Jalen Brunson, Knicks Called Out By NBA Fans for Blowing Lead in Loss to SGA, Thunder
Julia StumbaughJanuary 4, 2025
Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images
An eight-point fourth-quarter lead on Friday night wasn’t enough to protect the New York Knicks from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Jalen Brunson and the Knicks were outscored 37-19 in the fourth quarter as the Thunder stormed back to claim a 117-107 win in Oklahoma City.
NBA @NBATHIS SGA TEARDROP 🤤@okcthunder win their 14th (!) in a row 🤯 pic.twitter.com/xdhbo8z3gH
The Knicks ended Friday night’s first half up by 12 points thanks to a 16-4 run to end the second quarter.
The Thunder responded by going on an 8-0 run to begin the third.
Knicks Videos @sny_knicksThe Knicks end the first half on a 16-4 run! pic.twitter.com/TC6KNJZHjr
Isaiah Joe recovered the Thunder’s lead for the first time with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter.
The two teams spent the final minutes trading baskets back and forth until Aaron Wiggins and Gilgeous-Alexander put the Thunder ahead for good.
NBA TV @NBATVAaron Wiggins HUGE THREE 🎯#CenterCourt pic.twitter.com/SHQeprpiOK
Despite leading by as many as 14 points earlier in the game, the Knicks’ win streak will now end at nine games thanks to their fourth-quarter meltdown.
Carlos Silva @YoplinKnicks going cold in the 4th is exactly the point. Their winning streak came playing mostly close games against bad teams. Not in the same league as the top teams.
Jacob Silverman @jsilverman81Hate the Knicks late game execution. Thought they learned through this win streak that they can rely on each other down the stretch. Instead it’s just Brunson isolation
Tommy Hallinan @TommyHallinanKnicks forgot how to play defense in the fourth quarter. Too many open threes. If you go cold offensively, that’s one thing, but you have to play better defense.
That was GROSS.
Michael @BlueRev2184Absolute abysmal fourth quarter performance by the Knicks. Can we not do Brunson iso ball for the entire second half of that qtr? This team needs serious reinforcements for the bench if they want to make any run.
Rick Brunson @RickBrunson999As good as the Knicks are this game just showing there’s still a little gap between them and the best team in the league
The Knicks struggled from behind the arc, particularly in the second half, but perhaps most concerning was the team’s limited production off the bench.
New York’s reserves were outscored 44-5 in the loss, thanks in large part to Wiggins’ 19 points.
Kendrick Perkins @KendrickPerkinsOKC bench exposing the Knicks lack of depth.
ShwinnyPooh, Hukporti island resident @shwinnypoohLevel of physicality one team has been get away with is a discrepancy, but the Knicks depth is clearly a weakness.
Not exactly breaking news.
Sal @TheSalajinKnicks aren’t gonna win a championship with a bench like this. The starting lineup is elite and can compete with anyone. Need some bench buckets. Alec Burks, Malik Beasley, Kyle Kuzma, etc. there’s gotta be someone who can get us 15 off the bench consistently. https://t.co/jwiZRbmlmt
Brunson, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby all hit the 20-point threshold for the Knicks, while Karl-Anthony Towns tied his season high with 22 rebounds.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 33 points in the win, while Jalen Williams contributed 20 points and Isaiah Hartenstein added 14 rebounds.
Despite the poor result for the Knicks, the intensity of the matchup left some fans hoping these two teams meet again in the playoffs.
Fred Katz @FredKatzThunder-Knicks is an incredible basketball game. Just insanely high-level basketball.
Vinay K. @vkillemknicks thunder is straight up 90s basketball
defense, contested rebounds, and middys galore
Jeff Eisenband @JeffEisenbandKnicks-Thunder is simply the highest quality of basketball. Would be an outstanding NBA Finals.
The Thunder stretch their winning streak to a franchise-record 14 games with the victory. Oklahoma City’s record now jumps to 29-5 overall and 16-2 at home as the team further secures its lead over the rest of the Western Conference.
