The Knicks needed 48 minutes from Jalen Brunson in Game 5. They received 38 points, nine rebounds and seven assists from their point guard to save their season and set up Game 6 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Heat.
If the Knicks are to leave Miami with a win tonight and force a Game 7 in Madison Square Garden, Brunson likely will need to be the best player on the floor again.
Even if he isn’t — even if the Heat clinch another trip to the Eastern Conference finals — Brunson already has the inside track to become the Knicks’ best free-agent signing of all time.
What may be even more remarkable is that Brunson may spend his entire contract as one of the best bargains in the NBA — he ranked 46th in the league in salary this season.
