DiVincenzo scores 31 points as New York Knicks beat Brooklyn Nets 105-93

Mar 23, 2024, 08:26 pm

NEW YORK -- — Donte DiVincenzo scored 31 points, Miles McBride had 26 and the New York Knicks beat the Brooklyn Nets 105-93 on Saturday.

Jalen Brunson and Isaiah Hartenstein each had 17 points in New York's fifth win in six games. Brunson also had eight assists, and Hartenstein grabbed nine rebounds.

Hartenstein has been hampered by an Achilles injury this season, but he said he is feeling healthy again.

“We’re playing more unselfish basketball right now and that’s fun for me," he said. "It lets me do what I was brought there to do.”

Brooklyn dropped its sixth consecutive game. Cam Thomas had 19 points for the Nets, and Mikal Bridges finished with 18.

Dennis Smith Jr. opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer for Brooklyn, tying it at 80. But New York responded with a 12-0 run.

DiVincenzo scored the first seven points in the spurt on two layups and a 3-pointer. After Josh Hart scored on a putback, DiVincenzo made another 3 to make it 92-80 with 8:56 left.

“I’m just trying to make the right play. Be aggressive,” DiVincenzo said. “They were giving me space at the rim and I was taking advantage of it.”

The Knicks used an 8-0 spurt to open a 102-84 lead with 3:41 remaining. Hartenstein finished the run with a dunk and a three-point play.

New York improved to 3-0 against Brooklyn this season. They finish their season series on April 12 at Madison Square Garden.

“They went for every offensive rebound, they got every loose ball,” interim Nets coach Kevin Ollie said. “They just wanted it more. You could see it. That is where we are at because at those times you gotta go get it. You gotta go headfirst. We have to do those things to win. I know I sound like a broken record, but that is what we have to do.”

Bridges lifted Brooklyn to a 57-56 halftime lead when he connected from about 70 feet away for a buzzer-beating 3. Bridges had 11 points at the break.

New York also got a solid performance from Josh Hart, who finished with 13 rebounds and five assists.

“I knew this game would be a challenge coming off the road the way we did,” said Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, whose team was back at home after a 3-1 trip out west. “We just needed to find a way to win, and we did.”

UP NEXT

Nets: Visit Toronto on Monday.

Knicks: Host Detroit on Monday.

------

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA