Top Cat! Knicks' Jalen Brunson Earns Player of the Week
Jalen Brunson is the Eastern Conference's top cat once again.
The New York Knicks point guard has earned the Eastern Conference Player of the Week Award for the second time this season thanks to a brilliant tip-off to the 2024 calendar year. It's Brunson's third such title as a member of the Knicks and his second this season, previously triumphing in the week ending Nov. 20.
Houston's Alperen Şengün took home the honor in the Western Conference.
As the Knicks (21-15) dismantled a couple of top contenders (Minnesota, Philadelphia) and handled a pair of also-rans (Chicago, Washington), Brunson put up averages of 27.3 points (47 percent from the field) and 9.3 assists over the four games in question.
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His finest outing of the week likely came in Wednesday's nationally televised win over Chicago, which saw him earn 31 points and 13 assists in a 116-100 final. New York was a plus-31 on the scoreboard over his 38 minutes of action.
Two days prior, Brunson made up for a rare off-night from the field (5-of-23) with a career-best 14 helpers in the year-opening win over the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Timberwolves.
Recognition from the Association should only strengthen the case for Brunson's first All-Star bid, even if early fan vote returns released last week were not kind to him or his teammate Julius Randle. Brunson placed sixth among Eastern Conference guards, a list currently led by Tyrese Haliburton of the hosting Indiana Pacers.
Brunson and the Knicks return to action on Tuesday night against the Portland Trail Blazers (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).
