With their backs against the wall in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, the Knicks needed big outings from their biggest stars to keep their season alive. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns delivered ... and then some. Brunson scored 32 points while adding five rebounds and five assists, responding after a quiet second half of Game 4. Towns, meanwhile, posted 24 points and 13 rebounds after being a game-time decision due to a balky left knee.
Behind those two efforts and a much-improved defense, New York cruised to a 111-94 win over Indiana.
In the process, Brunson and Towns joined some exclusive company: They're the first pair of teammates to both score 20+ points in each of the first five games of a conference finals since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal did so for the Lakers against the Kings in 2002.
Here's a look at Brunson and Towns' production in the series:
Jalen Brunson points | Karl-Anthony Towns points | Result | |
Game 1 | 43 | 35 | Lost by 3 |
Game 2 | 36 | 20 | Lost by 5 |
Game 3 | 23 | 24 | Won by 6 |
Game 4 | 31 | 24 | Lost by 9 |
Game 5 | 32 | 24 | Won by 17 |
Brunson also made some individual history with his 10th game of 30 points and five assists this postseason alone. Only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James and Michael Jordan have done that during a single playoff run.
The 2002 Lakers, much like the 2025 Knicks, faced a 3-2 deficit through five games despite the scoring exploits of their stars. New York will hope it can imitate Los Angeles one more time: The Lakers went on to win in seven and then swept the Nets in the NBA Finals.
