Knicks Lost The Series But Found A Superstar

The Knicks unexpectedly enthralling roller coaster of a season finally ended last night in Miami, as Miami knocked off New York 96-92 in Game 6.

It obviously wasn't how Knicks fans wanted this magic carpet ride of a campaign to conclude, but here we are. 

And because the season ultimately ended in a disheartening fashion, there is plenty of blame to be dished out. And, unfortunately, without a need to preview a Game 7 or a Conference Finals matchup, we can start talking about the myriad of questions that need to be answered this offseason. 

However, we'll have plenty of time to talk about Randle no-showing when his team needed him most, RJ's dud in Game 6, etc. 

Today, I will focus on the fact that the Knicks have Jalen Brunson.

There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the future of this franchise (solid young core, lots of draft capital, roster flexibility, and plenty of cap space). Still, the single biggest reason Knicks fans can muster a smile the morning after getting knocked out of the playoffs is because of Brunson. 

In the NBA, you need elite player(s) to be considered a legitimate championship contender. For years, the Knicks have searched in vain to land such a talent. LeBron said no (twice) in free agency; KD/Kyrie chose Brooklyn; Leon Rose decided not to go all-in for Donovan Mitchell… to name just a few. The list of stars the Knicks missed out on is incredibly long. 

Last July, when New York officially inked Jalen Brunson to a four-year contract, most of us assumed NY had finally broken the decade-long curse of not having a true point guard. Little did we know then that the Knicks had also finally reeled in the big fish they'd spent forever chasing. 

Jalen Brunson finished with 41 points, four rebounds, three assists and five triples in Game 6 Friday night. 

41. 

On the road. In the second round of the playoffs. In an elimination game. Against a team whose sole focus on defense was stopping him because none of his teammates could buy a bucket. 

This was two nights after Brunson racked up 38 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and four triples in New York's Game 5 victory at MSG to extend the series. 

Brunson is the first player in Knicks franchise history to tally more than 75 points, 10+ rebounds, and 10+ assists over the span of two consecutive playoff games. He is just the 11th player in NBA history with 75/10/10 and fewer than five turnovers in two straight postseason contests. Here are the other ten guys in this exclusive club:

For the series, Brunson averaged 31.0 points, 5.5 boards, 6.3 dimes and 2.5 made three-pointers vs. Miami. And, somehow, those jaw-dropping numbers don't convey just how valuable/impactful he was.