Brunson's Masterpiece Leads Knicks to Game 6 Victory Against Heat

Jalen Brunson scored 38 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists in the Knicks' win against the Miami Heat.

[{"selector":"#anim-1d96c61f-20a4-4426-9867-cbdaa301975c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-99637bd8-fa6f-45aa-9ebd-03f551b7bde0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-567.4999%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a6781c79-c5bd-44e0-810b-decb23b18fe7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7ba29c68-490c-48b5-bc92-74c3921bf589","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a5b98f95-54c5-4130-bdec-1728cfd9a52e","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0492fea6-b42e-4137-9dc7-8e81135e9954","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

Brunson played all 48 minutes of the game, impressing Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau.

[{"selector":"#anim-dc194fb0-d82b-4032-89b7-370b338d6d55","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-002b56a3-6016-45b4-80d1-3f79d5799313","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-567.4999%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c9a3df87-c91d-422d-8ee4-ed102212c8a8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e15dc6ca-37c1-456b-a66f-1b3a616ff121","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6e9f1b3f-3afc-497f-9a17-2e917578c418","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-096b2cf9-e9dd-4214-b378-f9d1addfba06","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":2}]

Brunson's performance set the tone for the rest of the team.

[{"selector":"#anim-51e540c4-4af6-4542-8846-c32c6ce40df2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7e0867f9-5124-40aa-952b-68861a3f837d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-567.4999%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ef4f2a4d-7070-4533-bd5c-bd52c2eb511c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":3}] [{"selector":"#anim-7102ef2d-2fa7-45b6-bb17-674cad794a7f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-96ad18d0-c511-47f7-a805-0ff2ae72c59e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-84e026d9-681a-4181-a0a9-6507ffd74124","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Brunson's Villanova teammate, Kyle Lowry, praised his talent.

[{"selector":"#anim-368d72d8-f6de-4d3e-8cdf-021e29fc46c4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-89ae2e74-ab42-420b-9cf0-be92829dc476","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-567.4999%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-76b76949-7fae-4fc8-a812-7ca34506e13f","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":4}] [{"selector":"#anim-b63b844c-ed76-4de0-a7a5-65f4b3bc683a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-91f67da7-b994-46d7-83de-d1f6c82cb804","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7095a2c2-323a-437d-9313-dbb82599930c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Knicks All-Star Julius Randle credited Brunson for carrying the team.

[{"selector":"#anim-0e290b15-c50a-4ac6-8f4b-d86ad33ff314","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5a4496fd-8331-4333-bede-be091e855959","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0e5af5b9-0fbb-4b1f-acec-2107bc29e8e3","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7e71b812-5e13-4ca4-8008-0b16441e81a0","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":5}] [{"selector":"#anim-6fc16547-bad2-4e78-90cc-5b991e26486e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-66e66746-be7c-4b21-bc44-1e423c3a6b43","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-567.4999%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra left Jimmy Butler on the floor for the entire second half in response.

[{"selector":"#anim-285a4872-154a-40c6-97f9-625b4343a603","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9431c2f9-fc69-4481-ba0e-d7cf8063b03d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-567.4999%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6c2487da-d9a5-4125-815d-815f9ccc05cf","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":6}] [{"selector":"#anim-a1d26f03-8388-4478-9925-7e7b74c1b70c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6e8905e2-767d-4c13-b96e-87c6b18e3fb2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4681baf1-bdb3-45a9-8568-2d846b0553f3","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Butler said he's up to the challenge of playing 48 minutes if needed.

[{"selector":"#anim-3877085e-bbbf-478f-be7f-becc1c660105","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-159e150d-00a5-48d9-91c3-726e52cfbf2f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-567.4999%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ceb3a0f2-b239-4ebc-a3aa-c9af94eba7da","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":7}] [{"selector":"#anim-a5076233-df31-42d4-9263-ed6a9c83783f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-70d6bbf7-8633-4e19-b40f-e04c88db1c01","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-60f0e546-e69d-450d-bea3-3291338e5bb5","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

The win forces a Game 6 on Friday.

[{"selector":"#anim-345d80e0-ca69-443f-beea-c23dd724cc9c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d125866e-d3af-4655-8f95-95559361fe99","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-567.4999%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-af4e38bc-5aa5-4f85-a3a7-640d6b18c059","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":8}] [{"selector":"#anim-d473c525-1fa4-4a45-a057-b1bbf2e6b23f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.55555%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9908c098-8f91-416e-a75c-2a90d8a18238","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-856a562b-4ccb-4d39-9b10-144cfef95e98","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Nikola Jokic

The Knicks had lost the previous two games to the Heat.

[{"selector":"#anim-45fc9f1f-f119-43d7-89f9-b559334f0ec6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.55555%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cce99f7c-aec7-45b5-a14e-7143c4f6bf0d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3dffd991-e242-44a1-a868-28fb2848f78d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2f9ac36a-fdc6-4c80-8192-3c41bc82c3af","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":9}] [{"selector":"#anim-06b60586-0e80-4cf5-a8f8-c3858d49332f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b9c71de1-4270-4039-b905-61d5bf692a8a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-567.4999%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Nikola Jokic

Brunson is known for his leadership, toughness, and ability to bring out the best in his teammates.

[{"selector":"#anim-4896db68-2acc-4325-b594-2321c3037119","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-673f0b60-1e19-4018-b43a-4390b6879181","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-388.52452%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eb86c2fa-98be-42ba-ab0a-26f8b6e109e1","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":10}] [{"selector":"#anim-b97d10cd-c3f4-4a05-b12f-052f7579d6d6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9801dbd7-23ae-484b-8b36-28482fd097e5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Nikola Jokic