Knicks Rally Past Rockets
The New York Knicks mounted a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback against Houston, driven by improved three-point shooting and better ball movement via Jose Alvarado. Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 7 points in the critical quarter including a highlight dunk, while Jalen Brunson added 8 points with mid-range jumpers. The Knicks defense forced 4 turnovers on Kevin Durant in just 7 minutes during the final frame.
- The Knicks outscored the Rockets 33-15 in the fourth quarter to overcome an 18-point deficit, their largest comeback win in over two years. - Houston's offense collapsed down the stretch, shooting just 27.8% from the field in the final period and committing nine turnovers, which led to 15 points for the Knicks. - Reserve guard Jose Alvarado was a major catalyst for the comeback, recording five steals and a +18 plus-minus in 20 minutes off the bench. His defensive pressure was credited with disrupting Houston's rhythm. - Kevin Durant, who scored a game-high 30 points, struggled in the fourth quarter, committing two turnovers and an offensive foul in the final minutes. He had a chance to win the game at the buzzer but missed a 40-foot shot. - Jalen Brunson scored the tie-breaking jumper with 29.5 seconds remaining and also drew a crucial charge on Kevin Durant with 48.4 seconds left. - The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the Rockets, who have now lost 16 of their 21 games that were within five points in the final five minutes. - Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks with 25 points, while OG Anunoby also contributed 20 points to the winning effort. - The victory was a significant bounce-back for the Knicks after a recent loss to the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons.
