Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns matched the final record for Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.
The New York Knicks defeated the Indiana Pacers and lived on in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks travelled to Indiana to play Game 6 and return at 3-1.
Much of the attention from tonight’s match went to Tyrees Halliburton, who won one of the worst performances of his career.
However, it’s hard to ignore how well Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns have gone on tonight. Both stars combined for 56 points, with Cat dropping 24 points and Branson dropping 32 points.
Udonis Haslem told Knicks players to demand better from town and Branson before Game 5. And they provided the performance the team desperately needed.
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After both players drop 20 or more points in Game 5, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns look similar to the legendary guard center duo.
They became the first pair of teammates who scored over 20 points in the first five games of the conference final as Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal went against the Sacramento Kings in 2002.
Perhaps Branson and Cat are trying to recreate the Lakers’ 2002 path to the NBA Finals.
But despite these strong performances, the Knicks beat themselves 3-2, with Bryant and O’Neill not present.
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The Knicks are about to come back after dropping 3-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals. Tonight’s victory was a step in the right direction.
Certainly not impossible, but coming back from a 3-1 deficit is very difficult and requires a lot to go your way.
The Knicks have the advantage that Game 7 is at home. But they still need to win in Indiana.
The Knicks are currently one of the best road teams in the playoffs and have the numbers to win another road game to break the Houston Rocket’s 1995 record.
But that’s a big hurdle for them to overcome and they’re going to take every ounce of energy from them. Branson and Cat should be streamed in the next game if they want a chance to make history.