NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson became the fourth player to score 40 or more points in four consecutive postseason games, the first since Michael Jordan in the 1993 NBA Finals.
Brunson reached 40 with a big fourth quarter Monday night to rally the Knicks in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Indiana Pacers. The Knicks trailed by nine early in the quarter but 21 points from the Villanova product helped New York outscore Indiana 39-30 to pull out a 121-117 victory.
Brunson ended the night with 43 points, six assists, and six rebounds.
Lakers Hall of Famer Jerry West holds the record with six consecutive games of 40 or more points, set during the 1965 postseason. Bernard King had four straight for the Knicks in 1984 and Jordan did it en route to his third straight championship.
Brunson finished the first-round series against Philadelphia with games of 47, 40, and 41 points. He was the leading scorer in the first round with 35.5 points per game.
