Jalen Brunson makes unique history in Knicks' Game 1 win over 76ers

Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks were absolutely pumping iron on Monday to begin their series against the Philadelphia 76ers. It was a blowout win for the Knicks, with the team towering over the 76ers, 137-98.

You could say the Knicks were sending a message to the NBA with that performance, and the message was, "This is our year."

Brunson did his part to help pull New York to a victory. He scored 35 total points in the game, 27 of which were in the first half.

That stat actually made history, and what's weird and unique about it is that he's second only to himself with this showing. According to research from ESPN Insights, Brunson's 27 points in the first half of the game marked the second most in any playoff half by a Knicks player in the play-by-play era. The most points record is actually held, yes, by Brunson, when he scored 28 points in the first half of Game 5 of the 2024 Eastern Conference semifinals against the Indiana Pacers.

So, they say that the only real competition in life is yourself, and Brunson is taking that literally.

It was a team effort, as OG Anunoby scored 18 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges both clocked 17 points.

New York Knicks HC Mike Brown talks Jalen Brunson

Knicks head coach Mike Brown had glowing words for Brunson after the game.

"They like to play in a drop, and he was able to come off and get a couple of pocket 3's," Brown said, via NBA reporter Kris Pursiainen. "We had good screens and, when he did that, it made them come up the floor a little bit. Then he was able to get by them."

Brown added: "When we touched the paint, if help came, he did a pretty good job of playing off two [feet] and spraying it. Jalen was really good as the head of our snake."

The Knicks were already seen as favorites going into the game. In a feature for ESPN, seven of their NBA insiders predicted a Knicks win, with four going with the 76ers. But if any real Knicks doubters were going into this matchup, they were certainly silenced with the Knicks' performance on Monday.

The Knicks and 76ers will take each other on again for Game 2 on Wednesday.