Jalen Brunson is having a career year for the New York Knicks and has now more than ever asserted himself as the face of the New York franchise in one of the most promising seasons for the Knicks in years when it comes to championship potential. 

Brunson is averaging a career-high 29.1 points per game while adding on 6.6 assists and 3.4 rebound per game as well. He's shooting 48.2% from the field, 37.4% from three and a career-high 84.7% from the free throw line. 

Brunson was already a star coming into the Knicks from his time with the Dallas Mavericks, but he's risen to new heights as the beloved leader of the Knicks. More than anything else, Brunson has shown big game abilities time and time again, including in the team's 132-125 win over the Miami Heat where Brunson knocked down a stellar 47 points. 

At this point, Brunson's teammates expect this kind of greatness from him and the don't find it all that shocking when he actually pulls it off. 

"He's a special player, I think we all know that. It doesn't surprise you when he has nights like that," Karl-Anthony Towns said of Brunson's big game (via SNY_Knicks). 

Sunday's game was a season-high for Brunson, but it's far from the first time this season that he's taken over a game. Brunson has 14 games this season with 30 points or more and he's shown that explosive capability throughout his tenure with the Knicks. He holds the franchise record in single-game points after a 61 point performance against the San Antonio Spurs in 2024.

The Knicks will need Brunson to keep up his All-Star level play to keep their hot season going. New York is 20-8 this season, second in the Eastern Conference behind the Detroit Pistons, and the team has won eight of their last nine games. 

At this point, Brunson is looking like a lock for his third All-Star selection and he hasn't shown any signs of slowing down, as his monster game against the Heat proved. 

With his efficiency, athleticism and court vision all working hand-in-hand, Brunson is poised to be a threat in the league for years to come and the cornerstone of a Knicks roster that looks the most threatening it has in years. 

The one-two combination of Brunson and Towns is even more formidable, and just as Towns has gotten used to Brunson's success, the city of New York can get used to winning basketball in Madison Square Garden.