It was never close. The New York Knicks picked up right where they left off after a four-day break with a dominant performance over the crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, winning by a score of 134-98 for their fourth straight victory.
The Knicks made scoring look too easy against the Nets
The Knicks’ offensive potential is being seen on full display, with them having perhaps their best offensive performance of the young season. They got into a rhythm from three-point range and absolutely dominated, knocking down 17-for-37 (45.9%) from beyond the arc.
They got positive contributions from just about everybody, with six different Knicks scoring in double digits. Karl-Anthony Towns led the way in scoring with 28 points, and he also grabbed 12 rebounds and recorded two steals as the Nets had no matchup for them.
The bench made an impact too, with Jordan Clarkson scoring all 11 of his points in the first half. Josh Hart turned in yet another solid outing with 11 points and seven rebounds.
The ball was moving at an exceptional rate, and they got up several clean looks with relatively no resistance from the Nets’ defense. The offense is molding into its truest form, and they have very few weaknesses when the shots begin to fall.
Mitchell Robinson posts an insane stat in the win
Mitchell Robinson is looking as healthy as he’s ever been, and his presence in the lineup has made a tremendous difference for the Knicks. He posted perhaps the wildest stat one will ever see in the action he got.
In only 16 minutes of action, Robinson posted a plus-minus of +40. He finished the game with eight points and eight rebounds, three of those being offensive boards. He becomes the first player in NBA history to record a plus-minus of +40 or higher in less than 18 minutes of action, per KnicksMuse.
His presence on the glass has been super impactful, and the Nets had absolutely no way of deterring him underneath the basket. Despite the Nets trying to match the Knicks’ double big lineup with the pairing of Noah Clowney and Nic Claxton, New York’s big man duo crushed Brooklyn’s.
The Knicks outscored the Nets in the paint 58-36. When Robinson is healthy and on the floor, they look like a completely different team out there. It cannot be overstated how important his presence is, as he makes such a massive difference on both ends of the floor.
Overview
The Knicks have dominated the homestand thus far, taking the first four games of it. They’ll look to make it five in a row on Tuesday when they take on the Memphis Grizzlies at home.