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Jalen Brunson was searching for answers. He was searching for his shot.
The Knicks superstar was forcing the action, missing his first three shots. Nearly nine minutes passed before he scored his first points.
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More than 10 minutes elapsed before he hit his first field goal. When Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals ended, the 76ers were pleased with their defense against the Knicks captain, who had scored at least 35 points in five consecutive playoff games against the 76ers.
Jalen Brunson after hitting a jump shot to give the Knicks a lead in the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
But Brunson still delivered the final daggers in the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ 108-102 win at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, hitting a series of clutch shots, while scoring eight of the team’s final 15 points.
The Knicks captain finished with a team-high 26 points — hitting 9-for-21, including 1-for-5 on 3-pointers and 7-for-8 from the line — with six assists, three turnovers and a steal.
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“It came down to shot-making,” 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe said. “Brunson made a lot of tough shots towards the end. We missed wide-open ones.”
It is no coincidence. The team that has never made it past the second round with Joel Embiid repeatedly misfired, while last season’s Clutch Player of the Year ensured the Knicks moved two wins from a second straight trip to the Eastern Conference finals.
Shortly after Brunson entered with just over nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, Tyrese Maxey put the Sixers ahead with a stepback jumper.
Brunson responded 13 seconds later, tying the game at 94 with a jumper in the lane. Then, With just over five minutes left, Brunson hit a stepback jumper to put the Knicks in front for good.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson shooting in the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“They started switching a little bit and he got to his spots and scored,” coach Mike Brown said. “That’s what he’s expected to do for us.”
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With just under four minutes remaining, Brunson captivated the sellout crowd, challenging 6-foot-9…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/76ers-couldn-t-hold-jalen-044855649.html
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Publish date : 2026-05-07 04:48:00
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