NEW YORK — Jalen Brunson scored 33 points in 28 minutes — 22 of them in a first quarter in which he outscored the entire Chicago Bulls team — as the New York Knicks routed Chicago 135–105 on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, tying a franchise record with an 84-point first half. Chicago led twice in the opening minutes, 6–4 at the widest; Brunson and OG Anunoby answered with an 8–0 run, and New York never trailed again. Brunson closed the quarter with 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting, 4-for-5 from three, while the Bulls managed 21 points as a team on 8-of-25. It was his 11th quarter of at least 20 points as a Knick, the most by any New York player since quarter tracking began in 1996–97.
The second quarter made history of its own: New York scored 41 more, the first time in franchise history the Knicks have scored 40 or more in each of the first two quarters, and the 84–52 halftime score tied the club record for an opening half, set on November 18, 1988, in a 137–135 loss at Philadelphia. The lead reached 44 points, 111–67, on Miles McBride’s four-point play late in the third, and the entire fourth quarter was garbage time. Karl-Anthony Towns added 17 points and 12 rebounds; Anunoby scored 18, tying his career high by making 11 free throws. Brunson finished 10-of-17 with five threes, four assists and a plus-33 in his 28 minutes. The defending champion Knicks, who opened the season 0–3, have won four of five to reach 4–4. The Bulls, 1–7, have lost five straight; they missed 20 consecutive three-pointers during one stretch and lost forward Jalen Smith to a wrist injury in the second quarter.
Around The League
The Philadelphia 76ers own the NBA’s best record at 8–1 after a 112–106 win in Detroit, Jaylen Brown scoring 30 points with seven rebounds as Philadelphia avenged its only loss of the season against the 6–2 Pistons. Oklahoma City beat Cleveland 124–116 in a meeting of contenders; Minnesota won 117–107 at Houston; Atlanta won 120–105 at Washington behind 26 points from Nickeil Alexander-Walker and a career-best 17 rebounds from Dyson Daniels; Boston beat Milwaukee 109–102; New Orleans beat Utah 120–113; Indiana won 107–103 at Memphis; and Brooklyn beat Charlotte 114–104, with the late West Coast games still in progress at press time.
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The rematch context made the rout ruder: the teams had met in Chicago on October 28, a 133–127 Knicks win in which Brunson scored 38, and Chicago arrived at the Garden having failed to lead after any first quarter all season — eight games, eight deficits. New York shot 63 percent in the first half and 50 percent from three, and lived at the line, making 30 of 37 free throws. Chicago’s night was summed up by its missing 20 straight three-point attempts and by Smith’s wrist: the Bulls’ only reliable available big man landed awkwardly early in the second quarter and did not return. The Knicks visit Cleveland on Saturday; the Bulls host Philadelphia on Sunday, still looking for a first quarter they can win.
Knicks 135, Bulls 105 — In Short
Jalen Brunson scored 22 of his 33 points in the first quarter — outscoring the entire Chicago team, which managed 21 — as the Knicks tied their franchise record with an 84-point first half and won 135–105 at Madison Square Garden. Karl-Anthony Towns added 17 points and 12 rebounds; the defending champions reached 4–4 after an 0–3 start. In Detroit, Jaylen Brown’s 30 points led Philadelphia past the Pistons 112–106, and the 76ers, at 8–1, hold the league’s best record.
Sources: Associated Press game report (via theScore), November 4, 2026; Reuters game report, November 5, 2026; Sportradar box scores, November 4, 2026; Fox Sports Australia NBA wrap, November 5, 2026.
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