepping stone for us. We can still learn from this game and get better, as well. I’m very thankful for the opportunity we got and how we presented ourselves.”

On resilience and mindset:

“We’re gonna find a way. We’re gonna fight. We’re not gonna quit. We’re gonna go out there and do what we gotta do. When we fail in those moments, we tip our hats and we respect the other team and we move forward. But we’re not gonna quit, we’re not gonna lay down. We’re gonna find a way.”

On the game environment:

“A game like this, an environment like this, you don’t really see around the NBA too often. We got to take advantage of the experience that we got here. Being down 10 in the third and them kind of controlling the game throughout the game. Us just finding a way. Going on the run in the fourth with the help of our bench, it was big-time.”

On teammates stepping up:

“OG Anunoby, Tyler Kolek, Jordan Clarkson, Mitch Robinson, they played their ass off tonight. We don’t win this s–t.”

On Tyler Kolek:

“He played big time. I’m very happy for him. It may be a surprise to a bunch of people, but none of you see how hard this kid works. Just very happy for him and the way he played tonight. Helped us, for sure. We needed him.”

On OG Anunoby:

“The way he’s shooting the ball is fantastic. He’s making plays and he has confidence.”

On winning simply:

“We got down and we found a way to win. That’s it. We’re gonna find a way.”

On bench contributions when he struggled:

“You have guys who step up and pick up the slack for a person like me who wasn’t shooting the ball well. It gives us even more confidence. That excites me more than anything.”

Brunson and KAT walk off the floor as @emirates NBA Cup Champs! pic.twitter.com/dNffUL2HUZ

— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2025

Karl-Anthony Towns​

On winning the Cup:

“Damn, don’t it look good to see ‘Champions’ on a shirt?”

On celebrating postgame:

“Don’t it look good when it says Knicks champions on the shirt.”

On Mitchell Robinson:

“That’s what Mitch does. I knew playing against him just how much he impacts the game. To be his teammate now and to see what he does, he’s impacted the game how many times. Shout-out to Mitch, hell of a day at the office.”

On Robinson’s performance:

“Shout-out to Mitch, man. Hell of a day at the office for him.”

Josh Hart was asked for his thoughts on an NBA Cup championship banner:

"I don't know. Y'all decide that. Someone's gonna be mad whatever we do. I'll let them figure that one out" pic.twitter.com/KLE7SgeKZ4

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 17, 2025

Josh Hart​

On hanging a banner:

“It’s a cup. It’s a title. It’s something that you want to win. Hang a banner. Obviously, there are different standards to the Cup and Finals, but whenever you go out there, you want to compete and win. That’s what you want to do, and then you want to celebrate that.”

On Tyler Kolek as an example for neophytes:

“If you’re a rookie, if you’re a young guy, if you appreciate the game, you should be looking at what he’s doing and how he’s finding his ability to get on the court and stay on the court. And you should model yourself off of that.”

On the team’s ceiling:

“We can be special. Now we have to keep proving it.”

Mitchell Robinson on Facebook: pic.twitter.com/NsTKKJ9QBE

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 17, 2025

Mitchell Robinson​

On offensive rebounding:

“They’re shot-blockers. They want to block everything so I’m in perfect position. If you ain’t boxing me out, you know what’s going to happen. You know how that goes.”

On celebrating the win:

“If I don’t remember tomorrow, it is what it is.”

On tenure with the Knicks:

“Been here eight years, longest-tenured Knick here. This is a huge accomplishment in the rebuild and the growth. Been here with four different coaches. Seen it all.”

On creating extra possessions:

“They shoot the ball, they miss, I get the offensive rebound and that’s another chance of us scoring. I did that, what, ten times tonight? We missed some but the chance is there. It helps a lot.”

UD "You play so damn hard you got a hole in your sock

Dirk "What's up w that?

UD "That's a grimy New York win

Tyler Kolek "New York toughness man

Taylor Rooks "Peeking out saying hello to us

Blake "With your winnings you could buy a million socks

UD "And get your dad a car pic.twitter.com/Yjs4ImwYlX

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 17, 2025

Tyler Kolek​

On the Vegas atmosphere:

“It felt like a playoff game out there. It was great to be out there, competing against a great team.”

On confidence and swagger:

“When I have that swag behind me, I feel like in college when I was talking s–t or whatever it is, just having fun with the game. That’s when I’m at my best.”

On celebrating in Vegas:

“I’m hitting those tables, for sure.”

“We’re battle-tested and have proven we can come here and win”

OG Anunoby joins @ChrisBHaynes on The Association: Post Up following the Knicks’ @emirates NBA Cup Championship win to discuss what the victory means for the team moving forward. pic.twitter.com/aB3dt7RNNN

— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 17, 2025

Mikal Bridges​

On team depth:

“I think we got a lot of talented guys. High-IQ individuals that will go out there and do whatever it takes to win.”

JOSH HART WANTS HIS NBA CUP BAG pic.twitter.com/jtD02fQ612

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 17, 2025

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...can-be-special-now-we-have-to-keep-proving-it

 

[New York Knicks]

Game Thread: Knicks at Pacers, Dec. 18, 2025

The Knicks (18*–7) head to Gainbridge Fieldhouse tonight to face a depleted Pacers team (6–20). It’s not quite a rematch of the Eastern Conference Finals that the Knicks lost last May. This iteration of the Hoosiers will be lacking Tyrese Haliburton, Aaron Nesmith, Obi Toppin, and Ben Sheppard. Look for Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, and Bennedict Mathurin to try to drag the decimated club to victory. On the other side, the Knicks will try to avoid fatigue and might even reserve a player or two for tomorrow’s tilt at home versus the Sixers.

Tip-off is 7 pm EST on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Indy Cornrows. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Air it all out, respectfully. And go Knickerbockers!

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...6719/game-thread-knicks-at-pacers-dec-18-2025

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks 114, Pacers 113: Kolek and Captain Clutch steal a win in Indy

Tonight, the New York Knicks (19*-7) were at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse to face the Indiana Pacers (6-21). Coming off their Tuesday night NBA Cup win and set to play the Sixers tomorrow, Mike Brown rested Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart, fielding a lineup of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Ariel Hukporti, and Mohamed Diawara (in his first NBA start). It made sense to give the guys a break, with such un-imposing competition. The Pacers are missing a slew of players and started Andrew Nembard, Quenton Jackson (a two-way guy playing just his seventh game of the season), Bennedict Mathurin, Jay Huff, and Pascal Siakam.

Indy jumped out strong, building a double-digit lead with efficient shooting while the Knicks struggled to score and maintain control of the ball. The Hoosiers continued to lead straight through til halftime, 62-59. In the third, the Knicks came out of the locker room lethargically and fell behind by double-digits again. But Tyler Kolek was cooking, Bridges and Anunoby hit some timely buckets to close the gap, and Brunson sank a triple with four seconds left to steal the win, 114-113.

New York scored efficiently overall, making 43-of-92 FG (47%), powered by volume threes (17-of-43, 40%). They stunk at the free throw line (58%), though, and coughed up the rock 16 times. Brunson led the box score with 25 points (10-23 FG, 3-8 3PT) plus seven rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. Despite a slow start, Bridges finished with 22 points (9-19 FG, 4-9 3PT), eight boards, five assists, and a +9. Anunoby added 16 points on 5-13 FG, 2-7 3PT, plus six boards, and +11. Hukporti played a season-high 27 points, tallying four points, five rebounds, two blocks, and a steal. And Diawara scored five points in a rocky 19.

Tyler Kolek continues to shine as the season rolls on. Coming off an impressive performance in the Cup final on Tuesday, the sophomore was a table-setter tonight, finishing with a career-high 16 points (7-10 FG, 2-4 3PT), 11 assists, and a +13. Also off the bench, Jordan Clarkson dropped 18 points on 6-of-12 FG, 5-0f-9 3PT. The roughest stat-line went to Guerschon Yabusele, who scored three points, 2 turnovers, and -17.

For the losers, Nembhard scored 31, one shy of his season-high, on 12-of-19 from the floor, 4-of-5 from deep. Siakam trailed him with 26 points on (ouch) 9-of-22 shooting. And Mathurin added 16 points and eight boards.

First Half​

The first quarter had us chewing a towel. With the Knicks turning the ball over once every minute-and-a-half and shooting around 20% from the field, they fell behind by 15 around the midway mark. The rookie Diawara had a nice play for every two goofs; he was drafted 51st, after all. And Bridges, who was benched in the fourth on Tuesday due to lackluster play, seemed off again. The 29-year-old iron man averages about 35 minutes per game. He might be feeling the effects of sharing lead-defender duties with Anunoby most nights.

Clarkson was a bright spot in a cloudy quarter.

An All-Star game, this was not. Every able-bodied player got to play. Indiana’s Garrison Matthews, who recently sipped a cup of coffee with the Knicks, joined the fray at 5:50. And New York’s Pacome Dadiet took the floor for just the tenth time this season. Trey Jemison played, too, logging two turnovers and no points in six minutes.

Guerschon Yabusele couldn’t buy a minute on Tuesday. We were reminded why tonight. He logged 8-first half minutes and was a team-worst -14 . . . perhaps playing the hefty French forward will not help to increase his trade value?

By the time the first quarter was put out of its misery, the Knicks had committed seven turnovers and were behind, 36-25.

In the second quarter, Tyler Kolek (a surprising star in Tuesday’s win) drilled a three to start the action. He spearheaded an 18-6 run that was capped by an Anunoby offensive board and a Bridges jumper.

Little by little, the Knicks chipped away at the deficit, reducing it to three late in the quarter. The Brunson-Kolek minutes were great. The latter has demonstrated increasing assertiveness and confidence as his sophomore season progresses. By halftime, Kolek had a tidy stat-line of nine points and four dimes in 13 minutes. His assist to Brunson in the corner became a four-point play when Ethan Thompson fouled the captain.

When the buzzer sounded, New York trailed 62-59. Through the half, the teams shot nearly identically from the floor (Knicks 46%, Pacers 48%), with New York holding the edge from three (8-of-22, 36% vs. 5-of-18, 28%). Our heroes had more assists (17–12), steals (6–3), fast-break points (10–5), and offensive rebounds (9–7). After a sloppy first quarter, the Knicks committed only one turnover in the second. Brunson led everyone with 18 points. For the Pacers, Nembhard had scored 17.

Second Half​

Through the first part of the third quarter, Indiana steadily pulled away by winning the Mathurin-Siakam minutes, dominating the offensive glass, and capitalizing on Knicks turnovers (two by Anunoby, and one apiece for Brunson and Bridges). New York piled on the bricks while the Pacers mounted a 15-4 run over four-plus minutes. When Nembhard canned a triple, the Hoosiers went up by 16, their largest advantage yet.

Playing in his fourth game of the season, Jemison scored his first points of the season with under a minute to go, and he made a free throw that went with it. Congratulations, Richard Lee Jemison III!

Kolek’s passing continued to sparkle (e.g., see the previous clip), and Bridges began to show more signs of life. Mikal drew a charge with 14 seconds to go, and Tyler rifled a triple with 3 seconds left that cut the score to 92-86.

The pace picked up in the fourth. Kolek drew a charge from Siakam, then hit a jumper to give New York their first lead since the opening of the game.

After that, Siakam scored nine, Nembhard and Jackson added treys, and the Pacers regained a seven-point advantage. The oh-so-streaky Clarkson whiffed on two from deep. The Knicks benefited from Isaiah Jackson’s flagrant foul on Herr Hukporti, but the big German missed one of two and Anunoby followed that with another turnover. New York had their opportunities, they simply blew them. Anunoby redeemed himself, hitting his first triple after missing five attempts, and Brunson made it a one-point game with three minutes left. The Pacers bungled their possessions, and OG (suddenly with a hot hand!) drilled another triple to knot the score at 111.

Anunoby factors into the story again, when he fouled former Toronto teammate Siakam with 17 seconds left. The Cameroonian made both. Knicks timeout.

Indiana had a foul to give, so Nembhard shoved Brunson to the floor. The refs thought that was cool. No worries. When the play resumed, Captain Clutch swished from yard to take a one-point lead with four-point-four left. Indiana tried to inbound, but Anunoby stole the ball, and that was all she wrote.

Up Next​

The Knicks jet home to face Philly tomorrow night. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

Box Score

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...-kolek-and-captain-clutch-steal-a-win-in-indy

 

[New York Knicks]

Game Thread: Knicks vs. 76ers, Dec. 19, 2025

The New York Knicks (19*-7) return to MSG tonight after a demanding week to face a rested Philadelphia 76ers (14-11) team. New York sits second in the East on a seven-game winning streak and are expected to have Karl-Anthony Towns, Mitchell Robinson, Josh Hart, and Miles McBride back in the fold. Philadelphia will be without Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford, with Joel Embiid and Hunter Sallis questionable.

Don’t sleep on Philly. Tyrese Maxey is the focal point of the offense, Paul George is a shooting a career-best from deep (granted, on a 10-game sample-size), VJ Edgecombe has justified his high draft selection, and Quentin Grimes wants to remind us that he’s the baller who got away.

Tip off is 7:00 p.m. EST on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Liberty Ballers. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Be good ambassadors of humanity. And go Knicks!

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/knicks-game-threads/76773/game-thread-knicks-vs-76ers-dec-19-2025

 

[New York Knicks]

76ers 116, Knicks 107: Mitch makes free throws, but Knicks too tired

Yesterday, the New York Knicks (19*-8) won a last 114-113 battle with the Pacers in Indiana. Tonight, they were back at Madison Square Garden to face the Philadelphia 76ers (15-11).

The Knicks struggled with turnovers (again) and three-point shooting to start, but managed to close the first quarter tied at 29. Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson helped the home team crush the paint and the glass, making up for poor shooting and giving them a 59-57 halftime advantage. The back-and-forth continued in the third, which Philly won 31-28. In the fourth, VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey hit big buckets while the Knicks stalled out down the stretch. After 19 lead changes, the Sixers take the W, 116-107.

Robinson had his best offensive game of the season, scoring 21 points thanks to making seven consecutive free throws. He finished 7-of-8 from the line and grabbed 14 rebounds for the double-double. In fact, New York crushed Philly 57-36 on the glass and 60-36 in the paint, thanks to KAT’s 22-11 double-double. But the Knicks were outshot 41% to 25% from deep, missing 24 long attempts, and they turned the ball over 18 times. Fatigued from all the travel this week? Sure looked it against a Philly team that was coming off four days’ rest.

Jalen Brunson scored 22 points on 7-of-22 FG, six boards, and nine assists. Bridges recorded 21 points on 9-of-16 FG; Josh Hart scored five points, attempting just seven shots; and OG Anunoby recorded two points on 1-of-9 shooting in 32 minutes.

Off the bench, Jordan Clarkson chipped in nine points in 16 minutes, but Tyler Kolek came back down to earth, scoring two points, four turnovers, and five fouls in 15 minutes. Nonetheless, the sophomore was a plus-4 when four of the starters were negative double-digits.

For the Pennsylvanians, Tyrese Maxey totalled 30 points and nine assists on 11-of-24 shooting, 6-of-12 from deep. Rookie V.J. Edgecombe was a demon down the stretch, finishing with 23 points on 10-of-18 and 3-of-6. And Andre Drummond, filling in for an ill Joel Embiid, logged a 14-13 double-double.

Remember to cast your All-Star votes, Knicks fans.

First Half​

The game opened with a fast-paced, physical quarter. Maxey and Barlow carried Philadelphia’s offense, with the former pushing the tempo and shooting threes, and the latter hustling for put-backs and finishes at the rim.

For the good guys, Brunson—coming off a clutch performance last night—countered Philly’s punches with drives into the paint and a nifty highlight lob to Mitchell Robinson, but the home team struggled to convert from deep early on. Through the quarter, they committed five turnovers, which was a problem yesterday and helped the Sixers outshoot them by seven field goals tonight. Hart and Bridges delivered timely buckets to keep the game from getting out of hand early, and as the clock dwindled, the shots started falling. By the frame’s end, the score was tied at 29.

Too easy.

Brunson Robinson pic.twitter.com/YnngUwJM3k

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 20, 2025

Tyler Kolek received a loud ovation when he checked in to start the second period. In five minutes, the spunky sophomore had his pocket picked twice and committed three fouls, bringing his balloon a little closer to terra firma and sending him back to the pine.

The dynamic duo of Towns and Robinson helped the Knicks go on an 8-0 run. With the twin towers hard at work, the Knicks out-rebounded the Cheesesteaks 2-to-1 and vastly outscored them in the paint, which compensated for New York’s 3-of-13 shooting from deep with about five minutes left in the half.

ONE HAND JAM FROM THE BIG MAN pic.twitter.com/wa2TsKqM7J

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 20, 2025

Off the bench, rookie Mohamed Diawara, who received praise from the coach after last night’s win, logged time, as did Jordan Clarkson, shooting well to bolster the second unit. For the Sixers, OAKAAKUYOAK Quentin Grimes played the entire quarter but attempted just two shots for five points.

New York’s lead reached six in the quarter, and they entered halftime ahead 59-57.

Philadelphia had hit 43% from the field and 9-of-25 from three, while New York countered with stronger interior scoring, winning the points in the paint 36-18. The home team ruled the glass 33–16, including a 12–5 advantage on the offensive boards, which helped offset their eight turnovers and shoddy three-point shooting (4-for-17). New York had been a bigger beneficiary of the whistle, touching the charity stripe 14 times to the Sixers’ six. Maxey led all scorers with 17 points; Brunson had 16.

Second Half​

The third quarter was another back-and-forth affair, with the Knicks holding a 76–75 edge at the midway point. KAT was a force for the Knicks, collecting 11 points on efficient inside-outside scoring, including two three-pointers, two layups, and four free throws, while also grabbing a handful of rebounds. Bridges provided crucial perimeter scoring for New York with 10 points on three made three-pointers, helping to counter Philly’s building momentum. Robinson exploded off the bench, scoring seven points on a layup and four (!) consecutive free throws, plus grabbing any loose ball within ten feet of him.

light work for

vote KAT for nba all-star starter ️ https://t.co/Ov3esq1i8z pic.twitter.com/OsxPBA1A1B

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 20, 2025

Kolek got a couple of minutes to spell Brunson and managed to commit two more turnovers and a foul. Rough night for T.J. McConnell 2.0.

Maxey led Philadelphia’s offensive attack throughout the quarter with his playmaking, drawing fouls and setting up teammates despite some missed shots. And Drummond had a hot hand, sinking two bombs and holding his own on the glass. Off the bench for Philly, Justin Edwards brought the energy, snagging two steals. Thanks to an Adem Bona free throw, the villains brought an 88-87 lead into the final frame.

mitch is GOING OFF pic.twitter.com/YMLVjec2aO

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 20, 2025

They stuck to the script in the fourth. Maxey drew first blood for Philly, and Jared McCain was impactful off the bench, contributing eight points. Robinson continued to be a force, scoring eight more points, with an alley-oop, a tip-in, and more free throws. The Knicks coughed up the rock again and again, though, and Bona was a pest, blocking two shots by OG Anunoby.

Brunson’s legs seemed tired, with multiple shots ringing off the front of the rim, and Edgecombe was cooking, scoring from near and far in a big-time debut at the Garden. As the game reached crunch time, the Knicks’ legs turned to rubber while the Sixers looked fresh enough to play another quarter.

VJ EDGECOMBE ARE YOU SERIOUS???

PUTBACK SLAM TO ICE THE WIN OVER THE KNICKS pic.twitter.com/usZayNzAba

— NBA (@NBA) December 20, 2025

Up Next​

The Heat from Miami pays a visit to New York on Sunday. Ice up, Knickerbockers.

