Rockets Vs Knicks: Jalen Brunson’s late heroics in 108-106 comeback — rockets vs knicks

The Knicks mounted a dramatic rally in a game headlined by rockets vs knicks, overcoming an 18-point deficit early in the fourth quarter to beat the Rockets 108-106 on Saturday night. Jalen Brunson, who had struggled much of the night, delivered a late sequence that sealed the Knicks’ largest comeback of the season.

Rockets Vs Knicks: Late Surge

The Knicks looked dead and were on their way to a second straight ugly loss to a contender coming out of the All-Star break. Boos began to emerge around Madison Square Garden as New York trailed by 18 at the start of the fourth quarter. Brunson, the All-Star point guard, had been struggling through one of his worst offensive showings of the year and his supporting cast had done little to help him early.

Brunson’s fourth-quarter sequence

Brunson did not make a shot from the field until 4: 21 left in the third quarter, missing the first five he took. He had just two points at halftime, free throws, but he scored eight points in the fourth quarter, going 4-for-4 from the field. At 4: 40 left in the game he drilled a jumper to pull the Knicks within four. Two possessions later he drew a charge on Amen Thompson to get the ball back for New York, then two more possessions after that he hit another jumper to bring the Knicks within two.

With 1: 14 remaining Brunson hit a layup to tie the game 103-103. He then took another charge, this time on Kevin Durant, and later crossed up Tari Eason and drilled a 15-footer to give the Knicks a two-point lead with 21. 2 seconds left. That basket proved decisive in the 108-106 final.

Defense and turnovers decide outcome

New York’s defense flipped the game in the fourth: the Knicks forced the Rockets into nine fourth-quarter turnovers while committing just one turnover themselves. Jose Alvarado contributed five points and three steals in that key fourth-quarter stretch as the Knicks mounted their comeback.

Key bench contributions and minutes

OG Anunoby paced the Knicks with 16 first-half points but managed just four in the second half; he drilled both free throws with 5. 4 seconds left to ice the game. Landry Shamet added 14 points off the bench and played key minutes down the stretch — over Mikal Bridges, a recurring move by coach Mike Brown.

Towns, Brown and late-game reactions

Karl-Anthony Towns added seven points in the fourth quarter and finished with a game-high 25. Brown credited Towns with challenging his teammates before the fourth quarter about their defense. Towns said, “I said, ‘We can win this game. I’ve seen us do it. It starts with the first possession of the fourth quarter, playing defense. We’ve gotta get a stop, it’s the most important possession of the game, the first play of the fourth quarter, ’ ” and added, “I wanted to do my part as well. … I wanted to set the tone for our team and set the intensity level we needed to play for 12 minutes if we expected to come out with a win. ”

Coach Mike Brown reflected on the result simply: “We found a way. ” He also praised Brunson’s late form: “Jalen was in a groove. It didn’t matter who was on him; he found a way to score. ” Brunson himself acknowledged the shift: “Didn’t like how I was playing, ” he said. “Decided that I had to switch it; that simple. It’s the mentality of trying to get downhill, make plays, not being hesitant, not being passive. If there are mistakes, they’re aggressive mistakes. Don’t want to be on your heels. I just feel like the first two quarters, I was. ”

Rockets’ late slide and Durant’s night

Kevin Durant entered the fourth quarter with 25 points but added just five the rest of the way, shooting 2-for-7 from the field in the period. Three of those points came on a 3-pointer after Anunoby’s free throws. The loss prevented the Rockets from closing out the contest in the final minute and handed the Knicks a dramatic escape after a rough stretch that included a blowout loss to the Pistons on Thursday.

New York’s win over Houston on Feb. 21, 2026, marked a rally from near-defeat to a 108-106 victory built on Brunson’s late scoring, defensive charges, and a fourth-quarter team effort.