Knicks End Weekend, NBA Cup on Magic Note

No. 500 turned out to be a good one for New York Knicks newcomer Mikal Bridges.

Kia Center proved to be a magic kingdom for former Villanova Wildcats on Sunday evening, as Bridges and Jalen Brunson guided the Knicks to a 100-91 win over the hosting Orlando Magic. Sunday’s game served as a de facto consolation match for the Eastern Conference’s quarterfinal runner-ups in the NBA Cup’s knockout round, which previously saw the Knicks master the Magic for the win in group play earlier this month.

Partaking in his 500th consecutive NBA game to open his career, Bridges put forth one of his most complete efforts as a Manhattanite, scoring 17 on 7-of-11 shooting while keeping lingering Magic star Jalen Suggs in check and then some. Brunson was the game’s leading scorer, posting 31 points thanks in part to a 4-of-7 output from three. He tied Walt “Clyde” Frazier by earning his 61st game with at least 30 in a New York uniform.

Karl-Anthony Towns also set personal history in his 25th game as a New Yorker, earning a 22-point, 20-rebound double-double. Towns is the first Knicks to post a 20-20 game since Julius Randle in November 2023 and the first to do it on the road since Enes Kanter Freedom in November 2018.

Things get personal in the Knicks’ next game, as they’ll continue a three-game road trip created by the consolation game in Minnesota on Thursday (9:30 p.m. ET, MSG/TNT). It’ll be Towns’ first time on Minneapolis hardwood as an opponent and the Knicks’ first regular season clash against Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle since sending them to the Midwest for Towns’ services.

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