With their backs against the wall in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, the Knicks needed big outings from their biggest stars to keep their season alive. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns delivered … and then some. Brunson scored 32 points while adding five rebounds and five assists, responding after a quiet second half of Game 4. Towns, meanwhile, posted 24 points and 13 rebounds after being a game-time decision due to a balky left knee.
Behind those two efforts and a much-improved defense, New York cruised to a 111-94 win over Indiana.
In the process, Brunson and Towns joined some exclusive company: They’re the first pair of teammates to both score 20+ points in each of the first five games of a conference finals since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal did so for the Lakers against the Kings in 2002.
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Here’s a look at Brunson and Towns’ production in the series:
|
Jalen Brunson points |
Karl-Anthony Towns points |
Result |
|
|
Game 1 |
43 |
35 |
Lost by 3 |
|
Game 2 |
36 |
20 |
Lost by 5 |
|
Game 3 |
23 |
24 |
Won by 6 |
|
Game 4 |
31 |
24 |
Lost by 9 |
|
Game 5 |
32 |
24 |
Won by 17 |
Brunson also made some individual history with his 10th game of 30 points and five assists this postseason alone. Only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James and Michael Jordan have done that during a single playoff run.
The 2002 Lakers, much like the 2025 Knicks, faced a 3-2 deficit through five games despite the scoring exploits of their stars. New York will hope it can imitate Los Angeles one more time: The Lakers went on to win in seven and then swept the Nets in the NBA Finals.
