NEW YORK (AP) — OG Anunoby scored 15 of his 25 points in the third quarter, in which he also blocked consecutive 3-point shots on opposite sides of the court, helping the New York Knicks pull away and beat the Charlotte Hornets at 125: 101 to bat on Thursday evening.

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 27 points and 16 rebounds in the Knicks’ fourth straight win. Jalen Brunson scored 24 points, including 19 in the first quarter.

Anunoby’s goal opened a one-point game early in the second half, and his consecutive blocks late in the third period had fans chanting “OG!” OG!” after a 28-6 surge gave New York a 93-70 lead.

Brandon Miller scored 26 points in the Hornets’ seventh straight loss.

Takeaways

Hornets: Things were already going to be tough for a team missing LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges and Tre Mann, three of its top four scorers. The Hornets then lost rookie Tidjane Salaun to a left ankle sprain in the first quarter. The No. 6 from France had just completed his first double-double in his career.

Knicks: The Knicks, who beat Orlando two nights earlier and secured a spot in the NBA Cup quarterfinals, appear to have reached their peak. They’re also getting healthier, with big backup Precious Achiuwa making his season debut Thursday after missing the first 21 games with a left hamstring strain.

Key moment

The Knicks didn’t score for more than 2 1/2 minutes early in the second half. Anunoby then had a pair of 3-pointers and Towns converted consecutive three-point plays, one with a fierce dunk in traffic, in the 28-6 run that turned a 65-64 lead into a 23-point lead transformed.

Key statistics

All five Knicks starters scored at least 18 points.

Next

The Knicks host Detroit on Saturday looking for their 17th straight win in the series. Charlotte hosts Cleveland on Saturday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba