Less than a week earlier, the Knicks had allowed an undermanned Charlotte team to last the entire game before Tom Thibodeau’s team escaped with a point victory.

The Hornets played tough for two quarters despite again missing several top players Thursday night, but the Knicks pulled away with a 38-16 lead in the third quarter to claim their fourth straight win, 125-101, at the Garden.

“I think we put ourselves in a hole in the first quarter and then obviously cut it to two right before halftime. And at the start of the second half, we should have started the game,” Jalen Brunson said. “We showed a lot of energy on defense, made stops and made easy baskets, that was it.”

The All-Star point guard clearly left the bench and went to the locker room with 2:39 left in the third quarter.

Brunson, who landed hard under the basket after a loose ball collision with center Nick Richards, returned to the bench midway through the fourth quarter with a bandage wrapped around his stomach but did not return to the game.

Thibodeau noted afterward that Brunson was “available” to return, but said he was dealing with a previous issue.

“I feel great,” said Brunson, who scored 19 of his 24 points in the first half. “I’ll see how I feel (Friday). And that’s it.”

OG Anunoby scored 15 of his 25 points during the third quarter rally – and two key blocked shots from the perimeter on the same possession.

Mikal Bridges scored 19 points and seven assists in a season-high 47 minutes, and NBA rebounding leader Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 27 points with 16 boards for the Knicks, who will play again at home against the Pistons on Saturday night.

“OG was incredible. He and Mikal kind of got us going with their energy,” Thibodeau said. “Josh (Hart) too. KAT headed out and Jalen was Jalen.

“I thought they did a really good job. They set the tone in the second half, but we have to be a 48-minute team, so they gave themselves things to look at.”

Brandon Miller scored 26 points to lead the Hornets, who were without leading scorer LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, among others.

“I think we just came out and had a better performance (in the second half),” Towns said. “We made it difficult for them to shoot and caused turnovers, and we translated the turnovers into offense.”

The Knicks trailed by 13 points in the first quarter, but ended the quarter on a 10-0 spurt (12-0 overall), with Brunson following a 3-pointer from Towns with his fourth triple for 19 points of the quarter and one Two-pointers followed. Points behind after 12 minutes.

Bridges’ layup and Hart’s long-range basket put the Knicks up 35-35 early in the second period, but the Hornets scored the next seven points, including a 3-pointer from the Knicks’ sacked DaQuan Jeffries.

Two dunks from Anunoby and a late corner 3 from Hart — who scored 14 in the session — helped the Knicks take a 65-62 lead into halftime.

Anunoby added 10 more points and Towns rocked the rim for a thunderous one-handed dunk during a 21-6 spurt as the Knicks opened an 18-point lead midway through the third period.

Anunoby also hit two Charlotte jumpers into the stands later in the game, earning shouts of “OG” from the home crowd.

“I love it. I love it every time,” Anunoby said. “Even on the road in Denver, I really enjoyed it. I love it here. I love it everywhere. It’s great. I definitely try to get a steal, get a block, get a deflection. Something that makes us open the courtroom.

“I think (defense) brings energy. The fans bring it with them and then the team benefits from it.”