Jalen Brunson carries Knicks through slow start in comeback win over Pelicans

NEW ORLEANS — A little letdown might’ve been inevitable after such an emotional victory in Minnesota two nights earlier. 

The Knicks are playing well but aren’t above inevitable. So they started slowly Sunday against an overmatched opponent. They trailed for most of the game. Their offense was disjointed. It wasn’t pretty. 

But the Knicks also have Jalen Brunson, who strapped on his cape at Smoothie King Center and dropped a season-high 39 points, pushing the Knicks to recover with plenty of time to spare in a 104-93 win over the Pelicans. 

It was a third straight victory for the Knicks (18-10) and required a comeback from as many as 14 down. They got very little from Karl-Anthony Towns, who managed just 11 points on 3-for-10 shooting and dealt with early foul trouble. 

But the Knicks kept chipping away, kept searching for different ways to crack New Orleans’ feisty defense. 

Finally, with 2:08 remaining in the third quarter, Brunson’s trey gave them the lead — ending 25 consecutive game minutes of the Knicks either tied or trailing. 

Once that barrier was removed, the dam broke. 

The Knicks never trailed again. The Pelicans (5-24) didn’t quite let go of the rope but the hold felt precarious after their lead disappeared. 

Brunson played 40 minutes, shooting 13 of 19 overall and a deadeye 7 of 10 from beyond the arc. On a night Towns disappeared, Brunson carried the torch. 

Brunson was also involved in a weird play in the second quarter, perhaps the first time in NBA history a towel boy played such a significant role in a technical foul. A ball had just bounced out near the Knicks basket and it wasn’t clear who touched it last. 

The referee awarded the ball to the Knicks, but as the Pelicans were considering whether to challenge the ruling, a towel boy stepped on the court and began wiping the floor.

There was no stoppage in play, and the towel boy positioned himself directly in front of Brunson, who was trying to in-bounds the ball.

Replays showed the towel boy might’ve been urged onto the court by players on the Pelicans bench, including one who gave him a little nudge on the back. 

The official T’d up the towel boy — or the Pelicans, it was unclear — and Brunson converted the foul shot to cut the deficit to 4 with 4:19 left in the half. 

The Pelicans are an injury-riddled mess with the worst record in the Western Conference. Their top players Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram remain out indefinitely.

Williamson was on the bench Sunday in street clothes, a familiar sight. Their arena was about half-empty and heavy with Knicks fans. 

So the expectation was a victory for the visitors, who cautioned not to take the plighted Pelicans lightly. 

“I think the biggest thing you learn is there’s good players on every team. And if you come in with the mentality of, this team is struggling or this team is not healthy, or you might not recognize a couple names. … If you come in with that mentality it’s going to be a tough game and a game you could very well lose,” Josh Hart said. “So you can’t look at their record. They got talented pieces that can make plays offensively and defensively. They’ve got a good coach. So you have to come in with that mentality.” 

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau added that there’s not much to glean from the last head-to-head, when the Knicks pounded the Pelicans by 33 points on Dec. 1 at the Garden. 

“Not a lot. Because they’ve been hit hard with injuries and so they’re getting some guys back and that impacts every team,” Thibodeau said. “So you look at where you are and who they have available. And each game is different. … The challenge in this league is you have to be ready every night because every team can beat you. You can’t be here without being a great player.” 

Still, the start suggested the Knicks might’ve underestimated New Orleans. Then Brunson took control.