Mikal Bridges, Knicks improve to 3-0 against Nets this season following 99-95 win at Barclays Center

Mikal Bridges didn’t get a tribute video successful his instrumentality to Barclays Center connected Tuesday, but helium did get a “Welcome back” graphic that was displayed connected the jumbotron erstwhile the Knicks‘ starters were introduced.

Nostalgia aside, the latest introduction successful the NBA’s interborough rivalry proved to beryllium a warfare — 1 that the Bridges and the Knicks yet prevailed successful 99-95.

Even though the Nets were erstwhile again playing shorthanded without Cam Thomas (left hamstring strain), Ben Simmons (illness), Ziaire Williams (left ankle sprain) and Trendon Watford (left hamstring strain), they overcame an aboriginal 15-5 shortage to instrumentality a 26-24 pb into the 2nd 4th — and continued to vie passim regulation.

Brooklyn, which entered the nighttime with 3 consecutive losses, constricted the Knicks to 37.5% shooting successful the opening 4th and conscionable 9 points successful the last 7:35. The Knicks’ accustomed big of starters — Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns — each played.

However, the Knicks dominated the 2nd 4th 35-25, fueled by Towns, who dropped 12 points successful the play connected 5-for-6 shooting. His scoring outburst, combined with a 59.1% squad shooting effort, added up to a 59-51 Knicks vantage astatine halftime.

Nets halfway Nic Claxton had nary reply for Towns astatine either extremity of the tribunal early. He was a team-worst minus-20 successful 15 first-half minutes. Cam Johnson and D’Angelo Russell combined for 24 points done two-quarters of action, doing their champion to support Brooklyn afloat.

Claxton, to his credit, appeared much energized successful the 2nd half. He was much assertive connected offense, though helium inactive had occupation finishing astir the rim, and helium yet made his beingness felt connected the glass.

However, the Knicks constricted Cam Johnson to 2 points successful the 3rd 4th portion Towns kept pouring it connected with small resistance. Once Russell checked retired concisely aft picking up his 4th foul with 6:36 near successful the period, the Knicks responded with an 8-0 tally to spell up 76-64. The Nets had 5 turnovers successful the 3rd quarter, resulting successful 8 other points for the Knicks, and went into the 4th down 84-75.

It did get choky late. A Brunson miss, followed by a Cam Johnson dunk successful transition, made it an 87-85 crippled with 6:03 left. After a Knicks timeout, Towns missed an casual look 4 feet from the rim, past Keon Johnson knocked down his archetypal 3-pointer of the nighttime from the close wing.

Just similar that, the Nets led 88-87, but the Knicks rapidly snatched backmost momentum and were up 97-95 with 23 seconds left. The Nets had possession with a accidental to necktie oregon instrumentality the lead.

Jordi Fernandez drew up a play for Cam Johnson astatine the apical of the key, and his squad executed to adjacent perfection. But helium missed the unfastened 27-footer disconnected the backmost of the rim, forcing Brooklyn to foul connected the Knicks’ ensuing possession. Brunson iced the crippled retired astatine the escaped propulsion line, with “MVP” chants echoing passim the arena.

Russell finished with 23 points and 10 assists successful 32 minutes, notching his 2nd 20/10 crippled of the play and his archetypal this play with the Nets. He besides recorded a career-high-tying 3 blocked shots.

Cam Johnson added 16 points but did it connected a 6-for-20 clip. And aft a dilatory start, Claxton coiled up matching his play highs successful rebounds (12) and violative rebounds (five).

Towns led the Knicks with 25 points, 16 rebounds and six assists, but it wasn’t a memorable nighttime for Bridges, who scored conscionable 10 points connected 3-for-12 shooting.

The Knicks, who improved to 29-16, person present won consecutive games for the archetypal clip since rattling disconnected 9 consecutive from Dec. 15 – Jan. 1. They’re 3-0 against Brooklyn this season. The Nets, present losers of 4 straight, fell to 14-30.

The Nets and Knicks volition conscionable for the last clip this play connected April 13 astatine Barclays Center. It volition beryllium the play finale for some teams. Brooklyn volition instrumentality to enactment connected Wednesday against the Phoenix Suns astatine home. The Knicks volition person 3 days disconnected earlier hosting the Sacramento Kings astatine Madison Square Garden connected Saturday.