Jalen Brunson ties Bernard King’s franchise record

The The New York Knicks needed a statement after their 116-107 loss Philadelphia to the 76ers, and Jalen Brunson turned the reaction into a historic night. In a 132–125 game over the Miami Heat, Brunson poured 47 points to tie Bernard King for the most 45 points in franchise history. The Knicks fed off his rhythm, and the Heat kept pushing. Under the lights, Brunson remained calm, precise and relentless, turning pressure into points and faith into control.

The points came from everywhere. Pulls in rhythm. Hard drives via contact. Deep threes without hesitation. Brunson shot 15 of 26 from the field and 6 of 13 from three. He added eight assists and finished with an astounding zero turnovers. No lost property. Don’t panic. Every read arrived on time. Every answer fell just as Vrelina threatened to tilt the floor. The crowd roared as the margin held.

History echoes, the present takes shape for the Knicks

The Bernard King tie carries weight with the Knicks. King’s legacy still defines scoring, especially his memorable trip to Texas in 1984. On January 31, he dropped 50 points on 20-of-30 shooting in the Knicks’ win over the San Antonio Spurs. One night later, he followed with 50 more against the Dallas Mavericks, becoming the first player since Rick Barry to record back-to-back 50-point games and set a Reunion Arena record. That part has become part of Knicks lore.

Jalen Brunson’s night reflected the Knicks lineage through control, not chaos. This season, through 25 games, he is averaging 28.4 points in 35.1 minutes while shooting 47.7 percent from the field, 36.8 percent from deep and 83.6 percent at the line. He is also dishing out 6.5 assists against just 2.2 turnovers. The structure follows it. Trust is spreading.

In 512 career games, Brunson is averaging 18.6 points and 5.1 assists. What has changed is authority. Against the heat, he dictated the pace and closed in a targeted manner. If this is Brunson’s baseline, King’s record no longer stands as an obstacle but as a horizon. It is not a matter of whether he will fall, only when the moment chooses him. So when that night comes, will Madison Square Garden be ready for what’s next?