Scenes from the Knicks lollygagging to victory over league’s fifth-worst team

Tonight began on a solemn note. Before the game, we learned that RJ Barrett’s younger brother Nathan had passed. We don’t know the details, just that we are heartbroken for RJ and the Barrett family.

Switching gears after that shock is hard, but indeed a basketball game was played at the Moda Center between the New York Knicks (39-27) and the Portland Trail Blazers (19-47). New York started strong defensively, less so offensively. Deandre Ayton led the Blazers on a 17-3 run before the Knicks’ bench crew salvaged the first quarter. The bench magic wore off in the second, but Jalen Brunson returned to guide New York to a 55-41 lead at halftime. In the third quarter, the Knicks extended their lead to 22 points. Despite a push from Ayton and the Blazers in the fourth, the Knicks maintained their defensive intensity and secured the 105-93 victory.

Portland’s leader was clearly Ayton, who extended his double-double streak to seven games with 31 points and 14 boards tonight. For New York, Jalen Brunson stunned with 45 points on 14-of-30 field goal shooting and 15-of-17 from the foul line. He couldn’t hit much from deep, but treated Scoot Henderson to a layup clinic for much of the game. Josh Hart collected 15 points. And OG Anunoby had a few moments of elbow worry, but he nonetheless played 35 tenacious minutes, scoring 12 points, nine boards, and two steals.

First Half

The shooting started well enough with Jalen Brunson making his first two attempts . . . and then New York hit just one of their next seven. Fortunately, their defense was stout tonight and prevented the Blazers from scoring a bucket for about four minutes.

The scales tipped. Led by big Bahaman Deandre Ayton, the home team overtook the Knicks by seven thanks to speedy buckets by Ashton Hagans, Matisse Thybulle, and Kris Murray. A 17-3 run by the Blazers! Pigs on the wing! The Knicks needed a jolt, which came when Miles McBride checked in with 2:37 remaining. The defense tightened up, and Deuce, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Alec Burks combined to score eight unanswered points. McBride would finish the first half with a team-high +19.

Their starters shot 1-of-8 from downtown, but the Knicks’ bench carried them to a 26-25 advantage by quarter’s close.

Alec Burks’ positive contributions in the first period were offset by ignominious play in the second. New York had fallen behind again by the time Brunson replaced A.B. at 8:47, and the team promptly rattled off a 15-2 stretch to jump ahead again. Here is Jalen being majestic.

OG Anunoby had a chilly shooting night to start, but did hit a nice corner swish. Shortly after, however, he appeared to hurt his surgically repaired elbow when swatting a steal. He was subbed out and then checked by a trainer and, lawdy, a heavy cloud of dread passed over my soul.

Solid defense won the first half. Despite making a paltry 4-of-19 three-pointers (21%), New York entered intermission up 55-41. The Knicks forced Portland into 10 turnovers (converted to 17 points), outrebounded them 28-22, and clobbered them in the paint, outscoring the Blazers there 30-10.

Brunson topped all scorers with 21 points. Josh Hart was everything, everywhere, all at once, snatching up nine first-half rebounds. For Portland, Ayton had 10 points but just two rebounds. Kind of a lackluster first half overall, but only a major malfunction could derail the orange and blue train from a victorious destination.

Second Half

OG came back! (I quietly tuck away my rosary.) After getting treatment on his elbow, Anunoby returned to start the second half. His limbs looked fine on this bit of basketball brilliance.

And, oooh, this.

Deandre Ayton made his first three-pointer of the season in the third period, but it didn’t stop the Knicks from ripping open a 22-point lead. Jalen Brunson had 35 points by the end of the quarter. He didn’t hit much from deep (2-of-10 overall), but he made 14-of-30 from the field, 15-of-17 from the charity stripe, and left tire tracks all over Scoot Henderson tonight.

New York started the fourth up 85-68. They would have to hold the Blazers to 11 points to extend their three-game streak of holding opponents below 80. Unlikely. One minute into the frame, Scoot walked through three Knicks for a layup and then swished a triple. Tom Thibodeau called a furious timeout to scold the lax effort.

After that, Ayton cut the differential to 10 with an And-1, but the Blazers would never get closer. New York kept up their defensive chops and made just enough shots to keep the home team at bay the rest of the way. Jalen passed 40 points for the sixth time this season. Josh Hart out-rebounded Ayton 15-14. The Blazers got within 11 points with four minutes remaining, but New York held them off with mostly layups. Smooth sailing to a 105-93 win.

Up Next

A stop at the state capital of California for a whack at the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night. The West Coast swing continues. Safe travels, ‘Bockers.

Box Score