By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The New York Knicks’ 2025-26 roster made NBA history after recording the franchise’s most lopsided victory on January 22, 2026 at Madison Square Garden.
Furious after an alarming four-game losing streak, New York took out its frustration on the Brooklyn Nets, decimating them by 54 points, 120 to 66, to return to the NBA regular season win column after one week.
The massive win surpassed the Knicks’ 48-point win over the Philadelphia 76ers in April 1994, as well as previous franchise records set in 1972 and 1968.
A day before their Eastern Conference clash against Brooklyn, multiple reports confirmed that superstar Jalen Brunson called for a “players-only” meeting to resolve minor issues within the team.
This meeting helped to allay the concerns of the Knicks, who regained their lost dominance and took the lead from the first minute of the first quarter.
Bolstered by efficient shooting and much-improved defensive communication, New York quickly took a comfortable 18-point lead after the first 12 minutes, 38-20.
The quartet of Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges spearheaded New York’s hot start, capped by an offensive punch from the bench crowd led by Landry Shamet, who knocked down a late three-pointer to extend the Knicks’ lead to 18.
Brooklyn tried to recover behind a brief spurt from Michael Porter Jr., but Brunson and the Knicks closed the second quarter with a 6-0 run to build a 22-point halftime lead, 60-38.
The Nets had no answers for an inspired New York team that flaunted its depth, marking its firepower and defensive presence in the paint. The third quarter mirrored the opening period as the Knicks outscored Brooklyn, 28-18, before delivering the final blow in the fourth while holding the visitors to just 10 points.
As the lopsided affair continued, Brooklyn opted to rest its starters after New York established its largest lead of the game at 59 points.
Brunson led New York’s resurgence with 20 points in just 30 minutes, along with five assists and four rebounds.
Shamet, who provided a spark while the starters rested, finished with 18 points on perfect 6-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc.
New York looks to keep its momentum going on January 25, 2026, when it travels to Philadelphia to face the 76ers in another Eastern Conference showdown.
