After ringing up 143 points in each of their two previous games, their total Wednesday gave the Knicks 408 over their last three games, a franchise record.
They scored their season high of 145 points in a victory in Denver in November.
“They’re playing really well. They’re well-coached, they’re pushing the pace and in the halfcourt they know what they’re doing. So they’re a really good team,” said Jokic, the three-time NBA MVP. “I think they are the favorites – not the favorites, but I think top-five candidates for the title.”
The Knicks haven't won the title since 1973 and haven't reached the conference finals since 2000. But they loaded up for a run this summer by acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns, who with Jalen Brunson gave the Knicks two players voted as All-Star starters for the first time since 1975.
Brunson had 30 points and 15 assists Wednesday, becoming just the fourth Knicks player to do that in a game.
But the Knicks, who are currently the fourth choice to win the title at BetMGM behind Boston, Oklahoma City, and Cleveland, don't want to think about having a summer celebration like Jokic and the Nuggets enjoyed in 2023 when they won their franchise's first NBA title.
“I don’t want to talk about the future, I want to talk about the present,” Towns said. “I want to talk about what we can do right now to be the best team we can be, because I have a lot of experience and if you can take care of the present, the future will take care of itself.”
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP