Jalen Brunson is having a fiery playoff run with the New York Knicks this season, racking up points. The 6-foot-2 guard has proved to be a threat to the Philadelphia Sixers defenders in the first round of the playoffs and the Indiana Pacers in the semifinal series. Though he has been breaking records at will in the entire series against the Pacers, his performance in Game 5 stands out, and he unlocked a phenomenal achievement for Brunson.
After being dominated by the Indiana side in Game 4, Brunson and Co. knew they had to break the 2-2 tie and snatch the lead in the following game. They followed their game plan and finished with a 121-91 win, establishing their supremacy throughout the game after the first quarter. Brunson stole the show by adding 44 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists to his name while shooting 18-of-35 from the floor.
This was nothing new for the guard, as he has been doing it throughout the tournament against the two teams. However, he accomplished a special feat on Tuesday by recording his fifth 40-point performance in a span of eight games. Brunson became the first player after the NBA GOAT Michael Jordan to record such numbers.
The 27-year-old also joined the list of NBA greats who have dropped multiple 40-point games in a single post-season tournament since 1980, according to TSN’s Keerthika Uthayakumar. LeBron James sits at the top of the list for scoring the points eight times, followed by Jordan (7 and 6), Allen Iverson, and Bernard King (6 times). With one more such performance, Brunson can catch up with MJ and the other notable players.
After leading in the series, the Knicks could not handle the business in game 6 despite another points galore from Brunson.
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Jalen Brunson and Knicks Fall Short in Game 6
The Knicks had a close start on Friday in Game 6, but the Pacers turned the table in the next quarter by taking a 10-point lead. Though the New York side tried hard to keep up in the second half, they fell short and ended up with a 103-116 loss.
Jalen Brunson stepped up to put a game-high 31 points on the scoreboard, coupled with a rebound and 5 assists, but it wasn’t enough to win the game. Miles McBride chipped in 20 points, and Donte DiVincenzo added another 17. However, that fell short against Indiana’s Pascal Siakam’s 25, Myles Turner’s 17, and Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, and T.J. McConnell, all contributing 15 points each.
Both teams will have a final chance on Sunday at the Madison Square Garden to win the semis and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, and Brunson will have to step up again if the Knicks are to accomplish their championship goal.
