Jalen Brunson torched the Indiana Pacers for 35 points on 13-of-22 shooting, leading the New York Knicks to a 121-115 victory at Madison Square Garden that kept pace with the Boston Celtics atop the Eastern Conference standings.
The fifth-year guard hit five three-pointers and dished out eight assists, outdueling Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton in a back-and-forth affair that featured 15 lead changes. His clutch driving layup with 1:47 remaining gave the home side a 117-113 advantage they wouldn’t surrender.
It was the kind of performance that solidifies Brunson’s case as an All-Star snub who’s playing with a chip on his shoulder.
Brunson Takes Over When It Matters
With the game knotted at 113 entering the final four minutes, the former Villanova standout took control. He scored nine of New York’s final eight points, including a step-back three-pointer over Haliburton that sent the Garden faithful into a frenzy.
“Jalen was special tonight,” coach Tom Thibodeau said afterward. “He made big shots when we needed them most. That’s what great players do.”
The driving layup that sealed it? Pure Brunson — patient, methodical, and unstoppable when he gets to his spots. He’s been doing this all season, but nights like these remind you why the front office handed him that four-year deal.
Julius Randle added 24 points and 11 rebounds for his 18th double-double, while RJ Barrett chipped in 19 points on efficient 8-of-14 shooting. They shot 48.9% from the field and connected on 14 threes — matching their season high at the perfect time.
Haliburton’s Brilliance Not Enough
Haliburton finished with 28 points and 12 assists, his seventh game with at least 25 and 10 this season. The 24-year-old kept Indiana within striking distance throughout, hitting clutch shots and finding teammates for easy buckets in transition.
But the Pacers’ defensive issues reared their head again. They allowed 121 points for the third time in five games, and you can’t win shootouts consistently when you’re built around pace, not stops.
Myles Turner provided 22 points and nine rebounds, while Bennedict Mathurin came off the bench to score 18. Despite shooting an impressive 51.1% from deep (23-of-45), it wasn’t enough against a Knicks team that’s learned how to close games.
The loss dropped them to 25-20, seventh in the East. That’s play-in territory, and with their defensive rating ranked 24th, they’re running out of time to fix their biggest weakness.
Conference Race Tightens
This victory improved the Knicks to 32-13, maintaining their razor-thin one-game lead over Boston for the conference’s top seed. They’ve won seven of 10 and continue to exceed every preseason prediction in Thibodeau’s fourth season.
Six different players scored in double figures against Indiana. Isaiah Hartenstein added 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench — the Austrian big man has been a revelation, giving them frontcourt depth they desperately needed.
The game featured a brief scuffle in the third quarter when Turner and Randle got tangled up fighting for a rebound. Both received technicals, but it seemed to energize both squads as they traded baskets down the stretch. Playoff basketball in February.
What’s Next
The Knicks host Miami on Friday night — another test against a team that knows how to play in big moments. Meanwhile, Indiana returns home to face Philadelphia on Saturday, desperately needing to find some defensive identity before the playoff race gets away from them.
For now, though, this belongs to Brunson and a Knicks team that’s starting to believe they can make some real noise come April.
