KARL-ANTHONY Towns recorded a double-double as New York Knicks scored a 119-103 victory over Utah Jazz in the 2024-25 NBA Season on New Year’s Day (Thursday morning in the Philippines) at the Madison Square Garden in New York.
Towns, who was acquired in a trade from Minnesota Timberwolves during the offseason, finished with 31 points and 21 rebounds to go with four assists, one steal, and a block as the Knicks improved to a 24-10 win-loss slate.
Mikal Bridges added 27 markers, OJ Anunoby contributed 22 points, Josh Hart had a triple-double of 15 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists, while Precious Achiuwa contributed 12 points for New York.
From a 24-25 deficit after the opening quarter, the Knicks turned things around in the second frame behind conversions from Achiuwa, Bridges, and Towns to establish a 56-46 halftime lead.
Utah kept the match close in the second half as they were down 79-87 before New York pulled away in the fourth quarter to build the largest lead of 117-97 on a three-pointer by Bridges.
Filipino-American guard Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton tallied 25 points apiece, Lauri Markkanen had a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Keyonte George and Justin Juzang had 15 and 10 as the Jazz dropped to a 7-25 record.
Meanwhile, Detroit Pistons ended 2024 on a winning note as they took down the shorthanded Orlando Magic, 105-96, at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
Jaden Ivey led Detroit with 22 points, including five three-pointers, to go with four assists, one rebound, and one steal but exited the match in the second half after sustaining an injury.
Cade Cunningham had a near triple-double numbers of 19 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds, Jalen Duren added 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Tobias Harris and Tim Hardaway Jr. ended with 17 and 12 as the Pistons moved up to 15-18.
Jalen Suggs top-scored for the Magic with 24 points, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Wendell Carter Jr. ended with 21 and 15 markers, respectively, as they dropped to a 20-15 record./PN
BOX SCORE:
NEW YORK 119 — Towns 31, Bridges 27, Anunoby 22, Hart 15, Achiuwa 12, Payne 8, Kolek 2, Shamet 2.
UTAH 103 — Clarkson 25, Sexton 25, Markkanen 16, George 15, Juzang 10, Kessler 6, Sensabaugh 4, Filipowski 2, Mykhailiuk 0, Collier 0.
Quarterscores: 24-25, 56-46, 87-79, 119-103.
