Knicks' Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns help topple Clippers, snap four-game skid
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson defends Clippers guard James Harden in the second half of an NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Adversity is not all a bad thing.
So said Knicks coach Mike Brown shortly before the Knicks ended their four-game losing streak Wednesday with a 123-111 win over the Los Angeles Clippers at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks, coming off a demoralizing blowout loss to the Detroit Pistons, were looking for a way to avoid losing five straight games for the first time since December of 2022-23.
Despite what looked like a city-wide panic, Brown said in his pregame news conference that as bad as it feels to be going through what the Knicks have gone through the past couple of weeks, he thinks it could make them a better team.
“It’s a great thing during the regular season, because it will help prepare you for the postseason,” Brown said ahead of before the game.
“It will let you know whether or not you have the components to face adversity or tough times as a group, because you’ve already been through it once or twice throughout the course of the year. Now, that doesn’t mean I like to lose. I hate losing . . . But I do embrace the adversity that we’re going through, because this is a great test.”
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 26 points, but the team got some big help from their other All-Star when they needed it most. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter when the Knicks pulled ahead in what had been a very tight contest.
The Knicks (24-13) also got 20 points from OG Anunoby, while Deuce McBride finished with 16.
The Clippers (13-23) were led by Kawhi Leonard’s 25 points and James Harden added 23.
Notes & quotes: The Knicks waived Tosan Evbuomwan Wednesday on the day teams have to act to avoid paying a player full salary. The contracts for Landry Shamet, Trey Jamison III and Kevin McCullar Jr. all became guaranteed.
Barbara Barker is an award-winning columnist and features writer in the sports department at Newsday. She has covered sports in New York for more than 20 years.
