Knicks Out of Tune From 3-Point Range in Loss to Jazz

The New York Knicks' four-game winning streak came to an unceremonious end against the Western Conference's worst.

Nov 23, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) dribbles the ball against Utah Jazz forward/center John Collins (20) during the first half at the Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images / Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks' longest streak of unanswered points wasn't enough to handle the worst of the Western Conference.

The cellar-dwelling Utah Jazz sang a new song on Saturday evening, demonstratively ending the Knicks' four-game winning streak in a 121-106 decision at Delta Center.

Save for a brief 2-0 advantage earned after Jalen Brunson earned a double, New York (9-7) never led Saturday's game, which made up part three of a five-stanza road trip. Utah inflated its lasting lead to as much as 19 points in the third quarter but the Knicks whittled it all the way down to two with a 17-0 run. The Jazz, however, regained the lead well enough to secure their first double-figure victory of the season and end a four-game losing streak.

Nov 23, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward/center John Collins (20) dribbles the ball against New York Knicks forward/guard OG Anunoby (8) during the second half at the Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images / Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

Lauri Markkanen led the way with 34 points for the Jazz, who welcomed back Walker Kessler back from a six-game injury absence. Kessler brought his trademark interior game back to the floor, pairing three blocks with an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double. John Collins, who began the Knicks' troubles with 10 points in the first period, joined him with 20 and 13 in the same respective categories.

Markkanen, Johnny Juzang, and Collin Sexton united to shoot 15-of-23 from three-point range, a brutal counter to the Knicks' 17 triples on 51 tries. It was the only the fifth time in franchise history where they tried at least 51 in one game and OG Anunoby was responsible for most of the makes by going 7-of-12.

Anunoby paced the Knicks with 27 points, carrying the offensive load with headliners Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns (combined 3-of-18 from three-point range) struggling. Mikal Bridges was equally ineffective, going 1-of-5 from deep over the opening dozen alone and finishing 3-of-15 overall. He was sidelined during the final stages of a futile comeback in favor of Cameron Payne, who had 11 points and six rebounds in a season-best 31 minutes.

After Brunson's early tally, Utah (4-12) scored the next nine to take its nearly-permanent lead. The lead was pushed to as high as 13 before the end of the period but the Knicks actually managed to tie the game after subs like Payne, Tyler Kolek, and Jericho Sims helped them take a bite out of the purple dominance.

Nov 23, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward/center Lauri Markkanen (23) shoots the ball against New York Knicks center Jericho Sims (20) during the second half at the Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images / Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

But the Jazz had a response for every New York rally: the second quarter, for example, saw them jump back up by eight within the first four minutes and they boosted it back up to 15 by the break, appropriately capping things off with a two-point buzzer-beater for Keyonte George.

The aforementioned run of 17 straight, earned amidst multiple Utah timeouts, had the aura of a turning point but Markkanen foul shots and a Sexton triple immediately re-established a nine-point lead. Sexton's contribution foreshadowed his impact in the last frame, as he would hit four more three-pointers to officially put the Knicks out of their misery. New York, which has lost eight of its last 10 visits to Salt Lake City, has a chance for revenge on New Year's Day when the Jazz visit Madison Square Garden.

In the meantime, the Knicks' road trip continues on Monday when they head to the Rockies to face the Denver Nuggets (9 p.m. ET, MSG2).

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