Box Score

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...-mitch-makes-free-throws-but-knicks-too-tired

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Week Preview: December 21-27, 2025

The Knicks enter the holiday week with little time to catch their breath, facing a stretch of familiar faces and balding foes. I count four plane rides, to-and-from arenas; one early game and one at noon . . . on Christmas, no less; and one contest that feels like a scheduled loss. This year, our heroes are asking Santa for extra sleep.

Enjoy the week. And cast your All-Star votes.

Sun, Dec. 21 — Heat at Knicks (6:00 PM ET)​

The fast-paced Heat surprised everyone with a 13-6 record to start the season. Everyone was crediting Erik Spoelstra for changing his coaching style to match his personnel. They beat the Knicks two out of three times, and each game was decided by eight points or less. Of late, the laudatory squawking has quieted. The Day-Glos have dropped seven of their last ten and slid down to seventh on the conference pole. Their latest loss, 129-116, came at the hands of the Celtics on Friday night. Multiple Heaters are banged up: Wiggins (back), Herro (toe), Jovic (elbow), and Mitchell (ankle) are all game-time decisions. When healthy, this team plays sticky defense. We’ll see who suits up on Sunday.

Watch the game on MSG. You may have heard grumblings about the Knicks’ compressed schedule and the fatigue it brings. This game tips off at 6 PM, not even 48 hours after the last one. Then they’ll pack their bags and jet to the hinterlands for the next one. . . .

Tue, Dec. 23 — Knicks at Timberwolves (8:00 PM ET)​

Cripes, it’s cold in Minnesota. Imagine being tired, sore, and having to fly there to play basketball? Torture!

The Timberwolves rank sixth in the West. Their size, physicality, and interior defense make them a tough matchup. How tough? On Friday night, they handed the Thunder their third loss of the season. (OKC has lost two of its last three. Hit the panic button!)

Chris Finch’s club has won eight of their last ten, starting with a five-game win streak. The one-two punch of Anthony Edwards and OAKAAKUYOAK Julis Randle is formidable; Donte DiVincenzo and Jaden McDaniels are a solid pairing; Rudy Gobert is good for a 10-10 double-double; and then Naz Reid comes off the bench to club you some more. In November, the Knicks beat this squad by 23 at home, spoiling Anthony Edwards’ return–he had (perhaps) rushed back from a hamstring strain to play in the hallowed halls of MSG. Sorry, fans: this time out, with the Knicks fighting fatigue and having to jet to Minny and back for a single game, this feels like a trap game—a scheduled loss, if you will.

Mail your complaints about the schedule to:
Adam Silver
c/o NBA Headquarters
645 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10022.

Or use their handy form!

Watch this game on MSG.

Thu, Dec. 25 — Cavaliers at Knicks (12:00 PM ET)​

Bah humbug, I hate matinee games. Christmas Day at MSG brings the Cleveland Cavaliers (15-14) to town. The team that won 15 straight to start last season (and then went 49-18 after that) is slightly less concerning this time out. As of this writing, they have lost seven of their last ten. They still play at a decent pace, but their offensive rating has dropped from first (2024-25) to 11th, and their defense has slipped from eighth to 15th. Last season, they were the league’s second-best three-point shooting team; currently, they rate 27th (34%). Part of the problem is Darius Garland having a career-worst shooting season (38% and 32%) and Evan Mobley underwhelming overall. Apparently not part of the problem: Mr. Met, Donovan Mitchell, hitting a career-high four triples per game and averaging almost 31 points.

The Knicks already beat Cleveland once this season, by eight on opening night. This time out, look for the Ohio Players to have a strong game, though, with Mitchell wanting to impress in front of his hometown on Christmas. Betcha he goes for 40. Watch it on ESPN or ABC, your pick.

Sat, Dec. 27 — Knicks at Hawks (8:00 PM ET)​

More travel. Before the Knicks have time to sweep up the shredded wrapping paper and find places to put all their new Christmas toys, they’ll be back on a plane–again. This time, they’re heading to Georgia for the first of three seasonal games against the Hawks of Atlanta (15-14). Their next encounter is slated for January 2 at MSG.

That dicey Trae Young suffered an MCL sprain in October and was sidelined until December 18. Perhaps he returned too soon, because the knee kept him out of the next game. We’ll see how he feels, but it’s likely this villain will at least TRY to play against one of his biggest foes.

Jalen Johnson is having an excellent year, averaging 23.3 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 8.2 APG, and 1.5 STL, while shooting nearly 40% from three. He and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (20.7 PPG, 38% 3PT) have helped to keep Quin “One N” Snyder’s club afloat while Young and Porzingis have missed extended time. And Dyson Daniels might not be able to put the basketball into the Indian, Pacific, or Southern oceans, but he’s my kind of thefty pest.

Watch this one on Amazon Prime Video.

Go Knicks.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...76818/knicks-week-preview-december-21-27-2025

 

[New York Knicks]

Game Preview: Knicks vs. Heat, December 21, 2025

The New York Knicks (19*-8) host the Miami Heat (15-13) at Madison Square Garden this evening. It’s the fourth meeting of the season, with Miami holding a 2–1 edge.

When they last faced off, on November 17, Miami defeated New York 115–113 at the Kaseya Center. Norman Powell scored 19 points, Kel’el Ware posted a 16-14 double-double, and Davion Mitchell adding 18 as the Heat closed out a tight finish despite missing Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. Deuce McBride led the Knicks with 25 points, followed by Mikal Bridges with 23 and Karl-Anthony Towns with 22 points and 16 rebounds. New York fell short after erasing a 10-point deficit in the final three minutes. Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby missed the game due to injury.

The Knicks are holding down second place in the Eastern Conference but have looked a tad bedraggled since winning the NBA Cup tournament in Las Vegas and playing a back-to-back against the Pacers in Indy and the 76ers at home.

Miami started the season on a tear but then lost steam. They have been inconsistent in December, dropping seven of their last ten.

Veteran Powell has played All-Star-caliber ball this season, averaging 24 PPG and making 48% from the field. Sophomore has been a force in the paint, averaging 12 points and 10 rebounds per game. Bam Adebayo has averaged 18.5 points and nine rebounds.

The Day-Glos are puttering along on the injury bus. In Friday’s loss to Boston, they started rookie Kasparas Jakucionis, marking just his third game of the season. The youngster scored 17 points 36 minutes, hitting 5-of-8 from deep. We blame Pat Riley’s pact with Satan for all of Miami’s good fortune.

Today, Miami will be without Herro (toe), Pelle Larsson (ankle), and Nikola Jovic (elbow), while Mitchell (ankle) and Andrew Wiggins (back) are listed as game-time decisions.

Erik Spoelstra’s team moves the ball well and opts for more twos than threes. They’re a top six rebounding team (45.6 per game) but are out rebounded on average (48.4 per game). Defense is where they have an edge: they currently rank third for defensive rating and steal the ball almost nine times per game. They allow 41 threes per contest, but the opponent makes only 34% of them. So, expect strong contests on the perimeter shots tonight.

Prediction​

ESPN.com likes New York at 70%. But they also gave them heavy odds on Friday against Philly, so. . . . do with that what you will.

From deep against Miami this season, the Knicks shot 28% in the first game (a loss) , 40% in the second (a win), and 25% in the third (a loss). If the Knicks have the stroke from deep today, the Heat will be cooked. Given how tired some of them looked on Friday night, you might be nervous about that. New York will need strong games from KAT and Mitchell Robinson to counteract Ware and Adebayo, and it will help to have Deuce McBride’s production back in the lineup (if he suits up). Two of the previous matchups were decided by eight points, one by two. Let’s split the difference: Knicks by five.

Game Details​

Teams: New York Knicks (19*-8) vs Miami Heat (15-13)
Date: Sunday, December 21, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM ET
Location: Madison Square Garden, NYC
TV: MSG
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/.../game-preview-knicks-vs-heat-december-21-2025

 

[New York Knicks]

Game Thread: Knicks vs. Heat, December 21, 2025

The Knicks face the Heat for the fourth time this season, with Miami holding a 2–1 series lead. New York has shown some fatigue since its NBA Cup run, while Miami has cooled off after a fast start and has dropped seven of its last ten. The Heat arrive short-handed again and continue to lean on Norman Powell and Kel’el Ware, while New York will look to Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and its frontcourt size to regain control of the matchup.

Tip off is 6:00 p.m. EST on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Hot Hot Hoops. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Enjoy yourselves in peace and harmony. And go Knicks!

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...4/game-thread-knicks-vs-heat-december-21-2025

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks 132, Heat 125: Brunson burner scorches the Heat

Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks (20*-8) faced the Miami Heat (15-14) for the fourth and final time tonight. The Heat jumped out to a 37-30 first-quarter lead behind Kel’el Ware’s hot shooting and a 7-of-11 performance from three-point range, while Brunson kept the Knicks close with 14 points. New York’s bench sparked a second-quarter turnaround, and consecutive triples from Mikal Bridges helped them erase the deficit and take a 66-62 halftime advantage. The Knicks extended their lead to double digits in the third quarter thanks to an OG Anunoby eruption and Mitchell Robinson’s dominant final two minutes, entering the fourth up 105-99. And our heroes maintained control down the stretch as Brunson’s scorching shooting and Norman Powell’s flagrant foul sealed a 132-125 win for the Knicks.

On the list of the most 40-point games in franchise history, Patrick Ewing has 30, Bernard King has 23, and tonight, Brunson logged his 20th. The captain led all scorers with 47 points on 15-of-26 shooting (58%), 6-of-13 from three (46%), and a perfect 11-of-11 from the free-throw line. He played 38 minutes and dished out eight assists. Appreciate every moment of him, fans.

Bridges added 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting and 6-of-7 from deep, finishing at +2 in 40 minutes. After a scoreless first half, Anunoby contributed 18 points (6-of-12 shooting) with strong two-way play. Josh Hart added a nifty stat-line of 13 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and two steals in 33 minutes for a +4.

