March 3, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts after being stabbed in the eye in a collision with a Toronto Raptors player in the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Image The New York Knicks continued their long winning streak with a win in Toronto on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, the Knicks look to end another long run when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder.
New York hasn’t beaten the Thunder at Madison Square Garden since Dec. 16, 2017, when Michael Beasley and Courtney Lee led the Knicks in scoring.
For the Thunder, Wednesday’s game is a continuation of their journey past some of the Eastern Conference’s top teams.
Since the All-Star break, the Thunder have played in Cleveland, Toronto, Detroit, Denver and now the Knicks.
Oklahoma City is 6-1 after the break, with its only loss coming to Detroit on February 25.
The Thunder won 116-108 at Chicago on Tuesday despite playing without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Isaiah Hartenstein and with extended absences from Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell.
Gilgeous-Alexander and Hartenstein are expected to return for Wednesday’s matchup.
Like the Thunder, the Knicks are on a three-game winning streak, having played for the second straight day.
The Knicks defeated Toronto 111-95 on the road on Tuesday thanks to Jalen Brunson’s 26 points and Karl-Anthony Towns’ 21 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. New York held the Raptors to 37 points in the second half and recorded their 12th consecutive loss.
“We have to hang our hat on the end of the floor,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said of his team’s defense. “And our guys are doing that. They’re doing it physically first and then trying to get the ball off the glass.”
Wednesday’s game is probably New York’s toughest stretch of the season.
After back-to-back wins over the San Antonio Spurs and Raptors, the Knicks are scheduled to travel to play against Denver on Friday and the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.
Brown didn’t want to put too much weight on Wednesday’s matchup with the defending champions, but said it was another game to gauge where his team stands as the regular season draws to a close.
“How do you deal with stuff on both ends of the floor, and if you get stuck here, you get stuck there, this is an opportunity to continue to grow,” Brown said.
Jared McCain continues to make a significant impression on the Thunder since being acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers.
McCain scored 20 points in Tuesday’s win, reaching the 20-point plateau for the third time in his last seven games. The second-year guard has reached that mark only once in 37 games with the 76ers this season.
“He plays consistently,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said of McCain. “He never plays outside of his game. He’s always ready to play.
Gilgeous-Alexander continues to approach Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA record for most consecutive games with 20 or more points.
Currently the most valuable player, he has reached a record 123 consecutive games, just three away from tying the record set by Chamberlain from 1961-63.
–Field level media
