Knicks top Nets 111-107, earn home-court advantage in 1st round of playoffs and stay alive for No. 2

By BRIAN MAHONEY

NEW YORK (AP) Jalen Brunson had 30 points and 11 assists after a slow start, OG Anunoby scored all of his 15 points in the third quarter and the New York Knicks beat the Brooklyn Nets 111-107 on Friday night, clinching home-court advantage in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Josh Hart added 16 points and Mitchell Robinson also had 15 for the Knicks, who guaranteed themselves a top-four finish in the East. Shortly after beating Brooklyn, New York moved into a tie for second in the conference with Milwaukee when the Bucks lost at Oklahoma City.

The Knicks won their fourth straight overall and completed a season sweep of the Nets that tied the all-time series between the local rivals at 107 wins apiece. Brooklyn had won nine straight, never losing with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in uniform, but New York has won all six meetings since both were traded in the middle of last season.

Anunoby helped turn around a game the Nets led by 17 in the first half. Besides shooting 6 for 7 in the period, he helped hold Cam Thomas scoreless after the Brooklyn guard scored 22 in the first half.

The Knicks improved to 19-3 when Anunoby plays. They host Chicago on Sunday in their final game of the regular season.

Thomas finished with 41 points. Trenton Watford added 17 points and 13 rebounds for the Nets, who had won six of nine.

The Knicks were sluggish to start a night after winning at NBA-leading Boston. They fell behind 11-0 and missed 12 of their first 14 shots, and the Nets raced to a 30-14 lead.

New York then rang up 70 points over the next two quarters.

Brunson finally got on the board with 4:16 left in the half, and quickly had nine before the 3-minute mark. The Knicks trimmed it to 63-54 at the half, then came out with a 9-0 run that tied it for the first time on Anunoby's steal and dunk.

New York outscored Brooklyn 30-13 in the third and went up by 11 in the fourth before the Nets got it close again. Words were exchanged between Anunoby and Thomas in the final seconds after Thomas knocked Brunson while committing a foul. Both players were given technical fouls.

The Nets played without starters and key rotation players such as Dennis Schroder, Dorian Finney-Smith, Cam Johnson and Dennis Smith Jr. Watford got his first start of the season and Jacob Gilyard made just his third appearance with the Nets after signing a two-way contract last month.

UP NEXT

Nets: Visit Philadelphia on Sunday.

Knicks: Host Chicago on Sunday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA