Knicks' Jalen Brunson & Karl-Anthony Towns achieve historic heights in Game 5 vs. Hawks
TL;DR
Jalen Brunson scored 39 points and led the Knicks to a 126-97 victory over the Hawks in Game 5 of the NBA Playoffs. Brunson's performance tied him for the most career postseason 30-point games among active players.
Key points
- Jalen Brunson scored 39 points in Game 5
- Knicks won 126-97 against the Hawks
- Brunson has 25 career postseason 30-point games
- Brunson leads all players in total points for the NBA Playoffs
- Coach Mike Brown played Brunson for 35 minutes
Knicks' Jalen Brunson & Karl-Anthony Towns achieve historic heights in Game 5 vs. Hawks originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The NBA Playoffs series between the finally swung in the direction of the third seed of the Eastern Conference. Coach Mike Brown led the New York Knicks to a 126-97 blowout against the Atlanta Hawks. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns dispelled all shadows of doubt as they showed up big time. One of them even notched a record that was only seen since Patrick Ewing last played.
Knicks' Brunson & Towns pull off historic numbers in Game 5 vs. Hawks
To start off, Coach Mike Brown made Jalen Brunson play 35 minutes and each one of those seconds was jam-packed with action. He had a game-high 39 points through a very efficient 65% field goal percentage while also going 60% from three-point range. Brunson also had a game-leading eight assists to help run the Knicks offense smoothly. All of that is topped off by his three rebounds.
Brunson notched a few achievements in this NBA Playoffs Game 5 win against the Hawks. The Knicks superstar now has 25 career postseason 30-point games which ties Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Brunson now also leads all players in total points for the NBA Playoffs.
Karl-Anthony Towns also had a big game for the Knicks. He toyed with the Hawks in nearly all facets of the game. Towns may have only been on the court for 34 minutes but his fingerprints were all over this Game 5 win. He scored 16 points through knocking down 71% of his shots from the field and going 83% from the free throw line. His six assists were also proof of his insane playmaking skills.
Defensively, Towns shined the most. He grabbed 14 rebounds, got two steals, and topped it all off with two blocks. The big man now becomes the first Knicks player to have 15+ points, 10+ rebounds, 5+ assists, 2+ blocks, and 2+ steals since Patrick Ewing, per StatMuse.
The Knicks have a chance to advance to the second round if they win Game 6 of this NBA Playoffs series on the Hawks' homecourt. Can Coach Brown, Brunson, and Towns get that crucial fourth win?
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Q&A
What were Jalen Brunson's stats in Game 5 against the Hawks?
Jalen Brunson scored 39 points, had eight assists, and grabbed three rebounds while shooting 65% from the field and 60% from three-point range.
How many career postseason 30-point games does Jalen Brunson have?
Jalen Brunson now has 25 career postseason 30-point games, tying him with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
What was the final score of the Knicks vs. Hawks Game 5?
The New York Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks 126-97 in Game 5 of the NBA Playoffs.
