Knicks outrun D’Antoni’s old crew

1 Gallo sighting — Danilo Gallinari had the Garden eating out of his hands — and the Suns at his mercy — as he scored a game-high 27 points. Gallo went 6-of-12 beyond the arc, giving credence to Mike D’Antoni’s preseason boast that the Italian import was the best shooter he’s ever seen. He also added 10 boards and a pair of blocks.

2 Defense — The Knicks forced seven turnovers in the first quarter, as David Lee had three early steals to help the Knicks jump out to a 16-point lead. Up 71-58 at half, the Knicks kept Steve Nash and the Suns’ offense off balance in the third and held them to just 18 points.

3 Milestone — Larry Hughes, who had eight assists in the first quarter, had a momentous evening. The journeyman guard earned his 10,000th career point. He came into the game needing just four points and passed the threshold late in the second quarter. Hughes finished with 11 points and a season-high 12 assists.