The New York Knicks turned Dame Time into J Time on Sunday afternoon.
Behind a sterling 44-point effort from Jalen Brunson, the Knicks decimated the Milwaukee Bucks by a 140-106 final at Madison Square Garden, putting forth a statement victory against one of their pursuers in the Eastern Conference. Despite briefly leaving with an apparent shoulder injury in the third quarter, Brunson made Knicks history with the best New York scoring effort while playing less than a half-hour, breaking a mark Patrick Ewing held for over three decades.
Brunson's showcase came in the right place at the right time, as Bucks guard Damian Lillard was one of the thousands on hand to witness his latest masterpiece. Lillard is one of three Eastern backcourt men ahead of Brunson, along with LaMelo Ball and Donovan Mitchell, ahead of Brunson in the latest fan poll returns for the upcoming NBA All-Star Game.
In the aftermath, Lillard's teammates couldn't help but be awed by Brunson after he set the tone for Milwaukee's worst loss of the season.
"Brunson is one of the players in the league, one of the best point guards in the league," Bucks franchise face Giannis Antetokounmpo noted in video from the team. "He takes his time. Whenever you show your hand, he's going to take advantage of that. If you leave your feet, he's going to take advantage of that. He's extremely smart."
"He's one of the best players in this league," depth star Khris Middleton lauded (h/t New York Basketball on X). "He's crafty at drawing fouls, great scorer, great leader … he's such a physical player, creates a lot of contact."
Lillard had 22 points and five assists on Sunday but that was hardly enough to counter Brunson's efforts, which created a monumental win for the Knicks: Sunday marked their first home win over an opponent likewise stationed in the Eastern Conference's top six (beyond the severely shorthanded Orlando Magic) since Nov. 8, which also came against the Bucks.
In addition to making the most out of his minutes, Brunson also joined Carmelo Anthony in third place for the most 40-point games in Knicks history, trailing only Patrick Ewing and Bernard King, which should only help endear himself to local voters. Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are looking to become the first pair of Knicks All-Stars to collaborate in an All-Star Game since Anthony and Tyson Chandler went to Houston in 2013.
Provided he's well enough to partake, Brunson will look to further bolster his All-Star case on Monday night against the Detroit Pistons (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).
