NEW YORK _ Kristaps Porzingis had the ball on the baseline with the shot clock winding down late in the fourth quarter and the Knicks needing a basket. Porzingis turned and his jumper over Jamal Murray rattled in to give the Knicks a six-point lead.
Porzingis is showing that he is more than ready to carry the Knicks. The third-year big man became the first Knick ever to score at least 30 points in five of their first six games. He poured in a career-high 38 points to lead the Knicks to a 116-110 win over the Nuggets on Monday night
When Porzingis went to the foul line in the waning seconds, the Madison Square Garden crowd chanted loudly, "M-V-P." Porzingis shot 14-for-26 and was 4-for-7 on 3-pointers.
After dropping their first three games of the season, the Knicks have won three straight. This was an impressive victory because they won both ends of a back-to-back after beating the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Sunday. They also had to withstand a furious rally by the Nuggets to pull out the win.
The Knicks led by 23 points early in the third quarter but were in a nip-and-tuck game at the end. It was a two-point game with less than three minutes remaining. But they made the critical shots and stops to preserve the victory.
Kyle O'Quinn had a strong game off the bench with 15 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks in 21 minutes. Tim Hardaway Jr., who had 34 points in Sunday's win in Cleveland, hit 3 of 10 3-pointers and scored 13 points, all in the fourth quarter. Jarrett Jack had six points and 10 assists, and buried a big jumper with 2:40 left.
Nikola Jokic led Denver with 28 points; Murray added 20.
The Knicks appeared to be coasting, but they played a sloppy third quarter. They committed 13 turnovers and were outscored 38-19 in the quarter. The Knicks relinquished the lead, but they regained it and were up 84-81 at the start of the fourth.
Hardaway had been quiet to that point. He missed his first five shots but finally connected on a 3-pointer with 9:35 left. It started a stretch in which Hardaway scored 11 consecutive points. His third three-pointer in the run put the Knicks on top 100-93 with 7:31 left.
Porzingis scored the Knicks' next two baskets and gave them a 104-95 lead with a turnaround jumper with 5:35 left. The Knicks came up empty on their next six trips, and were clinging to a 104-102 lead with 3:10 remaining.
Jack ended the drought with a jump shot from the right wing with 2:40 left. On the other end, O'Quinn blocked Paul Millsap's shot. Courtney Lee was fouled going to the basket and made both free throws for a 108-102 lead with 2:05 left.
After the Nuggets got within four, Porzingis hit the turnaround with 1:29 left to make it 110-104. The Nuggets cut it to four again and had a chance to draw closer, but Hardaway came up with a steal and was fouled with 25 seconds left. His two free throws made it 112-106.
The Knicks could have had tired legs after playing Sunday night in Cleveland. But this is one of the advantages of having a young team. They looked fresh and carried some of the momentum and confidence they gained in beating the Cavaliers into Monday's game.
Porzingis was hot right from the start and the Knicks jumped all over the Nuggets. He made five of his first six shots, including three 3-pointers, and scored 13 points in 5:08.
The Knicks took a 15-point lead seven minutes into the first. They finished the quarter with a 35-25 edge _ and this was with without Hardaway attempting a shot. The Knicks were 6-for-8 on 3-pointers in the opening quarter.
The bench helped extend the lead in the second. The subs played stingy defense and continued to move the ball to the open man.
The Knicks went ahead 49-31 after a Michael Beasley layup with 7:04 left in the half. O'Quinn played a big part in the 14-3 run. He scored eight points and blocked two shots.
Porzingis re-entered the game with the Knicks up 17, and he remained hot. He scored nine points over the last 4:55, helping the Knicks take a 65-43 lead at halftime.
On the final sequence of the half, Porzingis hit a tough baseline turnaround jumper, and then raced down to block Millsap's shot at the buzzer.
But the third quarter went much differently. After the Knicks went ahead 69-46, they committed 10 turnovers in a six-minute stretch and were outscored 27-2 in that span.
