Jalen Brunson Drops 50 vs. Suns as Knicks Beat Kevin Durant for 1st Time in 10 Years

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Jalen Brunson scored a career-high 50 points as the New York Knicks secured an upset victory over the Phoenix Suns on Friday night, winning by the final score of 139-122.

Brunson scored 35 of his points in the second half, shooting a perfect 12-12 from the field in the final two quarters. He ended his night with six rebounds, nine assists, and five steals while connecting on all nine of his three-point attempts.

Kevin Durant led the Suns with 29 points while hitting 48 percent of his shots, although it ultimately wasn’t enough to secure the win. This was the first time that Durant has lost to the Knicks in 10 years, dating back to the 2012-13 season when he was a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Following Phoenix’s loss, the former MVP praised Brunson and envisioned a bright future for the 27-year-old point guard.

“That’s his franchise,” Durant said, per FanSided. “Hall of Fame player if he keeps it up.”

Bradley Beal scored six points in his first five minutes on the floor, although he sustained an ankle injury after coming down awkwardly on a jumper. He left the game in the first quarter and did not return.

The Knicks shot 60 percent from the field as a team with a relatively balanced scoring effort from head coach Tom Thibodeau’s rotation despite Brunson’s strong performance. Julius Randle and R.J. Barrett scored 23 and 21 points, respectively. Immanuel Quickley added 10 of his own off the bench to go along with five rebounds and two steals.

However, New York likely wouldn’t have secured a tough road win without Brunson’s career night.