Karl-Anthony Towns had an extremely quiet game with just 2 points on 1-of-5 shooting (0-of-2 from three) in 29 minutes. He grabbed six rebounds, too, spending most of the game begging the refs for foul calls.

Off the bench, Robinson was pretty brilliant, with nine points and a perfect 3-of-3 from the line, plus seven rebounds in 22 minutes (+6). Doubters take note: his free-throw streak is now up to 10 straight. Jordan Clarkson added 10 points, and Tyler Kolek chipped in six with three assists in 22 minutes (also +16—best on the team!).

Ware led Miami with 28 points on 11-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-7 from three. He dominated the glass with 20 rebounds (six O-boards), plus a steal and a block in 35 minutes. Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 23 points off the bench on 9-of-15 shooting, plus five assists in 34 minutes. Norman Powell added 22 points on 7-of-17 shooting (4-of-8 from three), with 3 steals. And Bam Adebayo pieced together 14 points on 4-of-11 shooting (0-of-3 from three) and grabbed eight rebounds.

The Knicks shot 55% from the field, 53% from three (20-of-38), and 86% from the line (18-of-21)—outstanding efficiency across the board. They were outrebounded by nine, but Brunson and Bridges were too hot to lose tonight.

First Half​

The Heat took a few minutes to find their footing, missing five of their first seven shots. The Knicks shot about as poorly, and turned over the ball twice, falling behind 13-9 by the midway point.

Kel’el Ware couldn’t be blamed for Miami’s missteps, though. He made his first four shots, including two from deep that ignited a 10-0 run. Brunson answered with five points, trimming the deficit to six, but two more turnovers cost them, as did getting outrebounded.

Following their slow start, Miami caught fire, hitting 8-of-9 from the field. With two minutes and change remaining, the home team fell behind by ten. At that point rookie Mohamed Diawara subbed in for Bridges, and his triple, plus Robinson’s alley-oop and Clarkson’s layup, got the crowd cheering. They loved it, too, when Brunson made another three (he recorded 14 points in Q1), but Miami’s shooting had become a problem. By quarter’s end, the visitors had made 7-of-11 from deep and clung to a 37-30 lead.

To start the second quarter, Tyler Kolek led the troops.

The Knicks were actually shooting better than the Heat from downtown, but their defense was too soft and the disparity in fouls hurt them. The Heat commit the league’s fewest fouls per game, but, by midway through the second, the Knicks had been whistled for eight fouls to their one. Multiple times, Towns complained about contact in the paint, but the refs saw nothing. That’s the NBA for ya!

KEL'EL WARE IS SOO LONG pic.twitter.com/ab3LZeEmGJ

— Heat Clips (@MiamiClip) December 21, 2025

Perhaps feeling guilty, the refs did the Knicks a solid when they called goal-tend on Jaquez’s impressive block on a Kolek layup. After that, Miami missed a few shots, committed an offensive foul, committed two turnovers, and Bridges hit two triples. With three-and-a-half to go, the ‘Bockers had summoned some momentum, and when Brunson hit a step-back jumper, they had regained the lead.

With 30 seconds left, the mighty Mitch stepped to the line and drilled both. Don’t look now, but he’s hit nine straight freebies. Those beauties, plus another triple by Brunson, gave New York a 66-62 halftime lead.

Through the half, the Knicks outshot the Heat from the field and beyond the arc, hitting 54% overall and 57% from deep compared to Miami’s 47% and 43%. Still, Miami’s 23-18 edge on the glass and at the foul line had kept the game close. Both teams moved the ball well with 15 assists apiece.

Brunson and Bridges were incinerating the nets, counting for 27 and 18 points respectively and a combined 9-of-13 from downtown. No other Knick had scored more than five. KAT and Anunoby had combined for zilch. On the Heat’s side, Ware had logged 14 points and nine boards, and Jaquez had scored 12.

Second Half​

OG must have noticed that he hadn’t scored in the first half. He promptly delivered seven points and two blocks, powering a 13-5 New York run. With tighter defensive play and more balanced offense, New York took its largest lead of the night. During that beautiful stretch, Josh Hart drilled a three, Anunoby dunked and blocked two straight shots, and Jalen Brunson capped it off with a driving floater.

Miami steadied itself behind Norman Powell, who carried the offense with drives, free throws, and multiple deep threes, and Kel’el Ware, whose outside shooting, rebounding, and interior presence kept the Heat at the door. After Miami trimmed the margin to one with timely buckets and whistles, Brunson answered with his 37th point for a little cushion.

Robinson was a beast over the final two minutes, slamming home three dunks, grabbing a rebound, and hitting another free throw. Thanks to his burly play, New York took a 105-99 lead into the fourth.

Around the ten-minute mark, when Kolek raced for a driving layup, New York’s lead finally reached double-digits. The sophomore committed a bad-pass turnover soon after, and Mike Brown sent in Brunson to share the backcourt with him at the eight-minute mark. Would’ve liked to see the captain rest a little longer, but these Heat were not prepared to quit. With their foes knocking on the door, at 6:45, Josh Hart swished one of the longest shots I’ve ever seen him make—the stats say it was 27-feet, but it was a bomb. We love to see that confidence in Josh!

New York wasn’t corralling their usual quota of offensive rebounds, so misses became costly one-and-dones. At the other end, Miami was hanging around. . . . Ware was well into a double-double, Powell found his way to the free throw line, and the refs were happy to oblige. With the Knicks clinging to a six-point lead with five minutes left, Brunson canned a fall-away corner three that prevented a serious momentum shift.

Brunson was sizzling, Bridges was cooking, Anunoby was demonizing, and even Josh was spit-firing. But Kat . . . by the two-minute mark, he had two points on five shots and about 30 impassioned complaints to the zebras. Maybe we were due for a KAT’s-in-his-head game.

At 1:34, Powell screwed the Day-Glo’s game plan, committing a flagrant on a Brunson that Cap turned into three points, restoring a ten-point lead. From there it was lead maintenance—and another home win for our heroes.

Up Next​

Off to Minnesota to face Julius, Donte, and the Timberwolves on Tuesday. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

Box Score

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...132-heat-125-brunson-burner-scorches-the-heat

 

[New York Knicks]

Jalen Brunson: Erik Spoelstra’s kryptonite

Erik Spoelstra is a legend. He’s on the short list of the greatest coaches in NBA history and is a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer. He took over for one of the NBA’s all-time great coaches in Pat Riley and didn’t miss a beat, taking the job at age 38.

Despite having to manage the egos and pressure that came with the dominance of the Big 3 in the early 2010s, he led them to four Finals appearances and two NBA championships. Even after LeBron left, Dwyane Wade regressed, and Chris Bosh was forced to medically retire, he kept the Heat respectable, never losing more than 45 games in a season and maximizing his personnel despite the increasing mediocrity that Riley supplied him as the team’s president. Miami made another two NBA Finals, including one as a No. 8 seed in 2023.

His teams have always been a pain to play against, especially since the end of the Big 3 Era. They’ve always prioritized physicality, defense, and making life hell for their opponents. We know that firsthand from 2022-23, as an injured, struggling Julius Randle continued his longtime playoff struggles and most of the Knicks roster was held to dreadful numbers in the 2023 Second Round series against his Heatles.

The one player he’s never been able to keep under wraps, however, is Jalen Brunson.

The Knicks’ captain had one of his best games as a Knick on Sunday, dropping 47 points (the most he’s ever scored at MSG!) and shouldering the load on an off-night for Karl-Anthony Towns to lead the Knicks to their 20th win of the season.

JALEN BRUNSON TONIGHT

47 POINTS
8 ASSISTS
0 TURNOVERS
15-26 FG
6-13 3P

New Garden career high
pic.twitter.com/BY0N3T5gpe

— Teg (@IQfor3) December 22, 2025

After the game, Spoelstra sang the praises of Brunson and the Knicks, something he’s done several times in the past:

Sit back and enjoy, Knicks fans. pic.twitter.com/9EVrFXUGC1

— Rit Holtzman (@BenRitholtzNBA) December 22, 2025

Brunson has faced the Heat 16 times since becoming a Knick, averaging 28.8 points a night on 51/37/87 shooting splits. Only two players have averaged more against the Heat in that span, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic, who’ve only faced Miami eight combined times.

No matter what the circumstance, no matter who’s guarding him, Coach Spo has never had an answer for JB.

In the three meetings between the teams in March 2023, Brunson had two 25-point games, but was decently supported by Randle, Immanuel Quickley, and RJ Barrett. Come playoff time, however, all three of them put together putrid performances, and Brunson had to put on his cape.

Brunson averaged 31 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.5 rebounds on solid shooting in the six-game defeat, scoring 20 in every single game. He played all 48 minutes in a 38-point masterpiece in Game 5 and played 45 minutes in Game 6, scoring 41 of the team’s 92 points while being a plus-3 in a four-point loss. The only time he sat, the Heat went on a 10-0 run to put a stranglehold on the game in the second quarter.

After the game, Spoelstra waxed poetic about Brunson, who at that point had never been an all-star or All-NBA player. The two’s connection would grow that summer, when Spoelstra was an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, in which Brunson was the starting point guard.

Spo on Jalen Brunson (41 points in Game 6): “How’s that dude not an All-Star or All-NBA?…He should be on one of those teams. I wish he were still out West. Man you gotta respect him as a competitor…He’s got an iron will. There’s something about these Villanova guys, they’re as… pic.twitter.com/pVH1UpVh4e

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) May 13, 2023

Brunson dropped 32 again on the Heat in January 2024 on the day Randle played his final game as a Knick due to a dislocated shoulder injury. He scored 31 in January 2025 in an overtime win. In the two meetings in which he’s played this season, he has had 37 and 47-point games. Since becoming a Knick, he’s failed to score 20 one singular time against the Heat.

While his career averages against the Heat are dragged down by his days in Dallas, Brunson’s averages against them are truly elite.

