Jalen Brunson Drops 43 Points in Knicks’ Overtime Loss

Two-time Villanova national champion Jalen Brunson had himself a game on Wednesday, May 21, dropping 43 points in the New York Knicks’ Game 1 loss to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. New York led 111-94 in the fourth quarter but couldn’t hang on, going on to lose 138-135 in overtime.

Brunson made 15 of 25 shots and converted 12 of 14 attempts from the charity stripe, adding five assists as he tied the third-best scoring mark of his playoff career. The NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year this season, Jalen Brunson scored six of the Knicks’ ten points during the decisive overtime period, putting New York ahead on three separate occasions in the final two minutes, but also committed a pair of turnovers: his sixth and seventh of the evening.

Fellow Villanova alumni and Knicks’ standouts Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges also showcased their versatility. Bridges scored 16 points with six rebounds, five assists, two blocks and a steal; Hart flirted with a triple-double, notching eight points, 13 rebounds and seven assists as he facilitated his teammates’ scoring rather than looking for baskets himself.

The Knicks will look to even their series with Indiana at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 23. Elsewhere in the NBA, Villanova product Donte DiVincenzo faces a 1-0 series deficit as his Minnesota Timberwolves take on No. 1 seed Oklahoma City. DiVincenzo contributed nine points off the bench in Game 1, but struggled to convert from three and made just three of 14 shots overall.