The New York Knicks built leads throughout the night but never fully pulled away from the Denver Nuggets. However, Jalen Brunson capitalized on every open look and delivered key hustle plays, helping the Knicks grind out a 122-112 victory Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.

For a team that has struggled internally on defense for the better part of most of the year, the Knicks' strong performance shows that the team is improving when it matters most. The victory is New York's fifth straight and sixth victory in their last seven tries.