Since Erik Spoelstra took over in 2008, LeBron James’ 27.6 points per game is the most against the Heat in 38 games, followed by Kevin Durant at 27.3. Damian Lillard and Steph Curry also average over 24 points a night.

Remember, since becoming a Knick, Brunson is averaging 28.8 points a game against Spoelstra. Even including his time in Dallas, he has the fifth-highest PPG average of any player against a Spo team.

So yeah, Spo’s right to hold him in such high regard. Say, isn’t he going to coach the 2028 Summer Olympic team?

Wonder if he needs a point guard.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/.../jalen-brunson-erik-spoelstra-knicks-heat-nba

 

[New York Knicks]

Game Preview: Knicks at Timberwolves, December 23, 2025

Imagine their frequent flyer miles! Today, the New York Knicks (20*-8) will zip to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves (19-10) of the hinterlands. Then they’ll have to jet home in time to play the Christmas Day matinee. Let’s hope they’ve had time to wrap Christmas presents, or, like this extravagantly rich writer, have a well-paid assistant to handle that stuff.

Aside from the weariness of constantly being in a tin can 35,000 feet above the ground and a tough slate of games, the Knicks must be feeling pretty good. They come into Minny having won 11 of their last 13, and the NBA Cup! Trouble awaits them in the tundra, though. Their furry-faced opponents have taken nine of 13, and their last two victories came against the Bucks and Thunder (and OKC is no slouch).

Powered by Anthony Edwards (28.3 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 3.9 APG), the ‘Wolves are a well-balanced, top-10 team on both sides of the ball. Their offense is efficient at 117.8 (8th), and their defense is even stronger at 113.0 (7th), making them one of the better two-way teams in the NBA. Tough D? Yep. They allow 113.8 points per game (9th) and limit opponents to 45.7% shooting. Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid are two of their best paint protectors, but that lovable scamp Edwards is more than just an offensive dynamo–he averages 2.3 deflections, 1.2 steals, and almost a block per game.

When they last played, on November 5 at the Garden, the Knicks beat the doggies 137–114. OG Anunoby scored 25 points, and Jalen Brunson added 23 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds. Julius Randle led Minnesota with 32 points. New York hit 19 of 42 threes and dominated the glass 50–31, holding Anthony Edwards to 15 points in his return. The 23-point win was Minnesota’s worst loss of the season.

This game should prove to be a closer affair. New York will play without Brunson (ankle), Anunoby (ankle), Miles McBride (ankle), and Guerschon Yabusele (illness–preparing to be traded). They will have Karl-Anthony Towns, however, returning to Minnesota for the final regular-season meeting between the teams. Without Brunson and Anunoby, New York will need strong leadership and scoring from KAT tonight if they hope to clear this high hurdle.

On the T’Wolves’ side, Joe Ingles is out for personal reasons, while Jaden McDaniels is listed as a game-time decision with a hip issue. OAKAAKUYOAK Julius Randle is averaging 22.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 5.6 APS, without missing a game. Another fine season for our old friend.

Prediction​

ESPN.com favors Minny at 51%. Almost a toss-up! Well, we’d give them slightly better odds. The flea-bitten Wolves have homecourt advantage, and this is the last of a five-game homestand. They had yesterday off to rest and prepare, while the Knicks were at the airport, trying to Postmates Cartier jewelry for their spouses’ stockings. Without Jalen, OG, and Deuce, Mike Brown will need to tap into his creative side. He might even give Tyler Kolek his first start of the season and extensive minutes to rookie Mohamed Diawara. Wouldn’t that be something if the youngsters seized their opportunity and put down one of the toughest teams in the West? We don’t expect that to actually happen, but that would indeed be something.

Game Details​

Teams: New York Knicks (20*-8) vs Minnesota Timberwolves (19-10)
Date: Tuesday, December 24, 2024
Time: 8:00 PM ET
Location: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
TV: MSG
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...eview-knicks-at-timberwolves-december-23-2025

 

[New York Knicks]

Game Thread: Knicks at Timberwolves, December 23, 2025

The New York Knicks (20*-8) head to Minnesota with the wind at their backs. They’ve won 11 of their last 13 and an NBA Cup full of money. Tonight they’ll be shorthanded, though, with a tough test before them. The rested Timberwolves (19-10) have won nine of their last 13, and led by Anthony Edwards, they’re a top-10 unit on both sides of the floor. Meanwhile, our heroes will be without Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Miles McBride, and Guerschon Yabusele. That puts added pressure on Karl-Anthony Towns, returning to Minnesota, to lead a short-handed group against a deep, physical Wolves squad with home-court advantage.

Will Tyler Kolek get his first career start? Will Mohamed Diawara play 20 minutes? Tune in, Knicks fans. Tip-off is 8 pm EST on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Canis Hoopus. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Mind your manners. And go Knicks!

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...hread-knicks-at-timberwolves-december-23-2025

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Bulletin: ‘He just has to continue to try not pick up cheap fouls’

Win the NBA Cup now, deal with schedule losses later.

That’s where the New York Knicks are at, right?

Here’s a bunch of what we heard from the protagonists of yesterday’s affair.

Mike Brown: "KAT obviously can score…He just has to continue to try to not pick up cheap fouls…now we have to sit him when he needs to be on the floor…40 & 13, doesn't surprise me at all…But if you're gonna be a great player, we expect more from him. I'm sure he does too" pic.twitter.com/of58l7wqIU

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 24, 2025

Mike Brown​

On the need for Towns to stop making dumb fouls:

“With KAT, obviously, he can score. He had 40 tonight. I said it before, he’s a walking double-double. He just has to continue to try not pick up cheap fouls. Now we have to sit him for an X amount of minutes when he needs to be on the floor. So, you know, the 40 and 13, it doesn’t surprise me at all because he’s more than capable. But if you’re gonna be a great player, we expect more from him. I’m sure he does too.”

On Tyler Kolek’s first start:

“For a young guy, he tried to do what he could while he was out there. But we needed more from him, probably more so defensively than offensively at the end of the day if we expect to get a win on the road.”

On the team’s competitiveness without Brunson on Tuesday:

“We did fight in spurts. But I’m greedy just like everyone in that locker room is. We’re all competitive and we know we could’ve done a better job.”

On Julius Randle’s aggression killing New York:

“He was just aggressive. He was just taking it right to us. We started blitzing Edwards, and they basically just gave him the ball and he put his head down and he attacked our chests. Again, we gotta give them credit, because he used his footwork, he used his power, he used his strength, he used his quickness to get by us, to finish at the rim and to get to the free-throw line.”

On his defensive adjustments against Minny and using a zone-D in the second quarter:

“We wanted to mix it up. We weren’t getting many stops. Edwards was playing at a high level, and we wanted to try to just give them a different look.”

On Trey Jemison III’s impact:

“He’s a physical presence. He’s a guy who communicates extremely well for a young guy. Guys like playing with him because they know he’s going to set screens and get them open. And he’s got good feet and a good motor.”

"I left my heart & soul here in Minnesota. For the fans–even after 2 seasons away–to respect me the way they do, think of me highly, appreciate what I left on the court, means a lot. It really means a lot"

– KAT (40&13 in loss) on Wolves fans ovation when he came out end of game pic.twitter.com/XjFSe2lOzk

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 24, 2025

Karl-Anthony Towns​

On his main goal whether or not Jalen Brunson plays:

“Win. The same thing, must go out there and find a way to win. Just go out there and win. I don’t worry about that. I come out here to win.”

On carrying the Knicks in a loss:

“I knew what the situation was. I knew that the ball would find me more today and I wanted to be aggressive, impact winning. I thought I just wanted to do whatever it took to come out of here with a win. Obviously we didn’t do enough, I didn’t do enough. This is going to be a tough plane ride home.”

On returning to Minnesota:

“It can be two truths in that. You can be at peace knowing the business cycle keeps going and business is business. After the year we had last year in New York, feeling more at home, fans welcoming you in more, obviously you can be at peace with it, but it still stings when you’re not walking into this locker room. Coming to this amazing state, this city and realize you’re not going to the training facility anymore, you’re not making that drive in, you’re not doing all that. Now you’re in a hotel, it hits different.”

On the Timberwolves organization:

“I know we’ve done a lot of amazing things in the last 12 months in New York, but I had nine years here. Just watching this organization grow from being a lottery team to now being a Western Conference juggernaut, to be part of that growth, part of that organization’s rise, to be blessed with the opportunity to change a lot of people’s lives. And a lot of the kids that grew up watching me now are adults. Some of them got kids themselves. To be able to give them something to cheer for, it’s what it’s really all about.”

On emotions returning to Minnesota:

“Hell yeah, I was yesterday, me and my girl was. Going to our house here, it’s different when you’re not here. We talked about the lifestyle here and how awesome it is to be here and all the memories here, just reliving them, driving by the same places that we always used to go to, getting our coffees and stuff. And then being able to have HopeKids at the Theater yesterday, having that kind of community event that I was always having here, it’s crazy that it’s the second year and it still feels the same.”

On his relationship with Anthony Edwards:

“I talk to him almost every day. Spent a lot of time with him Monday. Just happy that he’s continuing his journey and that I get to watch it.”

On Minnesota fans:

“For the fans to just, even after two seasons away, to respect me the way they do and to think of me so highly and to appreciate what I left on the court tonight, it means a lot.”

"Tyler was good in spurts…11 rebounds his size fantastic too…For a young guy tried to do what he could. But we need more from him, moreso defensively, if we expect to get a win on the road"

–– Mike Brown on Tyler Kolek's 20-11-8 career night in undermanned loss to Wolves pic.twitter.com/07ZNoFrLh3

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 24, 2025

Tyler Kolek​

On his first career start:

“Anytime you get an opportunity like that, you try to take advantage of it. These guys got confidence in me to go out there and play my game and do what I do. It’s too bad, we just couldn’t get the win.”

