NEW YORK — With three losses to the Orlando Magic already this season and a potential playoff game looming, perhaps the New York Knicks were trying to send a statement Friday night.
“You could feel the intensity of their spike,” said Paolo Banchero of Orlando.
And the Knicks didn’t stop until they produced the most dominant defensive effort in the NBA this season.
Jalen Brunson scored 26 points in his return from a left knee injury and the Knicks got off to a hot start from 3 points to a 98-74 victory that ended the Magic’s five-game winning streak.
The Knicks missed Brunson in Tuesday’s loss to Atlanta, then narrowly missed him early. New York started 8 of 9 from behind the arc in a game where it never trailed.
New York held Orlando to the lowest point total in the NBA this season and the fewest the Knicks have allowed in a game since April 13, 2012. The Magic shot just 34 percent.
“Being shorthanded right now, we have to do it with our defense and our rebounding and limit the turnovers,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “And so when we fly and work together like that and we have the type of activity that we did, it gives us a chance to win.”
Josh Hart added 19 points and Precious Achiuwa had 15 points, 14 rebounds and a career-high five blocked shots for the Knicks, who won for just the fourth time in the last 12 games as they battle injuries to several starters. But this victory was enough to push them back past Orlando into fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
Banchero had 23 points and nine rebounds for the Magic, who lost for only the second time in 10 games. They were missing starting guard Jalen Suggs due to a bruised right thigh.
Orlando had won the previous three meetings, but never had a chance in its bid for a season sweep.
The Knicks needed just four minutes to take a double-digit lead and led 18-6 midway through the first quarter thanks to Brunson’s 3-pointer. They led 31-23 at the end of the period after going 6 for 7 from behind the arc.
It became an 8-of-9 start after Donte DiVincenzo and Bojan Bogdanovic hit from behind the arc early in the second. Orlando was within 46-39 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the half before Brunson hit another 3 to start a 9-0 run that made it 55-39 at the break.
“We knew they had our number and you have to respect them,” Brunson said.
“We just knew we had to be ready to play.”
Back-to-back 3s from DiVincenzo and Deuce McBride — who fouled while making his own — made it 78-52 in the third quarter, the Knicks’ largest lead.
The Knicks missed their starting frontcourt of Julius Randle, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson for a while, then had to be without Brunson on Tuesday after he was injured in the first minute of a win at Cleveland on Sunday .
Brunson could soon be joined in the lineup by Anunoby, who returned to practice following right elbow surgery but has not yet been cleared to play.
McBride finished with 14 points and made all three 3-pointers. The Knicks finished 16th of 33 (48.5%).
FOLLOWING
Magic: Host Indiana on Sunday.
Knicks: Host Philadelphia on Sunday in the first game of a two-game series.
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