New York Knicks Net Homecourt, Bash Brooklyn After Slow Start

The New York Knicks will officially have homecourt advantage for their first playoff series after a comeback win over the Brooklyn Nets.

Apr 12, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) shoots the ball as / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

There’s no place like home for the New York Knicks.

New York overcame a slow start to capture homecourt advantage in the opening round of the upcoming NBA Playoffs, doing so with a 111-107 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Jalen Brunson paired 30 points with 11 assists while OG Anunoby had 15 points, all of them earned in the second half.

With Friday's win, the Knicks (49-32) will finish no worse than fourth in the Eastern Conference, their best finish since 2013. While Cleveland's comeback victory over Indiana prevented them from locking up third, the Knicks have a shot at second thanks to Milwaukee's loss to Oklahoma City. The Knicks' four-game winning streak is also the longest among the Eastern Conference's current top six entering the final day of regular season action.

It was also a telling point in the New York-Brooklyn rivalry: Manhattan earned a sweep of the set for the first time since 2017-18 and the all-time regular season series between the Knicks and Nets franchises is tied at 107 games apiece. The Nets (32-49) have lost all six meetings to the Knicks since trading away Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving last season.

Facing their cross-borough rival with nothing to lose ... eliminated from postseason contention and not even holding a draft pick to ruin ... the Kncks fell behind early, as Brooklyn scored the first 11 points of the game and inflated that lead to as high as 17 before the opening half let out. Forty points in the second, nearly half coming from nine each for Brunson and Bojan Bogdanovic narrowed the gap to nine by intermission.

Apr 12, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) shoots the ball / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

After an early offensive spark at the start of the third, the Knicks flexed their muscles on the other side of the floor by limiting Brooklyn to 13 points on less than 30 percent shooting, forcing five turnovers as well. Anunoby scored each of his 15 in the same frame, as he and Brunson were responsible for all but four of the Knicks' 30 tallies.

The Knicks needed just 2:03 of second half action to permanently flip momentum, embarking on a 9-0 run capped off by Brunson's successful and-one before he lobbed a dunk to Anunoby. New York took a lead that proved lasting when Brunson sank a triple with 7:30 left in the third, setting the tone for an 84-76 lead by the end of the period.

That advantage expanded to 11 before a Brooklyn timeout allowed them to stage a comeback to keep things close: a late surge overseen by leading scorer Cam Thomas narrowed things to as little as two before Brooklyn began fouling struggling free-throw shooter Mitchell Robinson in an attempt to buy extra possessions. The plan backfired, as Robinson, shooting less than 41 perecent at the charity stripe this season, hit 5-of-8 over the final four minutes to keep the Knicks at a safe distance. Brunson handled most of the rest, scoring each of the Knicks' final eight points to create the final margin.

Robinson was offered his most extensive action since coming back from a 50-game medical absence and took advantage to the tune of a season-best 15 points in 25 minutes. New York started Jericho Sims at center and played Robinson after choosing to hold Isaiah Hartenstein out of a back-to-back.

Brooklyn has handled elimination in stride, as they've won three of their past five. Thomas scored 41 while Trendon Watford earned a 17-point, 13-rebound double-double in defeat.

The Knicks will wrap their regular season on Sunday afternoon against the Chicago Bulls at home (1 p.m. ET, ESPN).