Jalen Brunson Makes Knicks History, Passing Two Legends

If there were any doubts about Jalen Brunson's qualifications for the starting nod at the 2025 NBA All-Star Game, he put them to rest in the New York Knicks' latest victory.

Brunson's latest barrage was somewhat buried under the respective breakout of OG Anunoby and Josh Hart, but his 25-point outing in a 143-120 triumph over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden proved historic: wedged in that tally was his 5,000th career point in a Knicks uniform, as the team announced that he was the fastest to reach that plateau in franchise history.

Needing 190 games to do it, Brunson barely beat out Carmelo Anthony and Bernard King for the honor, as the pair of Knicks legends pulled it off in 191. True to form, Brunson credited a team effort for the team's latest success, which produced the best New York scoring output at Madison Square Garden since December 2019.

Alan Hahn "…Seems like it's less about how many shots a person gets vs who's open & get them the ball"

Jalen Brunson "It's about making the right play every single time, or at least trying to. If we don't, we hold each other accountable, & we go forward…But we all wanna win…" pic.twitter.com/2SAdRYWSB8
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 26, 2025

"We were just clicking," Brunson said on MSG Network's postgame show (h/t New York Basketball on X). "It's about making the right play every single time, or at least trying to. If we don't, we hold each other accountable and we go forward from there. We all want to win and that's the only thing that matters."

To Brunson's point, each of the Knicks' five starters scored at least 18 points and 40 assists set up the 52 successful field goals on the evening. Brunson's distribution likewise made history: with 11 each, he and Hart became the first pair of Knicks teammates to dish out at least 10 in the same game since Howard Eisley and Latrell Sprewell did in 2002.

Brunson becomes the 31st Knick to score 5,000 points in their uniform, passing Phil Jackson on the franchise's all-time scoring list on Saturday. He needs 61 more to move past Walt Bellamy and enter the top 30.

The count gets going again on Monday night when the Knicks (30-16) host the Memphis Grizzlies at MSG (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).

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