Jalen Brunson Continues to Climb Knicks Record Books

Another sterling performance from Jalen Brunson put the New York Knicks back in the win column.
Jan 20, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts after a basket during the first half against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Jan 20, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts after a basket during the first half against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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Jalen Brunson flew past a New York Knicks legend in Monday's win over the Atlanta Hawks.

Another sterling scoring output for Brunson, earner of 34 points, allowed the Knicks to earn a 119-110 triumph over Atlanta, giving them a win over one of the three teams that have defeated them twice this season. Such a tally allowed Brunson to move past the late Willis Reed for the sixth-most occasions with at least 30 points in Knicks history, needing less than three seasons to rise that far.

Brunson's 68th Knicks with a triple decalogue helped the team get back on track after a one-sided loss to Minnesota on Friday. With New York dealing with injuries to Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns ... as well as the presence of lasting nemesis Trae Young ... Brunson's early output helped keep it in the game amidst a tepid first half. Despite the Knicks trailing by eight after the first 24, Brunson was 7-of-10 from the field and finished the game 12-of-18, his best success rate since Dec. 21.

The point guard's fellow New Yorkers are hardly surprised by what Brunson can do at this point.

“He’s always going to come through,” head coach Tom Thibodeau remarked, per Steve Popper of Newsday. “Sometimes you’re going to miss shots and they’re good shots and you miss. Just keep shooting. Take good shots. The game tells you what to do. So you’re open and you shoot. If you’re guarded well and there’s two players on you, hit the open man and then move without the ball.”

"I think he did a good job,” Josh Hart said added in the same report. “I think we were able to get him a little bit more off the ball and not have him bring the ball up ... I think we were able to get him off the ball a little more, getting him moving a little bit more and then he was able to make reads and we played our game.”

Brunson has a ways to go if he's going to catch the leader, as Patrick Ewing paces the metropolitan field at 203. He's only one 30-point game behind the top five, however, as former teammate Julius Randle is next on the lst at 69.

Brunson's next chance to add to his tally lands on Tuesday when the Knicks face the Brooklyn Nets (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT/TruTV).

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks