It’s incredible just how quickly the mood around a team can change.
It was just last week that the Knicks looked lost, having dropped nine of 11 games. Jalen Brunson was asking his teammates to “care” more than they had been showing.
Their contender chops were being questioned.
And just like that, that discourse is on the back burner. The dominant team that was present in the beginning of the season has re-emerged.
The Knicks (30-18) thumped the Blazers 127-97 on Friday night at Madison Square Garden, their fifth straight win. Now three games under .500, the Blazers aren’t exactly a huge test.
But they do represent the third team currently in the playoff picture that the Knicks beat in this streak.
Off nights for Brunson are rare. Two in a row? That almost never happens. After finishing with just 13 points and battling an illness in the Knicks’ win over the Raptors on Wednesday, he recorded a team-high 26 points Friday.
His four-point play at the end of the first quarter gave the Knicks an early 15-point lead.
OG Anunoby added 24 points — 10 of which came in the fourth quarter as he took over. He was an efficient 10-for-17 from the field and 4-for-8 from 3-point range.
Josh Hart added 20 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Karl-Anthony Towns was passive offensively, saving some of his energy for the boards. He ended up with 14 points and 20 rebounds — six of which were offensive. His quick outlets after rebounds helped get the Knicks going in transition. He had just five points entering the fourth quarter.
A dramatic defensive turnaround is largely what has been behind this Knicks upswing. It was evident again Friday. They’ve held opponents to under 100 points in four of five games in this streak.
They limited Deni Avdija, one of the league’s breakout stars this year, to just 11 points on 4-for-14 shooting from the field.
The Knicks used a 9-0 run to start the second quarter to take a 24-point lead. The Blazers trimmed that to a 10-point deficit by halftime, but the Knicks began the second half with a 10-3 run to go up 17 and regain command. The Blazers never seriously threatened to make it interesting. Coach Mike Brown was able to empty his bench with just over four minutes remaining.
The Lakers on Sunday will be the biggest test of this Knicks resurgence. But compared to where it was trending not too long ago, this is a strong response.
