NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 33 points as the New York Knicks routed the Chicago Bulls 135-105 on Wednesday night.
OG Anunoby added 18 points and Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds as the Knicks won for the fourth time in five games following an 0-3 start to the season.
The Bulls have lost six straight.
This one was over early as the Knicks used an 8-0 run to erase a 6-4 deficit, and they never trailed again.
New York increased its lead to 43-21 after the first quarter with Brunson scoring 22 of those points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field, including going 4 for 5 from 3-point range.
The lopsided scoring continued in the second quarter as the Knicks outscored the Bulls 41-31, marking the first time New York had scored 40 or more points in each of the first two quarters of a game.
The 84-52 halftime score tied the Knicks’ record for their most points in an opening half, matching the mark they reached on Nov. 18, 1988, in a 137-135 loss at Philadelphia.
New York’s lead ballooned to a game-high 44 points, 111-67, on Miles McBride’s four-point play with 3:23 left in the third quarter.
The Bulls only got as close as 30 points the rest of the way.
Dalton Knecht scored 10 points in his Knicks’ debut. Jordan Clarkson also had 10.
Tre Jones led the Bulls with 14 points. Matas Buzelis and Norman Powell each had 12 points, Jaylin Sellers added 11 and Josh Giddy scored 10.
Every Bulls’ opponent has scored at least 124 points this season.
The Knicks also beat the Bulls 133-127 on Oct. 28.
Up next
Bulls: Host the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.
Knicks: Visit Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday.
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Jeffrey Bernstein, The Associated Press