New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson put on a show to remember scoring a career-high 61 points in the Knicks 130-126 overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. Brunson’s 61 points is the second highest scoring output for a Knick player in franchise history.
The fact that New York lost to San Antonio is a huge disappointment in itself. New York is in the midst of a playoff race that has them in position to finish as high as second in the Eastern Conference. If the Knicks stumble losing home-court advantage and slipping all the way to seventh is also a possibility. The loss caused the Knicks to drop to fourth with the Cleveland Cavaliers taking over as the third seed.
Despite the loss, Brunson’s performance was elite to the point that it cannot be overlooked.
Brunson scored 61 points on 25-of-47 from the field. The 25 field goals made is the most in team history. The 47 attempts is also the most in team history. Brunson wasn’t shy about putting the ball up in this contest. Kobe Bryant has as much an effect on this generation of NBA players as any other former player. The “Mamba Mentality” which Bryant was often criticized for led to him becoming one of the elite scorers in the game’s history. Brunson’s 47 attempts were the most by any player since Bryant put up 50 in his final game in 2016. Bryant, who became a mentor to players such as Brunson in retirement would most certainly have been impressed by Brunson’s performance.
This is the second time Brunson has scored at least 50 points this season. The All-Star scored 50 against the Phoenix Suns earlier this season. New York was a plus 22 with Brunson on the court. Compare that to negative 26 during the 10 minutes Brunson sat. Brunson single handedly got the Knicks back into the game after trailing by 17 at halftime. The Villanova alum spearheaded the Knicks charge, scoring 24 of his 61 in the third period.
Carmelo Anthony holds the Knick single game franchise scoring record with 62. Bernard King scored 60 on two separate occasions. King and Anthony were both bruising forwards that could dish out punishment to defenders on a nightly basis. At an even 6 feet tall, Brunson’s performance has him wedged amongst the some of the greatest scorers the city has ever seen.
Donte Divincenzo also etched his name in New York’s record books during the tango in Texas. DiVincenzo connected on six shots from three, giving him 245 on the season which breaks Evan Fournier’s previous held record of 241. DiVincenzo has been quietly erasing Fournier out of New York’s record books. He recently broke Fournier’s single game record of 10. New York certainly leaves Texas with a bad taste in their mouths, but years from now the former college teammates can look back on this game and be proud. It’s not every day teammates set and break such illustrious record, specifically with a franchise that’s been around as long as the Knicks.
When Brunson steps to the free-throw line he’s often met with MVP chants. The second-generation player is the first Knick guard named to the All-Star team since Mark Jackson in 1988-89. The 27.9 points, 6.5 assist and 3.6 rebounds Brunson averages has him in position to become the first Knick guard to be named All-NBA since Walt Frazier accomplished the feat 48 years ago. Brunson is most certainly in elite company.
Scoring is definitely easier in today’s game than in past years. This is something that can’t be denied. Seven players have scored over 60 points this season alone. The mid-range shot has all but been erased from the game. Teams either attack the basket or attempt to outshoot you from three to win. Spacing is better and the hand check has been outlawed for years. Zone defenses are now available, and the physicality has been taken out of the game. The players today are more skilled than those of previous generations. Defense used to win championships, and now it’s a small part of the championship blueprint. It’s important to keep all these concepts in consideration when a player has a game of this magnitude. The three-ball in the NBA is now equivalent to the long-ball in MLB. You don’t need them to win, but they sure do draw people to the ballpark.
Trey Young, Luka Doncic and De’Aaron a few of the many young and talented guards the NBA has to offer. In fact, Brunson’s named is often not mentioned when speaking of the elite in today’s game. Nonetheless, Brunson continues to prove he is one of the elite players in the NBA today.
New York caught lightning in a bottle signing Brunson two years ago. This was most certainly a performance for the ages, but New York cannot afford losses to any lowly teams at this juncture of the season. More importantly, New York must do a better job of not forcing Brunson to carry such a heavy load theirs but so much one player can do.
