Karl-Anthony Towns recorded 28 points and 11 rebounds for his NBA-leading 39th double-double as the New York Knicks held off the struggling Chicago Bulls 105-99 on Sunday night for their second straight win.
Towns sparked a critical late run, scoring six consecutive points—a 3-pointer, a layup, and a free throw—after Chicago briefly took a 95-94 lead with 3:52 left on a 3-pointer by Matas Buzelis. Mikal Bridges added a clutch 3 with 27 seconds remaining, and Jalen Brunson sealed the victory with two free throws. Brunson finished with 19 points and nine assists, while Landry Shamet contributed 16 points as New York shot 44.7% from the floor.
The Bulls fell to their ninth straight loss, their longest skid since a 10-game stretch in January 2019. Buzelis led Chicago with 15 points, while Jalen Smith and Isaac Okoro added 12 apiece. Guerschon Yabusele chipped in 11 points and 13 rebounds. Smith left the game in the third quarter with right calf tightness.
The Knicks built a 13-point lead in the third quarter on a 21-10 run before heading into the fourth with an 83-78 advantage. Chicago had held a slim 53-52 lead at halftime. The Bulls were without trade-deadline acquisitions Jaden Ivey and Anfernee Simons, while New York rested Mitchell Robinson for left ankle management.
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The Knicks will visit Cleveland on Tuesday, and the Bulls host Charlotte the same night.
