Knicks beat the Jazz 134-117 to end a 2-game losing streak

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 28 points, Jordan Clarkson had 27 and the New York Knicks rallied to beat the Utah Jazz 134-117 on Wednesday night to snap a two-game losing streak.

Brunson also had eight assists and three steals in a game the Knicks trailed 49-31 early in the second quarter. OG Anunoby added 22 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. New York made 17 3-pointers and shot 52% from the field.

Brice Sensabaugh led Utah with 29 points. Ace Bailey added 21, and Keyonte George had 14 points and five assists before leaving midway through the third quarter with a right hamstring injury.

Utah made 11 of its first 13 3-pointers to take the early lead. Sensabaugh, Bailey, and Kevin Love teamed for seven 3s in the first 14 minutes. The Jazz finished 18 of 36 from 3-point range.

The Knicks cut it to single digits before halftime, then took the lead with a 20-4 run spanning the third and fourth quarters. Clarkson punctuated the run with back-to-back baskets to put the Knicks up 101-94 less than a minute into the fourth.

Clarkson scored or assisted on four baskets and added two free throws to fuel the go-ahead run. Brunson gave New York the lead for good on a 3-point play with 1.6 seconds left in the third, and the Knicks pushed the advantage to 22.

Knicks: At Indiana on Friday night.

Jazz: At Portland on Friday night.

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

Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier, center left, and New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson, center right, battle for possession of the loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)

Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams, left, and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, right, battle for possession of the loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)

New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) goes to the basket defended by Utah Jazz center Oscar Tshiebwe (34) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) sets the play during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, center, drives to the basket guarded by Utah Jazz guard Ace Bailey, center left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)

HOUSTON (AP) — A day later than its manager originally proclaimed, the United States punched its ticket to the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic.

The Americans got the help they needed from Italy and could start to relax by the middle innings as Italy routed Mexico 9-1 on Wednesday night, giving the Azzurri the top spot in Group B and assuring the Americans advancement as the second-place team.

After Vinnie Pasquantino had the WBC’s first three-homer game to lead the Italians to victory, the Kansas City Royals player had a message for the Americans.

“You’re welcome, U.S.A.,” he said. “We were thinking of you guys over at your hotel. We were thinking of you guys. So I’m glad you could join us in the party.”

Italy beat the U.S. 8-6 a night earlier, turning the Americans into spectators as they hoped to avoid elimination. The Italians — fielding a roster stacked with Americans of Italian heritage — finished 4-0 while the U.S. went 3-1.

Mexico (2-2), which lost to the U.S., was eliminated from the WBC and from qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The Americans will stay in Houston to meet Canada, which advanced past first round for the first time, on Friday night. Italy will play Puerto Rico in the other quarterfinal at Daikin Park on Saturday.

The U.S., with an All-Star-filled roster, also beat Britain and Brazil in group play.

After the loss to Italy, U.S. manager Mark DeRosa fielded questions about whether he thought his team had already secured a spot in the quarterfinals with Monday night’s win over Mexico because of his comments on a television appearance the next morning.

In that interview, he said: “Ton of respect for Italy — it’s weird — we want to win this game even though our ticket’s punched to the quarterfinals because Mexico plays Italy actually tomorrow. So, the way the schedule lines up this is an important game for us.”

DeRosa said he “misspoke” in that interview and did not believe the team had already clinched a spot.

Now that the Americans are in the quarterfinals, they know they need to win to move on to Miami.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

United States shortstop Gunnar Henderson (11) celebrates after hitting a home run in the sixth inning of a World Baseball Classic game, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

United States shortstop Gunnar Henderson, right, celebrates with right fielder Aaron Judge (99) after hitting a home run in the sixth inning of a World Baseball Classic game, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

United States manager Mark DeRosa watches batting practice prior to an exhibition baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)