New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson put together a Game 4 masterclass against the Philadelphia 76ers, scoring a playoff career-high 47 points in a thrilling 97-92 victory to go up 3-1 in the first-round series. Those 47 points are also a Knicks franchise high for a playoff game. Bernard King's previous record of 46 points held up for 40 years.
Brunson completed this game after he seemed to suffer an injury on the last play of the third quarter. A “large contingent of Knicks officials” went back to the locker room with Brunson after he appeared to bump knees with a Sixers player, but he returned to the court early in the fourth quarter.
Brunson had 38 points through three quarters and quickly hit the 40-point mark when he returned early in the fourth, becoming the first Knicks player in franchise history to put up a 40-point, 10-assist playoff game. He also became the first Knick to hit 30 points and 10 assists in back-to-back playoff games. And, finally, the guard became the first player in NBA history to reach 45 points and 10 assists in a playoff game in which his team didn't hit 100 points.
It initially looked like New York was going to get destroyed in Sunday's Game 4 after dropping Game 3. Joel Embiid and the Sixers ran out to a 27-17 lead after the first quarter, but Brunson and the Knicks reeled them back in. It was a two-point game at halftime and then Brunson took over in the third quarter to give New York a one-point advantage heading into the final frame.
The fourth quarter was a dogfight, with both teams struggling to generate quality shot opportunities. It was the Knicks, however, who came out on top thanks to Brunson and their grit. New York outscored Philly 20-16 in the fourth quarter to secure the win and grabbed 15 offensive rebounds.
Joel Embiid scored 27 points to lead the Sixers, but he shot just 7-of-19 from the field and looked gassed by the end of the game. Nick Nurse took a gamble by not giving Embiid his normal rest in the fourth quarter, and it didn't pay off in this devastating home loss. On one crucial possession late in the fourth quarter, Embiid passed up an open jumper, drove and missed a layup that would have made it a two-point game in the final minute.
Philly missed its final 11 shots of the game.
Jalen Brunson's performance in Knicks vs. 76ers series
Jalen Brunson actually got off to a brutal start in this series, shooting 8-of-26 in Game 1 and 8-of-29 in Game 2. Despite this, the Knicks were able to run out to a 2-0 lead thanks to the supporting cast and a miracle Game 2 comeback, which was helped by some questionable officiating.
Brunson found his groove again in Game 3, pouring in 39 points on 13-of-27 shooting overall and 3-of-7 from 3-point range. While New York suffered its first loss of the series, it was a major positive to see the guard break out of his slump.
That hot shooting carried over to Game 4, with Brunson putting the Knicks on his back with those 47 points on 18-of-34 shooting and 9-of-11 from the foul line. He added 10 points and four rebounds while only turning the ball over once and finishing with a +10 plus/minus.
The Jalen Brunson injury scare was a brief blip, but now New York has a 3-1 lead with a chance to close out Philly back at Madison Square Garden in Game 5. We'll see if there's any update about the injury after the game as that Game 5 looms on Tuesday.
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