CBS · Dec 22, 2024
Jalen Brunson erupts for 39 points, Knicks pull away from Pelicans
NEW ORLEANS -- Jalen Brunson scored 29 of his season-high 39 points in the second half to power the New York Knicks to a 104-93 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans Saturday night.
All-NBA defensive player Herb Jones pressured Brunson in the first half, picking him up at three-quarters court. That pressure led to the Knicks' 35.6% shooting in the first half, when New Orleans held a 49-45 lead.
But Brunson caught fire in the third quarter, scoring 16 points, including 13 straight, in a 22-6 run that erased a 65-52 deficit and gave New York a 74-71 lead. Brunson scored nine of the Knicks' first 13 points of the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 95-81.
