NEW YORK: OG Anunoby shot 70 per cent from beyond the arc and had a game-high 31 points and Mitchell Robinson added 17 points and 11 rebounds as the host New York Knicks jumped out to a 20-1 lead and never looked back in a 136-96 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday.
Jalen Brunson returned to the line-up and had 17 points and 10 assists for New York (50-28), which reached 50 wins for the third straight season. The Knicks shot 52.7 per cent (48 of 91) from the field, 89.2 per cent (25 of 28) from the free-throw line and scored 28 points off 16 Bulls turnovers.
Anunoby, who made 7 of 10 from beyond the arc, had two 3-pointers in both the first and third quarters and three in the second as the Knicks were able to rest their starters for the duration of the fourth quarter. Anunoby also grabbed eight rebounds while Mikal Bridges scored 12 points.
Collin Sexton hit four 3-pointers in the first half and scored a team-high 19 points off the bench for Chicago (29-48), which has struggled on the road, losing seven straight and eight of nine. The Bulls are just 11-27 away from home.
Sexton's three 3-pointers were about all Chicago could muster as it fell behind by 19 midway through the first quarter. The Knicks, who led wire-to- wire, used an 18-0 run to put the game away early.
Tre Jones led an abysmal performance by Chicago's starters with 13 points and eight assists. They were doubled up by New York's starters 84-42.
Robinson scored 15 of his 17 points in the first half as New York led by as much as 41 in the second quarter. Brunson, who sat out Wednesday's 130-119 triumph over Memphis due to right ankle soreness, had nine points in the first and another eight in the third.
The Knicks, who defeated a sub-500 team for the 11th straight time, dominated Chicago on the boards 54-36. The Bulls will miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season and eighth time in the past nine seasons.
Matas Buzelis had 11 points and six rebounds and Leonard Miller added 14 points and six boards for Chicago.
Jeremy Sochan had seven points and eight rebounds off the bench for New York, which has won seven of eight at home, including the last five. The Knicks improved to 28-9 at Madison Square Garden.
Chicago has lost six straight and eight of nine overall. Five of the six losses on this skid have come by at least 18 points. — Reuters
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