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Jalen Brunson · Challenged into a tug-of-war for control of the series on their home floor, the New York Knicks found the strength and grip needed to prevail through the most likely of sources: Jalen Brunson’s left hand. Assertive in his attack with a double-digit lead on his team’s side, Brunson keeps the pressure on, easing into a one-on-one situation atop the 3-point arc against Andrew Nembhard. Working an elusive dribble quick enough to squeeze through the doors of a closing New York subway train, Brunson freezes the Indiana Pacers defender with a hesitation dribble before leaving him in a trail of smoke, finishing at the rim with a rainbow floater over Pascal Siakam’s outstretched arms. The box score told an identical story, with Brunson’s predictably-historic Game Five keeping Indiana comfortably out of reach during the Knicks’ 30-point demonstration on May 14, 2024. For the first-time All-Star, it merely marked another bullet point in his growing postseason résumé as he turned in 44 points — the fifth 40-point masterpiece of his 2024 NBA Playoffs run — and he supported it with four rebounds, seven assists, two 3-pointers, and a +31 plus-minus, propelling New York to a 3-2 series edge. · State of Mint