Jalen Brunson is once again doing Jalen Brunson things.
The All-Star point guard has led the way for the Knicks’ offense all season, and that was the case again during Friday night’s NBA Cup victory over the Bucks.
Milwaukee led by one by after a back-and-forth first two quarters.
The captain would take things over from there, though, scoring 16 of New York’s 31 points in the third quarter on an efficient 6-of-7 shooting from the field to push them in front.
Brunson added just six more points in a relatively quiet final frame, but his biggest bucket was an and-one lay-in to put the Knicks up six with just a minute and a half left.
He out-dueled Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, finishing the night with a game-high 37 points on 12-of-21 from the field and 4-of-6 from three while dishing five assists.
“He’s a special guy,” Miles McBride said.
“We love games where he’s able to get it going,” Josh Hart added.
There’s been plenty of games like that of late — Brunson is averaging 31.6 points and 6.1 assists on 52 percent from the field and 44 percent from downtown over his last seven.
That’s brought his average up to 29.1 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.2 rebounds on the season.
While it’s still early, head coach Mike Brown feels he should be getting more love in MVP talks.
“There’s not enough chatter,” he said. “It’s early so I’m not throwing a fit, but the guy had 37 tonight on 12-of-21, and he gets blitzed often and he makes the right play — he did what he’s supposed to do, and that’s why we don’t talk about it because that’s what he’s capable of.
“But hopefully you guys will start talking the right way about this young man in terms of him having some MVP talk because that’s what he is. We’re not playing the best basketball right now, but we’re trending in the right direction and he’s the engine behind it, so to me he did what he’s supposed to do which equates to him being the MVP.”
Brunson being Brunson once again, is solely focused on winning.
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