Fresh off one of his worst halves of the season, Jalen Brunson spearheaded the New York Knicks’ comeback win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. Just when it looked as though the Knicks were going to suffer a brutal loss to a tanking Jazz squad, Brunson turned his entire game around.
At this point in the season, the Knicks are fighting for postseason positioning. They aren’t too far behind the Boston Celtics in second, and they’re just barely holding off the fourth-placed Cleveland Cavaliers. Every single game is important, and a loss to Utah would have been a brutal blow.
But Brunson turned things around.
After an awful half, Jalen Brunson turned the game on its head
Brunson has been enjoying another great season in New York. Ever since he put on a Knicks jersey, he’s blossomed into one of the league’s best players. And he’s one of the greatest players New York has had in a long time.
He hasn’t had many great games this season, but Wednesday night was not one of his finest. At least, not in the first half. In fact, the first two quarters were some of the worst he played all year.
In the first half of Wednesday’s game against the Jazz, Brunson put up 10 points, two rebounds, two assists, three blocks, and three turnovers. Unfortunately, he also shot 1-of-8 from the floor and 1-of-3 from beyond the arc. (He also shot 7-of-8 from the free-throw line.)
It was a disastrous performance from Brunson, but luckily, some other guys were there to pick him up. Karl-Anthony Towns had 15 points, five rebounds, and three assists on 5-of-9 shooting from the field and 3-of-5 shooting from deep.
Towns’ showing helped lift Brunson up, but the Knicks were still in a hole. The Jazz, led by Brice Sensabaugh’s 16 points, were up 65-56 at halftime.
But in the second half, Brunson completely turned things around. He rapidly turned back into the player the Knicks have come to know and love.
The third quarter was Brunson’s quarter. He came alive, and it completely changed the course of the game. It was an impressive showing that brought the Knicks back to life.
In the third quarter, Brunson had 15 points, two rebounds, and four assists while shooting 5-of-7 from the floor and 2-of-3 from deep range. It was everything the Knicks needed.
New York won the third quarter 40-11, meaning they were able to head into the fourth quarter with a lead.
Just when Brunson was struggling the most, he turned it around and helped win the Knicks the game.