At the worst of times, it’s an overwhelming self-inflicted crutch, like Monday back in Denver. The Nuggets fell behind by 23 early in the second quarter of an eventual 145-118 loss to the Knicks, falling to 5-4 at Ball Arena this season after only losing 15 home games in the last two regular seasons combined.

OG Anunoby scored a career-high 40 points, Jalen Brunson had 17 of New York's team record-tying 45 assists and the Knicks rode a torrid start to a 145-118 rout of the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. Brunson had 23 points to go with his career-best assist performance.

The Knicks put both facets of their game together — and shared the ball to tie a franchise record with 45 assists — in easily their most impressive win of the season, 145-118, over