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New York Knicks · Upon a first glance, December 25, 2023’s matchup wasn’t unlike that of most other Christmas Day battles for the New York Knicks. For a league-high 56th time, those in the orange-and-blue were poised to command all eyes on the primetime, holiday stage, and for the second-consecutive season, they’d discovered the inside track towards the top of the Eastern Conference standings race. On a morning distinct with patterns, the Knicks’ only priority was to “buck” a trend that had lasted nine consecutive games: defeat the Milwaukee Bucks. With their offensive attack working as rhythmically as the arena’s organs, the Knicks finally curtained the losing streak, using six different double-digit scorers to set their path. Leader among them was Jalen Brunson, who, as he often does on a magnified level, dazzled with a 38-point, six-assist performance. The quest to avenge the In-Season Tournament Quarterfinals loss also included sterling showings from the likes of RJ Barrett (24 points, six rebounds), Julius Randle (24 points, nine rebounds), and Immanuel Quickley (20 points, a game-high +14 plus-minus). In surviving Wisconsin-sized offensive outputs from Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo on the opposing side, New York also secured its 24th win on the festive platform. · State of Mint