Jalen Brunson scored a career-high 61 points in the New York Knicks’ 130-126 overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night, and his total fell one point shy of matching Carmelo Anthony’s franchise record of 62 points on Jan. 24, 2014. Bernard King now ranks third with his 60-point outing in 1984.
Brunson had the fifth-highest point total in the NBA this season. The 2024 All-Star guard also amassed four rebounds, six assists, and a steal in 43 minutes of action. He finished 25-of-47 (53.2%) shooting from the floor, 5-of-13 (38.5%) from deep, and a perfect 6-of-6 (100%) at the foul line.
Referring to a few NBA betting sites, the Knicks hold 13th-ranked odds to win the championship. Sportsbooks are showing better odds for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat.
Most points in a game for the @NYKnicks:
62 – Carmelo Anthony (2014)
61 – Jalen Brunson (tonight)
60 – Bernard King (1984)#NBA | #NYKnicks pic.twitter.com/4AAyHuwVMp— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) March 30, 2024
“It’s great, but it’s washed out the window with the loss,” said Brunson, who surpassed his previous career best of 50 points against the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 15. “So, it doesn’t really matter.”
According to the Basketball-Reference database, Brunson joined Michael Jordan (Jan. 16, 1993) as the only players in NBA history to make 25 or more field goals and commit two or fewer turnovers in a game.
Brunson also joined Kobe Bryant (Jan. 22, 2006) as the only NBA players in league history to register at least 20 2-pointers and five 3-pointers in a single game.
New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson is averaging career highs in points, assists, and minutes per game
“He’s special,” Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo said about his teammate. “I think he’s an All-NBA talent. Even if we didn’t come away with the win tonight, I think what he did tonight showed you that he’s one of the best guards in the East. Every single night, whatever it takes to win, he does that. Tonight, it was almost.”
DiVincenzo finished with 20 points and set the Knicks’ single-season record for 3-pointers with 245. Josh Hart added 12 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists.
“We give them confidence and they were just rolling from the beginning,” Brunson said. “I think we played well the rest of the game. We fought. They went on runs; we went on runs. We just kept on fighting, but at the beginning of the game just didn’t do good.”
Jalen Brunson this season:
• #4 in the NBA in Points
• #4 in the NBA in PPG
• #8 in the NBA in +/-
• #4 seed in the East
• Shooting over 40% from threeIf his name was anything but “Jalen Brunson,” he’d be getting MVP love nonstop. pic.twitter.com/l4vnzMHPMX
— KnicksMuse (@KnicksMuse) March 30, 2024
Through 68 games (all starts) this season, Brunson is averaging career highs of 27.9 points, 6.5 assists, and 35.1 minutes per game while shooting 47.9% from the floor, 40.1% beyond the arc, and a career-best 84.7% at the line.
The Villanova product also ranks fourth in points (1,895), 14th in assists (442), and fifth in field goals (681). Plus, he sits 10th in free throws (349) and sixth in offensive win shares (7.3).
The Knicks (44-29) host the Oklahoma City Thunder (51-22) on Sunday night.
