Jalen Brunson Takes Over Late as Knicks Edge Rockets in Thriller
What a game at Madison Square Garden! The New York Knicks pulled off a hard-fought 124-118 victory over the Houston Rockets, and the star of the night? None other than Jalen Brunson. When the Knicks needed a closer, he stepped up in a big way, scoring 11 points in the final two minutes to seal the win.
Houston came into this matchup looking to snap a two-game losing streak, but they were already at a disadvantage. They were missing key players—star center Alperen Şengün and veteran guard Fred VanVleet—forcing them to roll out a smaller lineup. Despite that, they came out swinging, playing at a fast pace and taking a 57-52 lead at halftime. Amen Thompson was electric early on, dropping 14 points in the first half while playing tough defense on Karl-Anthony Towns.
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But the second half was a different story. The Knicks adjusted, and Brunson started making his presence felt. He relentlessly attacked the Rockets' defense, getting to the free-throw line with ease. Even though Houston kept pushing back—thanks to a strong performance from Cam Whitmore off the bench—their 11-point lead heading into the fourth quarter slowly disappeared.
Then came the turning point. Josh Hart was aggressive, slashing to the basket and finishing tough layups. Towns finally hit his first three of the game, and suddenly, the Knicks had the momentum. With under five minutes left, the Rockets’ lead was cut to just two, and the energy in the Garden was electric.
That’s when Brunson completely took over. He was unstoppable in the clutch, weaving through defenders, hitting key shots, and sinking free throws to ice the game. His late-game heroics ensured the Knicks walked away with a big win, improving their standing in the East.
For the Rockets, it was another tough loss, despite a monster triple-double from Amen Thompson—25 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. With this loss, Houston has now dropped three straight and will look to bounce back against the Brooklyn Nets in their next matchup.
This game was a reminder of just how dangerous Jalen Brunson can be when the game is on the line. The Knicks needed a closer, and he delivered in a major way.
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