The New York Knicks’ quest to clinch the no. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference is still alive after they beat the Boston Celtics 118-109 on Thursday night.
Jalen Brunson led the way for the New York Knicks with 39 points in three quarters. He made six three-pointers and dished out four assists while going 15-of-23 from the field in another big-time performance.
Because of his solid performances of late, Jalen Brunson has drawn praise from the NBA community. After JJ Redick gave him his flowers, this time, it was former Houston Rockets guard-turned-analyst Kenny Smith’s turn, as he called him the “best basketball player in the East.”
“The New York Knicks are the most surprising team in basketball right now. They should be a No. 6 seed without Julius Randle. But Brunson has been the best basketball player in the Eastern Conference by far,” Kenny Smith said about Jalen Brunson on NBA on TNT.
Jalen Brunson for the New York Knicks in April
Jalen Brunson has been so good for the New York Knicks up to the point that his name was mentioned in the MVP conversation recently. Without Julius Randle, who was declared out for the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury, Jalen Brunson was tasked with shouldering the heavy load on offense, and he has delivered.
In April, he averaged 36.2 points, 8.7 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per contest, leading them to win four of their last six games, including a three-game winning streak.
Jalen Brunson has scored at least 40 points in 10 games this season, three shy from Bernard King’s single-season franchise record, although he can no longer tie or surpass the record because they only have two games left in the regular season.
Regardless of what happens this postseason, Jalen Brunson will command a huge payday once he negotiates his new extension with the New York Knicks this upcoming offseason.
The Villanova product’s current contract runs until 2026, but he has a player option in the final year of his deal, and the New York Knicks cannot afford to let him walk away as a free agent next summer.