It’s a simple formula, a winning formula:
When in need of victory, turn to Jalen Brunson.
The point guard did it again Sunday night, dropping a season-high 47 points — the most he’s ever scored at MSG — as the Knicks toppled the pesky Heat, 132-125.
“He’s a special player. I think we know that,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “And he doesn’t surprise you when he has nights like that.”
Indeed, there’s almost a numbing effect to Brunson’s greatness. It’s been witnessed so many times since he became the greatest free agent signing in franchise history, and it was special Sunday night from the opening tip.
Jalen Brunson drives with the ball during the Knicks’ Dec. 21 win against the Heat. Robert Sabo for the NY Post
Brunson carried the Knicks in the first half — dropping 27 points through two quarters — as both Towns and OG Anunoby were scoreless at the break. Then Brunson iced the win at the foul line in the final minutes amid “MVP” chants from the Garden crowd.
He finished with eight assists and zero turnovers, shooting 15-for-25 from the field and 11-for-11 from the foul line.
A virtuoso performance.
“Jalen again,” coach Mike Brown said. “We were struggling a little bit offensively, you want to have an MVP of the league on your side. For him to score 47. … He’s capable of doing it and that’s what MVPs are supposed to do on nights like tonight.”
The only problem — if you could call it that — is that Brown failed again to keep Brunson’s minutes under his allotted number, a goal the coach prioritized after playing his star more often during the NBA Cup.
But Brunson is so important, so dominant this season, it’s hard to keep him on the bench.
Brunson played more than the coach hoped — 38 minutes, four more than the ideal max — and Brown was rewarded by eight points from the point guard in the final five minutes.
“You try to sit ’em as long as you can,” Brown said. “But if you feel the game slipping, it’s my job to help us win in the best way possible. … It’s a matter of I know we’re in a little bit of that we got to keep fighting to get out of, get our feet back underneath us. And it’s me just throwing him out there knowing we’ve got to get this game. I tried to sit him as long as I can, but it’s, ‘Let’s go get this game.’ ”
The Knicks (20-8) were coming off two disappointing outings, including a defeat Friday at MSG. The first quarter felt like more of the same as they trailed by 10 points after nine minutes.
But Mikal Bridges dropped 14 of his 24 points in the second quarter and Anunoby (18 points overall) was resurrected in the second half.
During a 2 ¹/₂-minute stretch early in the third quarter, Anunoby picked up a block, a dunk, another block, a midrange jumper and a 3-pointer. The Knicks went up by nine and took control. Anunoby went from zero points and zero blocks at halftime to 12 points and three blocks heading into the final period.
Then Brunson took them home, negating a strong performance from Miami’s Kel’el Ware (28 points, 19 rebounds).
OG Anunoby dunks the ball during the Knicks’ Dec. 21 win against the Heat. Robert Sabo for the NY Post
It was an encouraging result for the Knicks as they embark on a particularly challenging part of their schedule, starting with Tuesday at Minnesota.
Following Sunday’s win, Brown’s side starts a stretch of nine of 13 on the road.
By Jan. 16 — when the Knicks land in New York following a four-game trip to the Western Conference — they’ll have the same amount of road games as home ones, 20 apiece, negating what started this season as an MSG-centric schedule.
On top of that, seven of their next eight opponents own records of .500 or better, a stretch that finishes with arguably the toughest game yet:
What’s happening on and off the Garden court
Sign up for Inside the Knicks by Stefan Bondy, a weekly exclusive on Sports+.
Thank you
Jan. 5 at Detroit.
It’s also worth noting the Knicks are 14-2 at home and 5-6 away. Heading into a couple of potentially treacherous weeks, Brown said it’s imperative for the Knicks to recapture their pre-NBA Cup form.
Sunday was a good start. And it’s always good to have Brunson.