Knicks' Jalen Brunson Wasted a Perfect Chance to Go Supernova

The New York Knicks beat the Indiana Pacers on the road, but was 29 points really enough from Jalen Brunson?

Mar 13, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

New York Knicks fans know what Jalen Brunson is capable of, and this week, he had every chance to show the rest of the world, too.

Three days ago, Bam Adebayo scored 83 points against the Washington Wizards. Second-highest single-game total in NBA history. The whole league is still talking about that. That is what happens when a star player gets a wide-open night and actually takes it.

Brunson had one of those nights, too. He just did not take it.

The Knicks beat the Indiana Pacers 101-92. Brunson finished with 29 points and nine assists on 11-of-25 shooting. The win was good, the performance was fine, but fine was not what this game was asking for.

Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart both sat out with knee issues. That changed things offensively. Towns scores 20 points a night. Hart is always moving, always chipping in. Without them, there was really only one guy who was supposed to carry the scoring load, and that was Brunson. No timeshare, no splitting it up. Just him.

And the opponent he was facing? Indiana, which came in on a 12-game losing streak, has already been eliminated from the playoffs. Tyrese Haliburton has been out all season. Pascal Siakam did not play. Their leading scorer on the night was Jarace Walker with 18 points. This was not a team built to slow anyone down.

The Night Was Set Up Perfectly and Brunson Settled

Mar 8, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) watches in the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

OG Anunoby gave the Knicks 25 points, which helped. But look at how the game was going at halftime. Brunson had 23 points already, the Knicks were up 11, and it genuinely felt like one of those nights was brewing. The kind where you just let your star cook and watch the lead grow.

He has scored 47 points in a single game this season against the Miami Heat. His career high is 61 against the San Antonio Spurs in 2024. And just last month against these same Pacers, he put up 40. At halftime tonight, he was trending exactly in that direction.

Then the second half happened. Brunson scored six points after the break. And with him going quiet, Indiana smelled it. They went on an 18-5 run in the third, wiped out the entire lead, and tied it at 71.

For Knicks fans, that one has to hurt because that comeback should have never been possible. Brunson made some clutch plays late to close it out, credit where it is due. But six second-half points against a team on a 12-game losing streak is what made a comfortable win feel like a nail-biter.

He is a three-time All-Star. There are still people out there who question whether a 6-foot-2 guard can be the guy in the playoffs. This game was the perfect chance to make that conversation feel silly.

A shorthanded team, a broken opponent, a wide-open role. Brunson is better than 29 points on 11-of-25, and he knows it. The playoffs are close, and nights this clean do not come around often.

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