Flagrant on Josh after Gobert no-call shove pic.twitter.com/kjE9aSiFbW

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 24, 2025

Josh Hart​

On the flagrant foul incident with Gobert:

“We were battling for a rebound, I felt like I got pushed and then the other one he kind of smacked down, hit the ball and then hit me. I wasn’t trying to hit his knee, I didn’t really make too much contact, obviously. Don’t wanna do anything around there, doesn’t help that he’s 7-foot-4. I’m trying to push him but his knee is kinda up there. Just out of frustration, I gotta be better.”

On failing to finish Tuesday’s game strong:

“We battled back and then we just didn’t play good enough to finish it. I had too many turnovers. Some of those turnovers turned into easy baskets, and that kind of kills any momentum we kind of have. I gotta be better.”

KAT with Julius, Ant, Conley, Gobert, and long ovation in Target Center pic.twitter.com/RG7P2Erpsc

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 24, 2025

Julius Randle​

On handling adversity:

“I haven’t been great at that in my career. I put so much into the game and work really hard, so you kind of become a perfectionist, mentally, and for me that’s always been tough.”

On moving on from New York:

“I’m over it. I had a great time in New York, accomplished a lot of great things. The city was great to me, but I’m happy to be here in Minnesota, playing in front of the fans every day, being a part of this team. I’m home. Where I’m at is home. So I think I’ve kind of got past that, and I’m just happy where I am now.”

Anthony Edwards in playing against Karl Anthony Towns

“It’s still like kind of weird, but that’s my brother man and I love him so whenever he at Ima salute, and be on the side and cheer for him” pic.twitter.com/dBJOkLIsLk

— Andrew Dukowitz (@adukeMN) December 24, 2025

Anthony Edwards​

On Karl-Anthony Towns’ performance:

“I didn’t even know he had 40 until after the game. But he played his ass off. We all know how much of a special talent he is. I definitely wasn’t trying to match him. I was happy to see him doing his thing.”

Happy 9th birthday Kyden Randle pic.twitter.com/6rcVh3jcHM

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 24, 2025

Chris Finch (Timberwolves Head Coach)​

On Julius Randle’s impact on Tuesday’s game:

“Being able to shake off the poor start and play inspired basketball and really be the guy who turns the game around in the fourth or seals it in a lot of ways, I was proud of him tonight.”

“I’ve been sitting at home… I wanted to wait for the NBA but I was just ready to play”

— Cam Payne on joining the EuroLeague’s Partizan Belgrade pic.twitter.com/HkADFxSpgd

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 24, 2025

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...as-to-continue-to-try-not-pick-up-cheap-fouls

 

[New York Knicks]

Timberwolves 115, Knicks 104: Randle’s late explosion spoils Kolek’s career night and KAT’s 40

The NBA must have expected this to be a lively game. For the New York Knicks’ (20*-9) visit to the Minnesota Timberwolves (20-10), the league enlisted an officiating crew of Josh Tiven, Sean Corbin, and Michael Smith. By my count, that’s 76 years of NBA officiating experience. Turns out, the league was right. With the Knicks missing five rotational players—Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Miles McBride, Guerschon Yabusele, and Landry Shamet—this game turned out to be wayyy more entertaining than we expected it to be.

Karl-Anthony Towns set the tone against his former team with 14 quick points, and Tyler Kolek cracked off six points and two steals, but the Knicks lost the first quarter 31-28. A Bones Hyland shooting burst pushed Minnesota’s lead to 16, but Towns, Josh Hart, and Jordan Clarkson sparked a Knicks rally that cut Minnesota’s advantage to 58–52. In the third, the visitors erased another double-digit deficit and briefly reclaimed the lead behind Towns and Hart, but a flagrant foul and timely Minnesota threes swung momentum back to the Wolves, up 85–79 heading to the fourth. From there, the Furballs steadily pulled away behind Julius Randle, who woke up to score 15 straight points and giving them a 115-104 win.

Towns finished the night with a 40-13 double-double on 14-of-24 shooting, including 3-of-6 from deep. He fouled out late in the game, and his foul trouble allowed Minnesota to feast in the paint in the fourth. Not helping a whole lot: Mitchell Robinson with seven rebounds, two blocks, and two points in his 26 minutes. Mitch logged a team-worst -15 plus-minus. The Knicks won the rebounding battle, 55-42, and the paint points, 54-42, but it never felt like their frontcourt was dominating. The team’s atrocious amount of turnovers—19!—certainly didn’t help.

In his first NBA start, Tyler Kolek continued the blossoming he showed in the Cup tourney. He recorded career-highs of 20 points and 11 rebounds, plus eight assists, three steals, and just two turnovers. The sophomore shot 9-of-22 from the field and 2-of-6 from deep in his 31 minutes. He even flashed Brunson-esque footwork (see below). This game might have been a loss, but to see this from the young playmaker takes much of the sting out.

Rounding out the starters, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart both had double-doubles. Bridges’ was a 20-point, 11-rebound affair on 7-of-16 shooting, 1-of-6 from deep in 38 minutes. Hart played 42 minutes, scoring 12 points, grabbing 15 boards, and dishing out eight dimes.

For the home team, Anthony Edwards shot 15-of-27 for 38 points, plus four steals. But it was Randle’s night. He sleepwalked through the first three quarters, then when Towns was in foul trouble, Julius ate him up. He scored 17 points in the fourth, including 15 in a row. Clearly, the trade that swapped him and Donte DiVincenzo for KAT last year still stirs up emotions. We get some feels seeing him, too.

First Half​

KAT was the star of the first quarter. Determined to show off for his old team and make up for Sunday’s two-point performance, he scored 14 points on nine shots in 10 minutes.

Kolek showed some first-time jitters, but got his legs under him pretty quickly. On one breakaway, with defenders ahead of him, the sophomore playmaker slowed his step at the last minute to put the Wolves on skates and make the easy bunny. Totally a Jalen Brunson move, and it showed great poise. He’d close the quarter with six points, two steals, and a pair of assists.

For the villains, Gobert had two steals in the quarter, and Edwards dropped 13 points on seven shots.

Dealing with a short-handed crew, Coach Mike Brown mixed and matched through the period. Around the four-minute mark, Mohamed Diawara checked in, and Jordan Clarkson and Ariel Hukporti both got some burn.

The Knicks leaned on interior scoring and ball pressure, scoring 20 points in the paint, grabbing three offensive rebounds, and forcing five steals, but they struggled from deep (1-for-7). Minnesota shot more efficiently overall and from three, dished out nine assists, and led for 71% of the quarter. At the break, after eight lead changes, Minny held a 31-28 point advantage.

All hands on deck! To start the second, Mike Brown inserted sophomore Kevin McCullar, Jr., playing the seventh game of his career. His four minutes will not be recognized in Springfield. Meanwhile, Kolek’s shots were falling a little short, indicating that his legs were faltering. Around the eight-minute mark, Pacome Dadiet replaced him on the floor, playing just his 11th game of the season (he’s averaging 2.5 MPG).

Bones Hyland’s mini-flurry of threes flipped the quarter from a manageable deficit to teetering on getting ugly early. The Wolves went ahead by 16, their largest lead so far. KAT, Hart, and Clarkson stepped into the void, linking up like Voltron to score 10 unanswered points and trim their deficit to five.

Edwards cooked Clarkson for a 19-foot jumper; Bridges responded with a trey. Edwards missed, and a Dadiet rebound became a Hart-assisted three-pointer by Clarkson. New York was knocking on the door, down one point, but a triple from Donte and a Gobert tip-in goosed the score to 58-52 at halftime.

The teams played an evenly matched first half in terms of field goal shooting and rebounding, but Minnesota controlled the flow. New York held a points-in-the-paint edge (30–22) but struggled from three (4-of-14). Minnesota made their bones beyond the arc, knocking down nine threes, and moving the ball well with 15 assists. Edwards led the home team with 18 points; for the visitors, Towns had 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting.

Besides Towns in the frontcourt, Robinson was underperforming, with two points, rebounds, and a team-worst -13 in his 14 minutes. If the Knicks pull this win out of their hat, they’ll need better play from him in the second. We can’t overlook this nifty jam, though.

Second Half​

Minnesota started strong, but KAT, Kolek, Hart, and Bridges were nowhere near quitting. After falling behind by double-digits again, they clawed their way back. When KAT hit Hukporti at the rim, they’d come back to tie the game. When Hart hit a driving Bridges, they had their first lead since late in the first quarter.

After that, Edwards scored seven straight, Randle added two free throws, and took a seven-point lead in a flash.
New York kept swinging. They cut the lead to four again, thanks to another Clarkson trey and a timely jumper by Kolek.

Late in the third, though, Hart and Gorbert mixed it up. Josh beat the Frenchman to the rebound and received a shove to the floor that went uncalled. Taking exception, Josh grabbed Rudy’s leg and was whistled for a flagrant

The flagrant cost the Knicks two points. Recovering some ground, Diawara hit the fourth three-pointer of his NBA career, but Jaylen Clark hit an equally unlikely triple for the Wolves that gave them an 85-79 lead at the break.

Naz Reid started the Q4 scoring with a corner three, and the hole was nine. KAT and Bridges gave good efforts, but three straight buckets by Randle and a steal built the differential back up to 12. Turnovers (16 and counting with six minutes left) helped our heroes none at all.

While the former Knick was basking in his glory, a new Knick was chomping at the bit to prove himself. He came out of a timeout with a floater, then followed that with an ice-cold triple and his tenth rebound of the game. Randle didn’t like that and, egged on by his teammates, he hit two more buckets, both and-ones. Edwards picked Hart’s pocket for a pick-six, and that brought the difference to 16 with four minutes and change left.

Watch Randle stare down the Knicks bench after stealing a pass to KAT and running it back.

Refusing to quit, Hart hit a three-pointer to bring the score within nine. Randle answered with yet another bucket in the paint in KAT’s grill. With a little under two minutes left, Bridges missed an open-look three that would have cut the lead to eight. Edwards missed two freebies, Hart answered with a tip-in, but it was too little, too late.

