Kevin Durant started the game 1-for-5 before catching fire in the second quarter and scored 14 straight points in a stretch that included three made three-pointers. Then, Devin Booker started the third quarter with nine points in four minutes to pace his team to a double-digit lead.
It looked like the Suns would win their second straight matchup against the Knicks this season. But Jalen Brunson had other plans. The Knicks star erupted for 19 points on 7-of-7 shooting from the field in the third period. His perfect quarter included five made treys.
Brunson’s second half performance contributed to a career-high 50 points and nine assists en route to an easy 139-122 road victory for the Suns. Brunson shot 17-for-23 from the field and also grabbed six boards.
Friday night’s performance was Brunson’s latest case to make his first All-Star game appearance. He’s now the only player to score 50 points while shooting 100% on nine attempts from downtown. Brunson’s efforts also lifted the Knicks to the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.
He became the first Knick to record 40 points, five assists and five steals since Walt “Clyde” Frazier did it in 1973. One of the steals came when the star picked Jusuf Nurkic’s pocket in the fourth with the Suns attempting a final comeback. The steal led to an easy assist to Julius Randle, who finished with 23 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
The contest was virtually over with 3:14 remaining in the fourth after back-to-back made treys by Brunson. He finally exited the game after he reached his career-high with just under two points remaining. He didn’t miss a shot in the second half.
It was an awful night defensively for the Suns, who allowed at least 31 points in each quarter and a whopping 42 in the fourth. The Knicks shot 60% from the field and 59% from downtown. Booker (28), Durant (29) and Nurkic (21) all eclipsed the 20-point mark. Nurkic contributed 12 boards. Booker and Durant dished nine and six assists, respectively.
To make matters worse, the team witnessed Bradley Beal go down with an ankle injury after the former Wizard landed on Donte DiVincenzo’s foot on a made three-point attempt in the first quarter. The guard grimaced on the floor while in pain before shooting the free throw. Beal hobbled to the locker room afterwards. He didn’t return to the contest.
It was Beal’s sixth game of the season and second playing alongside Durant and Booker. Beal had recently returned from a back injury and more time on the bench means less time for the new Big 3 to mesh together, an issue Durant is very familiar with.
Phoenix’s Big 3 have just 24 minutes on the floor with each other.
While the Suns players walked off the floor in disappointment, the road team celebrated Brunson’s historic performance. Randle made sure to acquire the game ball, leaving no room for controversy that the NBA world saw between the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks after Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 64-point performance a few nights ago.
Immanuel Quickley was the only other Knick to score in double-digits (10). DiVincenzo and Jericho Sims scored five points apiece. Taj Gibson, the Knicks’ newest addition, recorded one minute of garbage time in his 2023-24 debut.
Beal scored six points before he was ruled out. Grayson Allen recorded 13 points and two steals.
Fiifi Frimpong
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