Knicks' Dominant Win Revives Championship Hopes

The New York Knicks showed just how dangerous they can be with a blowout win on Sunday night.

Dec 1, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) celebrates after scoring in the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks showed dominance in a118-85 win over the New Orleans Pelicanson Sunday night. The game was highlighted byMikal Bridges' 31 pointson 12-of-19 shooting while going 7-for-12 from three.

Aside from Bridges, the scoring distribution was relatively even for the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns (14 points) and Jalen Brunson (16 points) didn't have great shooting nights, combining to go 8-for-23. However, Josh Hart (12 points) and Miles McBride (13 points) were efficient from the field, combining to shoot 10-for-18.

The win showed just how dominant the Knicks could be, not just on offense but on defense as well. The Pelicans aren't great competition with a 4-17 record, but holding an NBA team to just 85 points in the modern era is impressive.

The win does a lot for New York's defensive struggles that have plagued the team all season long. The Knicks currently rank22nd in defensive (114.6), a far cry from their league-best121.1 offensive rating.

The defense was shown early, as the Pelicans scored just 10 points in the first quarter and 18 points in the second quarter, as New York led 57-28 at halftime. CJ McCollum was New Orleans' leading scorer with just 13 points, shooting 6-for-16 from the field.

This is the team fans hoped New York would be this season: elite offense with high-powered defense on the other end. If the Knicks can continue to give just a solid portion of this defensive production for the rest of the season, the team will be recognized as a legitimate title contender once again. The offense is there, it's a matter of finding life on the other side of the floor.

The win was definitely needed, as New York had a disappointing five-game road trip, going 3-2. The Knicks played down to their competition in losses to the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz and even did so in a win against the Charlotte Hornets on Black Friday. The blowout victory on Sunday night was a great bounceback.

The Knicks will continue their homestand with an NBA Cup game against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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