Jalen Brunson scored 25 of his season-high 40 points in the first half, Karl-Anthony Towns added 29 points and the New York Knicks advanced to the NBA Cup final with a 132-120 victory over the Orlando Magic on Saturday in Las Vegas.
OG Anunoby scored 24 points and Mikal Bridges added 16 as the Knicks won their fifth consecutive game to match a season high. New York shot 60.7% from the floor while improving to 9-1 since Nov. 24.
The Knicks will face the winner of Saturday’s semifinal between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup final on Tuesday in Las Vegas.
Jalen Suggs scored 26 points and Paolo Banchero added 25 as the Magic lost for the first time in six NBA Cup games while getting eliminated. Desmond Bane scored 18 points and Wendell Carter Jr. had 14 as Orlando lost for the third time in five games overall.
Suggs also scored 25 points in the first half while helping to pick up the offensive slack for the Magic without Franz Wagner, who has missed consecutive games with a sprained left ankle. Suggs took just one shot in the second half.
The Knicks have defeated the Magic twice in the past seven days after Orlando won the first two matchups of the season series in November.
The Knicks went on an 8-0 run to close the third quarter while turning a 92-92 tie into a 100-92 lead. The Magic failed to score over the final 2:30 of the third quarter and nearly two minutes into the fourth as New York went on an extended 10-0 run for a 102-92 advantage.
Suggs departed with 7:35 remaining while favoring his left hip and went directly to the locker room as the Knicks held a 108-98 advantage.
Brunson gave the Knicks a 121-110 lead with 2:47 remaining on a step-back jumper to reach 40 points. New York’s Josh Hart (12 points) sealed the victory on a driving layup with 1:20 left for a 125-116 lead.
