Knicks’ Brunson becoming superstar
The Philadelphia 76ers made it interesting and difficult on the New York Knicks. What they didn’t do was make it to Game 7.
The Knicks eliminated the 76ers with a 118-115 victory in Game 6 of an NBA Eastern Conference first-round series last week.
The Knicks once again have point guard Jalen Brunson to thank for that.
Brunson, who was phenomenal in the series, scored a game-high 41 points and delivered a game-high 12 assists in Game 6 and ensured the Knicks advanced to the second round for the second consecutive season.
The Knicks are playing the Indiana Pacers in the conference semifinals this week, trying to get to the conference finals for the first time since 2000.
Throughout the season, a truth emerged for the Knicks: They will go as far as Brunson takes them.
Making his first All-Star team this season and headed for his first All-NBA selection, the 6-foot-2 Brunson averaged 35.5 points and 9.0 assists and shot 42.9% from the field, 30.4% on 3pointers and 77.8% on free throws against the Sixers.
He set a Knicks playoff scoring record with 47 points in Game 4, and in Game 6 he scored 14 of his points in the fourth quarter and made important shot after important shot.
His back-to-back 3pointers gave the Knicks a 101-95 lead midway through the fourth quarter and a 12-foot jump shot put the Knicks up 107-99 with 3:27 left in the fourth. Another short jumper gave the Knicks a 111-108 lead. And Brunson’s assist to Josh Hart on a 3-pointer gave the Knicks a 114-111 lead, and his two free throws with 7.7 seconds left accounted for the Knicks’ final points.
“He’s our engine, we just got to keep feeding off that,” Knicks teammate Josh Hart said.
Brunson became the second player to register at least 35 points and 10 assists three times in a series, joining Oscar Robertson, and he is the first since Michael Jordan in 1993 to score at least 37 points in four playoff games in a row.
Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey and Brunson delivered stellar and entertaining guard play, and the same is expected in the Knicks-Pacers series featuring Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton.
WNBA Las Vegas Aces coach and ESPN basketball analyst Becky Hammon created controversy earlier this season when she said the Knicks didn’t have a 1A player. Brunson, 27, is showing he is that guy and gets an even bigger stage against the Pacers.