Up Next​

Our heroes head back to NYC so they can face the Cavs in the Christmas Day matinee. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

Box Score

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...losion-spoils-koleks-career-night-and-kats-40

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Bulletin: ‘I’d much rather be home with my family’

Merry Christmas, Posters & Toasters!

The Knicks play today, as is their wont, and they will do so aiming at rebounding against no less than the wannabe Cavaliers.

Here’s a very exotic mix of words uttered in the past few hours.

Mikal Bridges scored 41 points on Christmas last year – the second most by a Knick on the holiday, behind Bernard King’s record 60 in 1984.

Bridges and the @nyknicks host the @cavs on #NBAXmas at noon ET on ABC/ESPN. pic.twitter.com/EAvc51tm0h

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) December 23, 2025

Mikal Bridges​

On conditioning and stamina:

“There’s nothing like game shape. And I think just playing and playing, eventually you just get more stamina. Just each game, you keep getting better. I know you get a little tired and stuff. The lungs, I feel like I got pretty good stamina, but sometimes the legs, it takes some time. Running up and down, the legs start to get a little fatigued more.”

On leading the league in distance traveled:

“Yeah, I be running.”

On transition shooting:

“I think it’s just timing, knowing when a guy’s about to pass and kinda getting your feet right. But I’ve been doing this since college, the kind of stuff we’ve been working on here, and I’ve always been big on running in transition, knowing when to get the one-two feet down and rhythm up into the shot.”

On playmaking in transition:

“I think being able to shoot it off the catch or off the run and being able to put it down and try to play-make, and I think my teammates are playing the right way and finding everybody, including myself. I think we’ve got a lot of good basketball players that make the right read out in transition.”

Before yesterday’s game, Trey Jemison was in the stands with his bible, praying. #Lakeshow pic.twitter.com/nMz00OzPbQ

— LoJo Media (@LoJoMedia) April 10, 2025

Trey Jemison III​

On holding Bible study sessions:

“A lot of times, people read the Bible, and it’s like all these old words and they’re like, ‘I’m not reading that.’ So I try to make it simple so people can stay engaged.

“When you go to God about something and you put him first, like, it’s crazy the things you can really do.”

On helping others:

“It’s just priceless. It’s not an NBA game, not a dollar amount you can give to match the value of hearing somebody say, ‘Hey you helped me get through a situation.’ That’s a blessing for me.”

On his improvement this season:

“Their belief in me, and they’re breaking down small, small details, has switched it up completely.

“They have a growth path for me. They don’t just ignore you because you’re on a two-way contract. They want me to get better and grow my game so when my name is called, I can help the Knicks be the best team they can possibly be.”

On the game slowing down for him:

“Now in games, it’s super slow for me. I see the cut before it happens. Now I understand, if I gotta screen this man, make this next pass, I know where to put it before he even cuts.”

On his steady growth as a pro:

“My game is growing. From my position coaches, to all my G League coaches, they are buying in and helping me set a higher standard for myself and it’s been great. I love coming to work every day.”

“Imma be completely honest, I would like to be home on the couch with my family”

LeBron on playing Christmas Day

(Via @SpectrumSN) pic.twitter.com/5f44OZMLqE

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 22, 2025

LeBron James​

On playing on Christmas:

“I’d much rather be home with my family. But it’s the game. It’s the game I love. It’s a game I watched when I was a kid on Christmas Day, watching a lot of the greatest play the game on Christmas, it’s always been an honor to play it. Obviously, I’m gonna be completely honest, I would like to be home on the couch with my family all throughout the day. But my number is called, our number is called, we have to go out and perform, and I look forward to it.”

Medcalf: His dad is one of the greats — now Kiyan Anthony is chasing dreams of his own https://t.co/ZkS9UcgNOc

— Myron Medcalf (@MedcalfByESPN) December 23, 2025

Kiyan Anthony​

On crafting his own identity:

“When they talk about me, I just want them to talk about my development and how I keep getting better. And how I could rise to the top.”

On learning from pops Melo:

“I learned almost everything from him, so it just makes the game so much easier. It just makes it easier knowing what to do.”

On dealing with pressure:

“I feel like throughout this process, you could feel like you’re alone. You feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders and there is nobody behind you. But then having friends like that, that are going through the same thing that I’m going through, somebody like Bronny. He is way ahead of me and already in the NBA and going through way worse, so it always could be worse. I feel like pressure is just an opportunity for success.”

Melo: "It's his welcome to college moment … you don't forget that ever."

Kiyan's ELITE postgame moment after Syracuse beat Tennessee earned him an A+ Teammate Grade pic.twitter.com/DPuJb3Ec1R

— 7PM in Brooklyn (@7PMinBrooklyn) December 23, 2025

Carmelo Anthony​

On the Knicks’ title chances:

“I honestly believe that the Knicks have a legit shot at the NBA Championship. At least getting there, and then they’ll have to compete, I think, with OKC. But what we’re seeing with the Knicks, man, they’re building and growing, they’re getting more comfortable with each other.”

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...ulletin-id-much-rather-be-home-with-my-family

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks 126, Cavaliers 124: Robinson rebounds, Brunson and Kolek astound

‘Twas the best Christmas present a fan could ask for.

In today’s holiday matinee, the Cavaliers (17-15) blitzed the Knicks (21*-9) early with an 18–3 run behind Donovan Mitchell’s hot shooting and finished the first quarter up 38–23. In Q2, New York flipped the game with bench energy and forced turnovers, riding a Jordan Clarkson–Tyler Kolek spark to a 60–58 halftime lead. Mitchell, Darious Garland, and Jaylon Tyson powered a Cavaliers surge that flipped the score and gave them a 96–84 lead. But in the final frame, the Knicks stormed back thanks to Mitchell Robinson’s offensive rebounding, and timely shooting from Brunson, Clarkson, and Kolek. Down by 17, they rumbled and rallied all the way back to win it, 126–124.

Brunson led the Knicks with 34 points on 10-for-25 shooting and 6-of-12 from deep. Clarkson (25) and Kolek (16) gave New York a major lift off the bench, combining to go 9-of-15 from three. Kolek dished nine dimes, hit 4-of-5 from deep, and was a team-high +23. Read all about it below.

The game swung on extra possessions and bench control. Mitchell Robinson pulled down 13 rebounds in just 17 minutes—eight on the offensive glass—while Karl-Anthony Towns added 14 boards and 11 points.

Mitchell led Cleveland with 34 points on 12-of-26 shooting, adding seven rebounds, six assists, and four steals, while Garland chipped in 20 points and four assists (plus four turnovers).

The only blemish on this one was Hart turning his ankle in the fourth. Otherwise, this was a bona fide Christmas classic. Cleveland shot 52% from the field and won the paint 56–40, leading for 74% of the night. The Knicks offset that with volume and accuracy from deep (21 threes at 48%), extra possessions (12 offensive rebounds), and stronger defensive impact (nine steals, four blocks). Merry Christmas? Indeed.

First Half​

The Cavaliers jumped ahead 18-3 as the Knicks missed their first seven attempts from downtown. Spida made five of his first six shots and finished the quarter with 12 points. Meanwhile, Towns picked up two quick fouls and headed to the bench for Mitchell Robinson, who then committed two fouls of his own. Do the Knicks ever play well in matinees?

New York fought back behind Brunson, who netted 10 points in the period despite shooting 4-of-10. A flagrant foul whistled on Lonzo Ball at the 4:31 mark gave Brunson a four-point possession and briefly shifted momentum back in our favor.

Three-pointers from rookie Mohamed Diawara (taking over for Robinson) and veteran Jordan Clarkson trimmed the deficit, the Knicks closed on a 7-2 run, but still trailed 38-23 after one quarter.

Cleveland controlled the quarter by hitting 13-of-19 from the field, distributing the ball, turning the rock over just once, while New York shot 9-of-24 from the field and 3-of-12 from deep. Four turnovers, seven fouls, and uneven defense. Bah, humbug.

But then things were looking up! With Brunson resting, Cleveland turned the ball over thrice in the first minute, and Clarkson drilled two triples to spark a 24-to-5 run. The Ohio Players coughed up the ball three more times before the middle of the frame, and when Kolek turned his defensive rebound into a dime to a trailing Bridges for a bunny, the Knicks finally controlled the scoreboard.

Towns, oft maligned for his defensive efforts, played sticky-D at times. On one sequence, he stuck to Allen’s hip and worked the dribbler into an offensive foul, and when he scored on the subsequent possession, it came on another Kolek assist. Really nice bench contributions from Clarkson and Kolek, and, along with Towns, they were the only three Knicks with positive double-digit plus-minuses.

New York held Mitchell scoreless in the second, but Garland led a comeback to cut the Knicks’ lead to 60-58 at halftime. The Cavs had shot slightly better (56% FG and 50%), but the Knicks weren’t too shabby with 50% from the floor and 10-of-22 from deep. After they’d protected the ball so well in the first frame, Cleveland turned the ball over eight times in the second, which New York cashed in for 20 points. The Knicks had won the paint by four, and the teams were even on the glass (18) and assists (NY, 15-14).

Brunson led all scorers with 14, and Kolek already had six dimes. For Cleveland, Garland had 13. Here he tries to neuter Bridges:

Ethical hoops https://t.co/2JJ1Sjybgj pic.twitter.com/sO5hJX5BxI

— KnicksNation (@KnicksNation) December 25, 2025

Second Half​

Mitchell and Garland combined for a 10-3 run out of intermission. After a timeout, the Knicks kicked back. An Anunoby charge call was overturned with a coach’s challenge, and thanks to a side-three by Hart, the game was an even 71 midway through the third.

Sam Merrill (who I constantly confuse with Sam Morril) got into the action for the Ohioans, trading buckets with Mitchell and taking assists from Garland. Those bums went on an 18-7 run. For a different look and to give Bridges a breather, Kolek subbed in to join Brunson in the backcourt around the six-minute mark. The sophomore hit a triple, but missed on two drives (very uncharacteristically).

