Jalen Brunson etched his name into NBA history after a memorable Game 6 performance.
The New York Knicks head into the Eastern Conference semi-finals, their third straight win, as they registered the Detroit Pistons for a 4-2 series victory.
Speaking of the series, aside from the first two matches, the Knicks and Pistons produced a very close contest.
Even in Game 6, the two teams couldn’t separate until Knicks’ Jalen Brunson sealed the game with a 3-point shot won in an astonishing game.
Branson finished the dagger in Game 6 with Game 6 as he finished the matchup with 40 points, four rebounds and seven assists in 42 minutes of playing time.
Along the way, the double NBA All-Star managed to reach a rare milestone in the playoffs achieved only by Hall of Fame Michael Jordan.
According to X’s OptaStats, it was the second consecutive season when Branson had over 40 points assists in a road-close-out victory.
Last season, Branson eliminated the Philadelphia 76ers and dropped 41 points along with 12 assists in a closeout victory on the road.
As mentioned earlier, only Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordan dropped such stats in a road-close-out victory on a back-to-back postseason run.
Surviving the first round of the playoffs is only a start, but it’s clear that Branson is a much more offensive player on the Knicks’ roster this season.
In six games, Branson averaged 31.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game in the organization.
However, this job will only be difficult in collaboration with Branson. They are all set to face the Boston Celtics in the second round.
The Celtics are currently the NBA defending champions and have a few extra days of rest after eliminating the Orlando Magic in just five games in the opening round.