NEW YORK — The Clippers kicked off their three-game trip with three solid quarters of basketball. They needed a fourth.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 20 points, 11 rebounds and a season-high seven assists, Jalen Brunson scored 26 points and the New York Knicks took control in the fourth quarter to hand the Clippers just their second loss in the past nine games, 123-111, on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Towns bounced back from a quiet game Monday in Detroit, when he took just four shots and had only six points and six turnovers in the Knicks’ 121-90 loss that gave them their longest losing streak of the season (four games). This time, the center had 10 points in the fourth quarter to help the Knicks break open the game.
OG Anunoby added 20 points and Deuce McBride had 16 for the Knicks, who had a 24-7 run starting late in the third quarter and extending well into the fourth to turn a four-point deficit into a 105-92 advantage.
Kawhi Leonard scored 25 points (21 in the first half) to pace the Clippers, while James Harden had 23 points and nine assists after sitting out Monday’s win against Golden State because of right shoulder soreness.
The Clippers raced to a 14-5 lead, but the Knicks answered with eight straight points and the game was close for the first three quarters. The Clippers were up 85-81 late in the third before the Knicks finished strong to take a 90-87 edge to the fourth.
Towns then started the period with a three-point play and a follow shot, and later had four points during an 8-0 surge that pushed a five-point lead to 105-92.
Ivica Zubac had 22 points on 11-of-14 shooting to go with 11 rebounds for the Clippers, who held a 56-51 lead at halftime. John Collins added 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Harden shot 6 for 17 from the field but 4 for 7 from 3-point range and made all seven of his free throws in 38 minutes. Leonard was 10 for 20 from the field (3 for 7 from behind the arc) and added four assists and three steals.
Mikal Bridges added 15 points for the Knicks, while Jordan Clarkson added 12 points off the bench.
The Knicks finished with 31 assists two nights after registering a season-low 15 in their loss to the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons.
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The Clippers play at Brooklyn on Friday at 4:30 p.m. PT.