New York Knicks legend Bernard King scored a Christmas record 60 points in 1984. Jalen Brunson didn't score 60 against the Milwaukee Bucks in Monday's Christmas showdown, but his 38 points are the most by a Knicks player on the holiday since King's masterpiece.
Brunson sliced and diced the Bucks' defense all game long, getting the better of Damian Lillard in a 129-122 victory at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks entered play Monday 0-3 against Milwaukee this season, including a blowout loss on Saturday in which Brunson poured in 36 points.
This time around, the Knicks star got more help from his teammates. Julius Randle (24), RJ Barrett (21) and Immanuel Quickley (20) all hit the 20-point mark as New York shot over 54% from the field. Brunson shot 15-of-28 and handed out six assists.
Jalen Brunson's monster season
Jalen Brunson is now putting up a career-high 26.1 points per game on the season after these latest explosions against Milwaukee. The Knicks guard is shooting 48.0% from the field and a ridiculous 45.6% from 3-point range. He will almost certainly be a first-time All-Star this season.
Brunson is leading a Knicks team that's now 17-12 on the season after ending Milwaukee's seven-game winning streak. New York is fifth in the Eastern Conference, just a half-game behind the fourth-place Orlando Magic.
Is this team a legitimate contender? Becky Hammon made waves recently when she suggested the Knicks aren't a contender because their best player is Brunson and he just isn't that “dude” because of his size. It's hard to win a title when your best player is that small, with guys like Stephen Curry and Isiah Thomas proving to be outliers.
Hammon wound up apologizing, though she still could wind up being right. However, Jalen Brunson was certainly that “dude” on Christmas against the Bucks and continues to have a monster season. Whatever happens, he has become one of the best players in the NBA and deserves a ton of credit.
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