It’s hard to explain how great Jalen Brunson has been in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Placing his name in the same sentence as Michael Jordan and LeBron James does him some justice.
The Knicks’ star point guard is battling a foot injury, but that hasn’t slowed down his scoring production. Just when it seemed like New York’s injuries were becoming insurmountable after losing consecutive games at Indiana, Brunson led the Knicks to a crucial victory in Game 5 to take a 3-2 lead in the series.
Brunson was in a hurry from the jump, scoring 28 points in the first half to give New York a 15-point lead. He kept his foot on the gas in the second half, adding another 16 points to lead the Knicks to a 121-91 victory.
Brunson finished with 44 points, his fifth 40-point game in the playoffs. That tally has him approaching GOAT territory, looking to surpass Jordan and LeBron in the all-time playoff rankings by 40-point games in a single postseason.
Jalen Brunson closes in on Michael Jordan and LeBron James with fifth 40-point game
Brunson’s run to the 2024 playoffs has already left its mark on NBA history, and it’s still going.
The star guard set the Knicks’ franchise record in a single playoff game when he scored 47 points in Game 4 against the 76ers in the first round. That unleashed a scoring barrage of four consecutive 40-point games, tying him with Jordan and Bernard King for the second-longest streak in NBA Playoff history.
After his fifth 40-point game in the playoffs on Tuesday, Brunson tied Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Elgin Baylor, Rick Barry and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the fourth most in a single postseason in NBA history. . That leaves him one shy of Bernard King’s Knicks franchise record, two shy of Jordan’s career record and three shy of LeBron and Jerry West’s all-time NBA Playoff record.
You can find the list of the most 40-point games in a single postseason below.
| Range | Player | 40 point games | Equipment | Year |
| T-1. | jerry west | 8 | 1965 | Lakers |
| Lebron James | 8 | 2018 | gentlemen | |
| 3 | Michael Jordan | 7 | 1989 | Bulls |
| T-4. | Allen Iverson | 6 | 2001 | 76ers |
| Michael Jordan | 6 | 1993 | Bulls | |
| Michael Jordan | 6 | 1990 | Bulls | |
| Bernardo Rey | 6 | 1984 | Knicks | |
| T-8. | Jalen Brunson | 5 | 2024 | Knicks |
| Shaquille O’Neal | 5 | 2000 | Lakers | |
| Hakeem Olajuwon | 5 | nineteen ninety five | rockets | |
| Elgin Baylor | 5 | 1961 | Lakers | |
| Rick Barry | 5 | 1967 | Warriors | |
| Kareem Abdul Jabbar | 5 | 1977 | Lakers |
Several times in these playoffs, Brunson has placed his name on a list strictly made up of Hall of Famers. It’s the best way to put his unstoppable scoring streak into perspective.
The Knicks guard’s 33.9 points per game and 373 total points lead all players in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
He has New York one win away from returning to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000.
