Brunson rewards Knicks’ road fans

Jalen Brunson had just finished the highest-scoring game of his playoff career, the highest ever by a Knicks player in the postseason, and he was impressed.

Not by his own performance. He meant by the vocal Knicks fan base, which came into Philadelphia and took over the arena.

Brunson scored a career-playoff-high 47 points and added 10 assists as the Knicks beat the 76ers, 97-92, Sunday to take a 3-1 lead in their playoff series.

Clippers even series

Paul George and James Harden each scored 33 points while playing key fourth-quarter roles to help the Clippers hold on after blowing a 31-point lead and beat the host Mavericks, 116-111, evening their series, 2-2.

The Clippers won again without Kawhi Leonard, who missed the series opener with right knee inflammation before playing in the two Dallas victories.

Kyrie Irving scored 40 points for Dallas, including a layup with 2:15 left for a 104-103 lead. Luka Doncic had 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in his fourth playoff triple-double.

Pacers take 3-1 lead

Myles Turner scored 29 points, Tyrese Haliburton added 24, and the Pacers made a franchise playoff record 22 3-pointers as they pulled away for a 126113 victory over the Bucks.

Turner also had nine rebounds and four assists against a Bucks squad that was missing two injured All-Stars, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. The Bucks’ depth took even bigger hits with Khris Middleton playing much of the second half with four fouls and forward Bobby Portis Jr. being ejected with 5:01 left in the first quarter after he and Andrew Nembhard were involved in a shoving match.

Daigneault honored

Leominster’s Mark Daigneault, the coach of the Thunder, received the Red Auerbach Trophy as NBA Coach of the Year. Daigneault, 39, led the Thunder to a 57-25 record and the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference despite featuring the league’s second-youngest roster.