The Knicks’ road struggles don’t seem to apply when the trip is only across the river. Barclays Center once again felt like a second home Monday night, packed with Knicks fans and MSG-style vendors lining the outdoor plaza. And once again, the visitors made themselves comfortable, beating the Nets 113-100 in the latest interborough matchup.
Karl-Anthony Towns was unstoppable, finishing with 37 points and 12 rebounds as the Knicks improved to 10-6 and 2-5 on the road this season. Brooklyn fell to 3-14 with the loss and remained winless at home. The Nets have lost 12 straight games to the Knicks, the longest streak in either direction in the history of the series.
Despite the recent one-sided history and the lopsided fan presence, the Nets didn’t ease into the night. Brooklyn came out with the kind of energy it lacked in Sunday’s loss in Toronto. The Nets were quicker to loose balls, sharper defensively and far more engaged from the opening tip, looking like a team intent on flushing a disappointing effort rather than letting it linger.
They carried that edge into the first quarter and took a 26-24 lead after one. Noah Clowney stayed hot, continuing his breakout stretch with eight early points on 3-for-4 shooting, including 2-for-3 from deep. Brooklyn shot just 8-for-20 in the period and 4-for-11 from 3-point range, but the Nets made up for it by getting downhill and drawing contact, attempting nine free throws to the Knicks’ one.
The momentum shifted early in the second. The Knicks opened the quarter on a 13-2 push and grabbed a 39-31 lead, fueled in part by Towns’ aggression in the paint and the Nets’ inability to contain him. Brooklyn’s offense stalled during that stretch, managing just six made field goals in the quarter while shooting 27.3% as a team. Egor Demin’s quiet start didn’t help. The rookie was passive early, attempting only one shot in his first 10 minutes while the Nets searched for someone to steady the offense with Michael Porter Jr. shooting 1-for-6 in the period.
Still, Clowney and persistent team defense kept the Nets within striking distance, and they settled in late in the half, closing on a 15-6 run to pull within three at the break. The third-year forward finished the half with 15 points on 4-for-6 shooting, 3-for-5 from deep and a perfect 4-for-4 at the line. It matched the second-highest scoring half of his young career, trailing only the 17-point first half he delivered against Detroit on Nov. 7.
The Nets didn’t stumble out of halftime, but keeping up with the Knicks offensively still proved to be a significant challenge. Porter couldn’t shake free for clean looks, Clowney’s touches thinned under extra pressure and Brooklyn’s offense stalled again despite a strong nine-point burst from rookie Drake Powell. Meanwhile, Towns and Mikal Bridges kept carving up the Nets from inside and out as the Knicks shot 63.6%.
By the time the quarter ended, the Knicks had blown the game open, winning the frame 38-27 and heading into the fourth with a 14-point lead. Brooklyn waved the white flag not long after, as the Knicks’ lead ballooned to 19 with 6:37 remaining, spoiling a career-high 31-point effort from Clowney.
The Nets return to action Friday against the Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Center, while the Knicks visit the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday. The teams will meet again on Jan. 21 at Madison Square Garden.
