Victory! Hart with 23+15+10, Towns 19 out of 13, a new record is born, the Eastern Conference landscape changes
On December 31, 2024, Beijing time, in an NBA regular season game, the Wizards, with a record of 5 wins and 24 losses, faced off against the Knicks, who had 22 wins and 10 losses, at home. Just two days prior, the two teams had met, with the Wizards nearly defeating the Knicks. The game went into overtime before the Knicks managed to secure the victory, with Brunson scoring an impressive 55 points and 9 assists. Today, can the Wizards continue to pose a challenge to the Knicks? The Wizards were without Beal, but Kuzma returned from injury and came off the bench. The Wizards' starting lineup was Brogdon, Karlington, Shampagnie, Culibali, and Sar. The Knicks started with Brunson, Bridges, Hart, OG, and Towns.
In the first quarter, Sar hit a three-pointer, followed by a dunk from Bridges. Sar made one of two free throws and Shampagnie added another three-pointer, giving the Wizards a 7-2 lead. Towns and Brunson scored for the Knicks, but Brogdon responded, keeping the Wizards ahead by 2 points. Bridges and Towns then took the lead by 4 points. Culibali and Valan scored for the Wizards, but OG, Brunson, and Towns responded, maintaining a 4-point lead. Kuzma, Culibali, and Kispert helped the Wizards regain the lead by 3 points. Brunson made a free throw, but Valan and Kuzma responded, extending the Wizards' lead to 5 points. Brunson finished the quarter with a layup, leaving the score at 30-27 in favor of the Wizards.
In the second quarter, Towns scored, and Valan continued his streak, with Kuzma adding a layup, giving the Wizards a 7-point lead. However, Hart went on a scoring spree, netting 14 consecutive points. Despite Valan's efforts to respond, the Wizards were overtaken by 1 point. Payne and Hart then extended the lead to 7 points. Sar and Culibali tried to close the gap, but OG, Brunson, and Bridges maintained the 7-point advantage. Brogdon narrowed the gap to 2 points, and at halftime, the Knicks led 59-57. Hart scored 17 points in this quarter, setting a new personal record for single-quarter scoring this season.
In the third quarter, Towns dunked, and Brogdon responded with a three-pointer, reducing the gap to 1 point. Towns made both free throws, and Shampagnie hit another three-pointer, leveling the score. OG and Towns extended the lead to 8 points, but Brogdon and Karlington brought it back to 3 points. Towns and OG pushed the lead to 9 points, only for Sar, Kispert, and Valan to reduce it to 1 point. Bridges and Hart hit three-pointers, while Kispert and Kuzma tried to catch up, leaving the gap at 3 points. Hart, Bridges, and McBride continued to score, while Valan and Butler tried to close the gap, leaving it at 9 points. At the end of the third quarter, the Knicks led 97-88.
In the fourth quarter, Brogdon, Kispert, and Valan scored, but McBride, Brunson, and Achiuwa responded, extending the lead to 12 points. Kispert made a free throw, and Towns continued to score, increasing the lead to 15 points. Sar and Brogdon scored, but Towns kept adding points, bringing the lead to 21 points. George and Kispert scored, reducing the gap to 16 points. With over a minute left in the game, both teams withdrew their starters, and the Knicks ultimately won 126-106.
Towns shot 19 out of 13, scoring 32 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Hart shot 15 out of 7, scoring 23 points, grabbing 15 rebounds, and dishing out 10 assists, achieving a triple-double of 20+15+10. Brunson had 18 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists, while OG had 18 points and 8 rebounds, and Bridges had 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Valan shot 13 out of 10, scoring 22 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. Brogdon had 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. Sar scored 18 points and grabbed 4 rebounds, and Kispert had 16 points and 2 rebounds.
After this win, the Knicks have now won 8 consecutive games. They are only half a game behind the Celtics, who have lost 4 out of their last 6 games. The Knicks have a chance to surpass the Celtics in the standings. This season, the Cavaliers have risen strongly, with a record far exceeding that of the Celtics, ranking first in the league. Now, the Knicks are also looking to overtake the Celtics, significantly changing the landscape of the Eastern Conference.