Off Kenny Atkinson’s bench, Jaylon Tyson hurt the Knicks on both ends. He logged 11 points, a couple rebounds, and picked Brunson’s pocket. The role player also committed three fouls and got stuffed by Mitchell Robinson, so there.

With multiple Cavs contributing, they won the period 38-24 and took a 96-84 lead into the fourth.

The Cavs jumped out to a 17-point lead, but Clarkson got a bucket and Kolek swished a side-bomb to slice off five. Then, around the eight-minute mark, Hart turned his ankle on a drive. He shot two free throws, Brunson took a quick foul, and Josh limped back to the locker room. Sending prayers from the Binghamton contingent that he’s OK.

Perhaps the key sequence of the game started around the seven-minute mark:

• Clarkson misses from three. Robinson rebounds. Bridges misses from three. Mitch wrestles down another board, giving New York a third look at the rim. Brunson swishes a three. Knicks down by nine.
• Mere seconds later, Brunson misses a floater. Robinson grabs another offensive board. This time, the rock finds its way to Kolek for a wide-open three.
• Mitchell scores a bucket. Who cares. On the other end, Kolek races the baseline, jukes, and hits Clarkson for the assisted-corner three.
• Garland misses. Robinson rebounds. Clarkson misses. Robinson rebounds. Now he finds Kolek for a 22-footer. Knicks down by three. Atkinson needs to discuss.

See the trend? New York misses a shot, Robinson rebounds, and Kolek makes good stuff happen.

The Knicks cut their deficit to one when Brunson hit a triple; and then again at the 2:30 mark when Kolek struck again from yard. Tell me this kid isn’t built for the bright lights of New York City. Soon after, Mitchell was on a breakaway, and Kolek chased him down, legally stripping the ball before Spida could dunk. Absolutely amazing run by the backup point guard we were ready to toss into a Giannis package not long ago.

Cleveland got the ball, but Kolek grabbed a Mitchell miss and sent that down to Bridges for an easy score. Knicks by one! Garland scored, but Brunson stepped into a triple for a two-point lead. After Mitchell and Anunoby swapped dunks, the former hit a long 28-footer to cut it to one with 2.7 seconds left. Kolek inbounded the ball to Towns, who drew the foul and split a pair at the line. Mitchell’s final heave at the buzzer missed, completing the biggest Knicks comeback of the year and putting a beautiful bow on the win.

Up Next​

Down to Atlanta they go to face the Hawks on Saturday. Merry Christmas, Knickerbockers.

Box Score

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...4-robinson-rebounds-brunson-and-kolek-astound

 

[New York Knicks]

Game Thread: Knicks vs Cavaliers, December 25, 2025

The Knicks (20*-9) open the NBA’s Christmas Day slate at noon at Madison Square Garden, hosting a short-handed Cavaliers (17-14) team. New York has been one of the league’s most consistent teams over the past month, while Cleveland’s injuries contributed to a disappointing campaign thus far. This matinee likely comes down to which All-Star, Jalen Brunson or Donovan Mitchell, fills up the stat-sheet. UPDATE: The Cavs expect Evan Mobley to return from his calf injury today.

Tip off is at noon on ESPN and ABC. This is your game thread. This is Fear the Sword. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Behave, you magnificent creatures. And go Knicks!

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...e-thread-knicks-vs-cavaliers-december-25-2025

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Bulletin: ‘Playing at the Garden on Christmas? Doesn’t get much better than that’

The Knicks won, as is their wont.

The Cavs got tossed, and lost.

Here’s a bunch of Kolekontent.

Brown on Kolek: "Minnesota halftime I went at him in front of whole group…'You're 3-10…you take that many shots you make some.' He goes 6-12 11rbds 8asts…walks by me looks me in eye, goes 'I made shots'…That's the nastiness…I need to feel…& everyone else does every play" pic.twitter.com/XDpI1xqaMf

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 26, 2025

Mike Brown​

On sacrifice and connectivity:

“Everybody understands what our standard is — it’s about sacrifice. KAT sat most of the fourth, but he was still into the game. You could tell, because he had the biggest offensive rebound during the game. He was into it mentally, understanding that, ‘Hey, Mitch is out there balling. I’m gonna sit here and cheer my teammates on. When my number is called, I’m gonna be ready to go.’ It’s about connectivity. Our group is extremely, extremely connected. It’s about a competitive spirit.”

On Mitchell Robinson’s impact on Christmas:

“With all the guys, you see them from afar, you think certain things about them. You think, ‘He’s this type of player, that type of player, he has this type of attitude and personality,’ and then when you get around them and you actually see how effective he is in certain areas, you think, ‘No way he should be that effective.’ It’s like, ‘Wow.’ You can’t teach that.”

On second-unit belief in itself:

“Everybody believes in each other, no matter who is out on the floor. You feel that type of belief from your teammates, from your peers. Man, the sky is the limit, because guys in the NBA are talented.”

On the Christmas comeback vs. Cleveland:

“Our bench basically won the game for us. They put us in position down the stretch.”

On the importance of Thursday’s win:

“Maybe our best win because of the circumstances. There’s all types of stuff to make this game funky, but for our guys to keep battling and not get out of sorts — there could be a lot of bickering and finger-pointing but everybody kept talking about finding a way.”

On the Knicks‘ resilience:

“Our guys just found a way to get a win. That’s what you need throughout a long season.”

On turnovers and physicality hurting the Knicks against the Wolves:

“It’s gonna be hard to win on the road if you have 19 turnovers for 22 points off those turnovers. And part of it — those turnovers led to easy baskets in transition. Give Minnesota credit, because they brought a lot of physicality to the game and created a lot of those turnovers.”

On dealing with officiating:

“I talked to all of our vets. The officials, they’re not gonna help you win the game. They’re human. They’re gonna make mistakes out there. And we, as a team, starting with me, we have to try to leave the referees alone, because we’re good enough to still go win games.”

On young players needing to be ready:

“Our young guys, they gotta be ready. That’s what this league is about. You’re missing bodies, next man’s gotta step up. And again, I thought their physicality blowing up our dribble handoffs, fighting through passing lanes and us not doing any counters — like, if somebody gets my body and I’m about to come off a DHO, just pick it up and make cuts to the basket. You’re playing for the next guy. But we continually tried to give it to that guy and they blew up the DHO or they got to us when we dribbled and took it from us or however it may be.”

Tyler Kolek has a mantra off the bench that he adopted from Cam Payne:

"Change the game" pic.twitter.com/zc7Mu3oDdT

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 25, 2025

Tyler Kolek​

On Dec. 25:

“I’m gonna knock that (expletive) down.”

On coaching accountability:

“He coaches me hard. You want a head coach that’s on you – if he’s not, that’s more of a problem than the other way around. When you’re a point guard, you’re an extension of the coach. If he’s trying to get his message across, he’s going to say it to you. Maybe he didn’t mean it at you, but he’s trying to get it across to everyone on the team.”

On playing hoops at MSG on Christmas:

“Playing at the Garden on Christmas, it doesn’t get much better than that.”

.@FredKatz "Do you feel like rebounders can get on a hot streak?"

Mitchell Robinson "No"

Fred "You don't feel that way?"

Mitch "No"

Fred "You don't feel like you were on a hot streak tonight?"

Mitch "No"

4 other reporters (each ask question)

Mitch (fully answers all)

pic.twitter.com/D8suCZiL2q

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 26, 2025

Mitchell Robinson​

On crashing the glass:

“When the game’s getting tight like that and you need a little energy, you gotta go crash the glass and get offensive rebounds the best way you can. Help the team win.”

On his rebounding mindset:

“My will. Go out there and fight.”

On the Knicks’ energy late to complete comeback:

“When the game is getting tight like that and you need a little energy, you crash the glass. I just keep crashing. Sometimes I get it.”

Cap Nasty pic.twitter.com/1K4RODVegL

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 25, 2025

Jalen Brunson​

On Mitchell Robinson’s passing:

“When Mitch does get it, he’s surrounded by two or three bodies and there should be someone open on the perimeter. Mitch has a great knack for, if he’s not close to the rim, getting his eyes up and kicking it out. It says a lot about him. He wants to win and will do whatever it takes. That’s just who he is as a person first and foremost. He’s very selfless, and it translates to the court.”

On the bench spark:

“We kept fighting. It starts with Tyler, J.C., and Mitch, them bringing the energy that we needed, really picked us up.”

On MSG atmosphere:

“Just our fan base, our fans are electric, and yeah, it was crazy, and I think Christmas has something to do with it. The way our bench really got us back in the game, and they got the crowd fired up as well.”

On finishing the comeback:

“It was ugly, but we found a way. We don’t want to be down 17 once, let alone twice. But it shows you the type of team we are. We’re growing as a team, and this is a big step for us.”

KAT's dagger putback around the DPOY pic.twitter.com/3p4gBdrPn4

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 25, 2025

Karl-Anthony Towns​

On Kolek’s growth:

“It’s a testament to his mental strength, his mental fortitude and the work that he puts in.”

On the Christmas win:

“Playing basketball on any day is special. Getting a win here on Christmas is special. There’s a lot of special things in my life right now. And this is adding to a special Christmas for me.”

TYLER KOLEK CHASEDOWN BLOCK ON DONOVAN MITCHELL pic.twitter.com/vPRrFj3r5G

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 25, 2025

Donovan Mitchell​

On Tyler Kolek’s strip:

“Credit to him, man. I didn’t see him at all. I don’t slow up unless there’s nobody around; he was at the wing. I didn’t know anyone was behind, so credit to him. Hell of a play.”

On the overturned call:

“That is winning basketball, and he’s been unreal, so credit to him. I knew it wasn’t a foul as soon as they called it, so no shock there, but credit to him, though.”

Good morning to the team with the most Christmas wins pic.twitter.com/gPnRVJW4mI

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 26, 2025

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...christmas-it-doesnt-get-much-better-than-that