Knicks roll past Clippers late to snap four-game losing streak

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Knicks roll past Clippers late to snap four-game losing streak

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows OG Anunoby, who scored 20 points, rises up for a dunk during the Knicks' 123-111 win over the Clippers on Jan. 7, 2025 at Madison Square Garden, Image 2 shows Jalen Brunson reacts after hitting a 3-point shot in the Knicks' victory over the Clippers, Image 3 shows Karl-Anthony Towns drives to the basket during the Knicks' win over the Clippers

Jared Schwartz · NY Post Sports

Thu, Jan 8, 2026 ·

4 min read

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Eventually, the Knicks had to draw a line in the sand.

The brutal brand of basketball they had been playing for over a week could not continue if they are the caliber of team they believe they are.

That line finally came near the end of the third quarter.

OG Anunoby, who scored 20 points, rises up for a dunk during the Knicks' 123-111 win over the Clippers on Jan. 7, 2025 at Madison Square Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

They scored the last five points of the quarter and subsequently outscored the Clippers by 10 to open the fourth quarter, part of a 20-5 run.

Not long after, they led by 15.

Life returned to a side that was sleepwalking since the NBA Cup, more resembling the team that was rolling for the month prior.

Order has been restored, as the Knicks snapped their four-game losing streak with a 123-111 win Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

"For the most part, we played a little desperate tonight," Jalen Brunson said. "We needed a win. The way we competed, the way we played, even though we were down in the first half, it was Knicks basketball. We just kept playing that way and found a way to win."

After their disappearing acts in the Knicks' blowout loss to the Pistons on Monday, Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby gave Brunson the support that had been missing during the four-game skid.

Jalen Brunson, who scored a game-high 26 points, reacts after hitting a 3-point shot in the Knicks' victory over the Clippers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Towns spent most of the first three quarters struggling with his shot and complaining about a lack of foul calls, entering the fourth quarter with just 10 points.

But unlike Monday, he was aggressive. He scored 10 in the fourth quarter and finished with 20 along with 11 rebounds and a season-high seven assists.

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"KAT's a double-double machine, so for him to get back on track and grab 11 rebounds, 20 points, just a big night for him," coach Mike Brown said. "He's an explosive scorer. Starting with me, I gotta continue to find ways to help him."

Anunoby had 20 points on an efficient 8-for-10 shooting from the field. He largely guarded Kawhi Leonard , who recorded 25 points — but did not score in the fourth quarter when the Knicks pulled away.

Brunson had a game-high 26 points, but it was his supporting cast that got the Knicks out of their rut. All five starters scored 15-or-more points.

Miles McBride , back in the starting lineup, added 16 points and guarded James Harden on the other end. Harden finished with 23 points — but only two came in the fourth quarter. Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek provided a needed punch off the bench — Clarkson recorded 12 points and Kolek provided five assists.

Kolek in particular helped with the Knicks' ball movement and was a team-best plus-18. Guerschon Yabusele even made an impact, chipping in eight points in 13 minutes.

"They feel pretty good about it," Brown said, "because it just proves or shows that they are capable to play that way anytime they want."

Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 20 points, drives to the basket during the Knicks' victory over the Clippers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

As a team, the Knicks committed just 10 turnovers — half the amount they had in that loss to the Pistons.

"We gotta build off it," Towns said. "I don't think we were at our best but we did enough to win. At points in the game, we did a great job of getting a run and we didn't let them stop the bleeding. We gotta be better than we were tonight, I gotta be better than I was tonight but this is a good start before getting on the road trip to stop the bleeding of four losses in a row and finally feel good about one in the left column."

Sure, it wasn't pretty for large stretches of the game.

For three quarters, they couldn't do much to slow down Harden or Leonard.

The ball was sticking at times. They were struggling to separate from a geriatric side that, though the Clippers had won seven of their last eight, entered Wednesday nine games under .500 and began the season as the oldest team in NBA history.

There was an uneasiness around MSG.

But the Knicks didn't need it to be pretty. They just needed to find a way out of the malaise that had taken over.

For one night, at least, this will do.

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