Jalen Brunson Sets Knicks’ Playoff Scoring Record, Hears MVP Chants In Game 4 Road Victory

As Jalen Brunson stepped to the foul line with 5.2 seconds remaining on Sunday afternoon, he heard a well-known chorus.

“MVP! MVP! MVP!,” the followers screamed.

This wasn’t Madison Sq. Backyard, the place the New York Knicks level guard is among the many hottest gamers in a long time. No, it was the Wells Fargo Heart, the Philadelphia 76ers’ house area.

Brunson made each free throws, clinching the Knicks’ 97-92 victory in Sport 4 of the Jap Convention first spherical sequence and placing New York forward three video games to 1. He completed with 47 factors, setting a Knicks’ playoff single recreation document that was beforehand held by Corridor of Famer Bernard King, who scored 46 factors in consecutive first spherical video games in April 1984.

With yet another victory, the Knicks will advance to the second spherical for the second consecutive season, the primary time that might have occurred since they made the NBA Finals and Convention Finals within the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons, respectively.

Rick Brunson, Jalen’s father and a present Knicks’ assistant coach, was a reserve guard on these New York groups. Now, his 27-year-old son, who was born in August 1996, has the Knicks again within the thick of the playoffs after the franchise has endured a lot disappointment for almost 1 / 4 century. And the New York followers are embracing the crew.

A number of occasions on Sunday, “Let’s Go Knicks” chants emanated from the gang despite the fact that it was a Knicks’ highway recreation. Hundreds of Knicks supporters traveled to Wells Fargo Heart, which is about 100 miles from Madison Sq. Backyard.

Brunson grew up a Philadelphia Eagles fan and performed in faculty at Villanova, simply outdoors of Philadelphia, so he understands how severely sports activities are taken within the metropolis.

“I’m not going to lie, this Philadelphia fan base….they’re very relentless, very passionate,” stated Brunson, who made 18-of-34 discipline targets and added 10 assists and only one turnover. “Seeing the Knicks (followers) right here and listening to the (followers) right here was fairly cool. It’s superior.”

76ers heart Joel Embiid, in the meantime, had a unique opinion.

“I really like our followers,” he informed reporters in Philadelphia’s locker room, per PHLY Sports activities. “I believe it’s unlucky. I’m not calling them out, however it’s disappointing…I’ve by no means seen it. I’ve been right here for 10 years. It type of pisses me off, particularly as a result of Philly is taken into account a sports activities city. They’ve at all times proven up. I don’t suppose that ought to occur. It’s not OK.”

Regardless of the loud contingent of Knicks’ followers, the 76ers led 27-17 after the primary quarter and remained shut all through the afternoon.

The 76ers minimize their deficit to 90-89 with 5:04 remaining on a dunk from Kelly Oubre, who had 19 factors. However the remainder of the sport, the Knicks had 13 rebounds, together with six offensive rebounds, in addition to 4 blocks, together with three from reserve Treasured Achiuwa. In the meantime, after Oubre’s dunk, the 76ers went 0-for-11 from the sphere and made 3-of-5 free throws.

Even with heart Mitchell Robinson out with a sprained left ankle and Bojan Bogdanovic solely taking part in one minute and 11 seconds after leaving with a foot harm, the Knicks had 52 rebounds, 10 greater than the 76ers. Within the fourth quarter alone, the Knicks had 18 rebounds, together with seven on the offensive finish.

Josh Hart, who like Brunson and fellow starter Donte DiVincenzo performed at Villanova, missed all seven of his discipline targets and scored simply 4 factors. However Hart led the Knicks with 17 rebounds, together with 5 on the offensive finish. OG Anunoby contributed 16 factors and 14 rebounds, whereas reserve Miles McBride had 13 factors.

Achiuwa, a 6-foot-8 ahead, and Anunoby, a 6-foot-7 ahead, spent a lot of the day guarding the 7-foot-2 Embiid, however that they had loads of assist from Hart, Brunson and the remainder of their teammates. After scoring a profession playoff excessive 50 factors in Thursday’s Sport 3 victory, Embiid had 27 on Sunday however made solely 7-of-19 discipline targets. Embiid was 0 for five within the fourth quarter.

“I believed our tempo type of slowed down (within the fourth quarter), in order that harm us slightly bit,” Embiid stated. “After which I believed for essentially the most half we bought good pictures. We simply didn’t make them.”

The Knicks didn’t shoot the ball effectively late, both. They made simply 6-of-21 discipline targets and 7-of-11 free throws within the fourth quarter. With 22.4 seconds remaining and the Knicks up 95-91, Hart missed each free throws, triggering a promotion that offers anybody within the Philadelphia space free Chick-fil-A hen nuggets if a participant on the opposing crew misses consecutive free throws within the second half.

Nonetheless, that was about the one spotlight for 76ers followers. They left dissatisfied after Philadelphia blew a lead of at the least 10 factors for the third time this sequence. Knicks supporters have been elated because the sequence heads again to New York for Sport 5, which is all that Brunson was desirous about following Sunday’s victory.

On the finish of the third quarter, Brunson limped off the court docket and held his proper knee after colliding with 76ers level guard Kyle Lowry, a fellow former Villanova participant. Brunson briefly went to the locker room earlier than returning with 9:35 remaining within the fourth quarter. Requested about that sequence later, Brunson stated he was “all good.”

Brunson additionally wasn’t about to take a lot time considering the importance of his 47-point efficiency and passing the legendary King within the document books.

“I’ll look again after I retire,” Brunson stated. “Severely, it’s nice proper now. It helped us get a win, however it’s not going to do something for us going ahead.”