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 it some justice.
The Knicks star guard is battling a foot injury but it hasn't slowed his scoring production. Just when it seemed like New York's injuries were becoming insurmountable after dropping back-to-back games in Indiana, Brunson carried the Knicks to a crucial Game 5 victory to take a 3-2 series lead.
Brunson was on a heater from the jump, pouring in 28 points in the first half to give New York a commanding 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 of the playoffs. That tally has him approaching GOAT territory, looking to pass Jordan and LeBron on the all-time playoff leaderboard for 40-point games in a single postseason.
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Jalen Brunson approaching Michael Jordan, LeBron James with fifth 40-point game
Brunson's 2024 playoff run has already left its mark on NBA history — and he's still going.
The star guard set the Knicks single-game playoff franchise record when he went for 47 points in Game 4 against the 76ers in the first round. That set off a scoring barrage of four consecutive 40-point games, tying himself with Jordan and Bernard King for the second-longest streak in NBA Playoffs history.
After his fifth 40-point game of 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 run 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 LeBron's and Jerry West's all-time NBA Playoffs record.
You can find the list of the most 40-point games in a single postseason below.
| Rank | Player | 40-point games | Team | Year |
| T-1. | Jerry West | 8 | 1965 | Lakers |
| LeBron James | 8 | 2018 | Cavaliers | |
| 3 | Michael Jordan | 7 | 1989 | Bulls |
| T-4. | Allen Iverson | 6 | 2001 | 76ers |
| Michael Jordan | 6 | 1993 | Bulls | |
| Michael Jordan | 6 | 1990 | Bulls | |
| Bernard King | 6 | 1984 | Knicks | |
| T-8. | Jalen Brunson | 5 | 2024 | Knicks |
| Shaquille O'Neal | 5 | 2000 | Lakers | |
| Hakeem Olajuwon | 5 | 1995 | Rockets | |
| Elgin Baylor | 5 | 1961 | Lakers | |
| Rick Barry | 5 | 1967 | Warriors | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 5 | 1977 | Lakers |
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Several times in these playoffs, Brunson has placed his name on a list that is strictly composed of Hall of Famers. It is the best way to put his unstoppable scoring run 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.