Knicks’ Jalen Brunson celebrates Karl-Anthony Towns for contributions on the boards

The New York Knicks finished January on a high note, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 127-97 at Madison Square Garden on Friday night for their fifth consecutive win. Beyond mere victory, the conquest simultaneously spotlighted point guard Jalen Brunson’s scoring milestone and the demonstrable rebounding hegemony of center Karl-Anthony Towns.

Brunson, now midway through his eighth NBA season and fourth with New York, reached a major career milestone during the game, surpassing 10,000 career points. Coming into the contest with 9,980 career points, Brunson scored 26 points across 34 minutes to reach the landmark. His stat line also included three assists, two steals, and one rebound. He shot 8-of-20 from the field, making five of 12 three-pointers and converting all five of his free throws. The milestone tied him with Bill Cartwright for 10th all-time in 20-point games for the franchise, with 201 such outings.

Meanwhile, Towns pulled down 20 rebounds in 29 minutes, including six on the offensive end, finishing with 14 points, three assists, and one block. Over his last two games, he has amassed 42 rebounds, 13 of which came offensively. While his scoring efficiency has dipped this season and he has occasionally been benched late in games due to foul trouble, Towns continues to make a substantial impact through rebounding and initiating fast breaks for the Knicks.

When asked about Towns’ rebounding postgame, before Brunson could respond, Towns responded with humility, deflecting attention back to scoring milestones:

“No one gives a damn about the rebounding, I want to talk about 10,000 points, man!”

Then Brunson took the question, offering praise for Towns as he said:

“What he’s been doing these past couple games has been great. We need that from him. That’s what he brings to the table. Offensively, when the ball’s not going in as much as it should be, he finds a way to impact the game. I think that’s really important for us, and it’s a big-time performance from him.”

Jalen Brunson was asked about the impact of Karl-Anthony Towns' rebounding

Towns: "No one gives a damn about the rebounding, I want to talk about 10,000 points, man!"

Brunson: "What he's been doing these past couple games has been great. We need that from him. That's what he… pic.twitter.com/Q7fOUddIRU

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 31, 2026

The Knicks’ win was characterized by a strong start, with the Knicks leading 37-22 after the first quarter and holding a 68-48 advantage in the second half. Seven Knicks reached double figures. OG Anunoby recorded 24 points, six rebounds, three assists, and one block; Josh Hart added 20 points with six rebounds; Tyler Kolek contributed 13 points and four assists; and Mikal Bridges and Mohamed Diawara each scored 10 points. Dillon Jones, recently signed to a two-way contract, made his debut for New York, playing four minutes and hitting a three-pointer.

The Knicks sustained their defensive excellence, keeping an opponent under 100 points for the fourth time in five games. New York, now 30-18, shares second place in the Eastern Conference with the Boston Celtics, five games behind the Detroit Pistons.

The Knicks will look to carry momentum into February when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday at Madison Square Garden.

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