Facing a three-game losing streak with potential defeat, the Knicks came out with a dominant opening period, leading 34-17. New York suffered a 110-102 defeat to the Bulls earlier in the week on Monday and a sense of urgency was abundantly clear. The Knicks jumped to a greater than 19 lead, taking a 34-15 lead with 29.6 seconds left after Alec Burks’ 23-foot triple.
Point guard for the Knicks, Elfrid Payton put together a solid performance. With most of the production coming in the first half, Payton scored 20 points on 9/19 shots, earning eight rebounds and distributing four assists in 34 minutes. Early in the first half, Payton produced with a total effort of 12 points – 10 in the first quarter – seven rebounds and three assists.