Bridges Block Secures Narrow Knicks Victory Over Nets

With Karl-Anthony Towns out, it took a village for the New York Knicks to take down the Brooklyn Nets on Friday

The latest chapter of the metropolitan rivalry went down to the wire, as a game-winning three-pointer from Jalen Brunson and a sealing block from Mikal Bridges proved to be just enough for the hosting Knicks to steal a 124-122 victory. Friday’s get-together at Madison Square Garden was the first between the two teams since a June deal sent Bridges from Brooklyn to Manhattan.

Brunson’s heroics from deep created the last three of 37 points and helped the Knicks (6-6, 2-0) hold at least a share of first place in Group A of the Eastern Conference’s NBA Cup activities. It also saved the Knicks the embarrassment of blowing an 18-point lead they carried into the fourth quarter, one that became a one-point deficit when Dennis Schroder sank a triple of his own shortly before Brunson’s toss.

Cam Thomas scored 43 for the Nets in defeat, breaking his own record for points earned by a Net in a visit to Madsion Square Graden, breaking the record he set last April.

The metropolitan rivals will do battle again at the Garden on Sunday night (7 p.m. ET, MSG).

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