Jalen Brunson scored 25 of his season-high 40 points in the first half, Karl-Anthony Towns added 29 points, and New York Knicks advanced to the NBA Cup finals with a 132-120 victory over the Orlando Magic on Saturday in Las Vegas.
OG Anunoby scored 24 points and Mikal Bridges added 16 as the Knicks won their fifth straight game, matching a season-high. New York shot 60.7 percent from the field to improve to 9-1 since Nov. 24.
The Knicks will face the winner of Saturday's semifinal between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. NBA Cup the finale is Tuesday in Las Vegas.
Jalen Suggs scored 26 points and Paolo Banchero added 25 as the Magic lost for the first time in six NBA Cup games during relegation. Desmond Bane scored 18 points and Wendell Carter Jr. had 14 as Orlando lost for the third time in five games.
Suggs also scored 25 points in the first half, helping the Magic compensate for an offensive weakness without Franz Wagner, who missed back-to-back games with a sprained left ankle. Suggs had just one hit in the second half.
The Knicks have beaten the Magic twice in the past seven days since Orlando won the first two games of the season series in November.
The Knicks closed the third quarter on an 8–0 run, turning a 92–92 lead into a 100–92 lead. The Magic were held scoreless for the final 2:30 of the third quarter and nearly two minutes into the fourth as New York went on an extended 10-0 run for a 102-92 lead.
Suggs left with 7:35 remaining on his left hip and headed straight to the locker room as the Knicks held a 108-98 lead.
Brunson gave the Knicks a 121-110 lead with 2:47 remaining on a step back and scored 40 points. New York's Josh Hart (12 points) sealed the win with a layup with 1:20 left for a 125-116 advantage.
