🏀 NBA Box Score and Injury Report: March 24, 2026

The New York Knicks defeated the New Orleans Pelicans with a final score of 121-116 on March 24, 2026, at Madison Square Garden. This victory extended the Knicks' winning streak to seven games, bringing their overall record to 48-25 and moving them within percentage points of second place in the Eastern Conference.The game began with a dominant 15-0 run by the Knicks, who shot 15-of-21 in the first quarter to lead 42-28. However, the Pelicans rallied in the second and third quarters, outscoring New York 32-24 and 32-27 respectively, to cut the lead to just one point, 93-92, heading into the final period. The Pelicans briefly dictated the tempo and tied the game multiple times, but the Knicks secured the win through superior late-game execution.Jalen Brunson was the standout performer, scoring 32 points, 15 of which came in the fourth quarter. When New Orleans cut the lead to 109-107 with 4:30 remaining, Brunson scored 10 consecutive points for New York to stabilize the lead. Other key contributors for the Knicks included Karl-Anthony Towns, who recorded 21 points and 14 rebounds, and OG Anunoby, who added 21 points and finished with a team-high plus-minus of +17.For the Pelicans, Zion Williamson led the team with 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting and finished with a +15 rating. Rookie Jeremiah Fears had a breakout performance, contributing 21 points off the bench. Saddiq Bey and Trey Murphy III also reached double figures with 18 and 16 points, respectively.The game featured several moments of tension and controversy:Late-Game Technicals: Pelicans center Herbert Jones was assessed a technical foul with 1:11 remaining in the fourth quarter, and Derik Queen committed a flagrant foul earlier in the period.Clock Controversy: Pelicans supporters and observers noted a significant officiating error where 11 secondsallegedly ran off the game clock while a referee held the ball after a Williamson basket with 1:42 left, despite rules requiring the clock to stop.Referees: The game was officiated by Josh Tiven, Brent Barnaky, and Simone Jelks.Statistically, the Knicks benefited from elite 90.9% free-throw shooting (20-of-22) and a 49-39 rebounding advantage. While the Pelicans were more efficient from three-point range (44.1% to the Knicks' 39.4%), their 11-of-13 performance from the free-throw line could not match New York's volume. Following this result, the Pelicans fell to a 25-48 record, remaining 11th in the Western Conference.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/champions-network--6884663/support.