Mavs Ex Jalen Brunson Dunks Cavs, Pushes Knicks to Playoff Win: WATCH

Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks topped the Cleveland Cavaliers to take a 2-1 playoff series advantage ... with the Mavs ex scaling new heights.

We have suggested that with the Dallas Mavs out of the NBA Playoffs, some form of "fun'' can be had by rooting for ex-Mavs who are still rolling in the postseason.

Maybe. But right now, it seems like Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks are having all the fun.

The Knicks crushed the Cleveland Cavaliers, 99-79, in Game 3 of their first-round playoff matchup on Friday, taking a 2-1 series advantage in the process - with Brunson in almost a literal sense doing everything possible to lead the charge.

Brunson - who the Mavs let get away via free agency a year ago (and yes, that is the fault of Dallas management, and not of "Brunson's dad'') - was the Knicks' leader. And he was the Knicks' leading scorer. And he also led the folks in Madison Square Garden to getting fired up with a rare dunk.

You just witnessed Jalen Brunson’s second dunk of the season.
pic.twitter.com/XTOh7Pdxtl

— BrunsonMuse (@BrunsonMuse) April 22, 2023

"Don't expect too many more dunks ... Or power layups, whatever you want to call them,'' the stocky 6-2 Brunson joked in a self-effacing way.

It is true that Brunson is not known as a sky-walker. But when he stuffed on a fast-break opportunity (for just second dunk of the season!) it helped set the tone late in the first half ... a tone that carried on through the rest of the game.

New York's defense was key, too, as the Cavs were held to 32 first-half points, a franchise low for a playoff outing. The Knicks ultimately became the first team in the NBA this season to hold an opponent under 80 points.

But for Mavs fans, obviously, Brunson is worth watching, as the Knicks look to take a 3-1 lead in the series on Sunday when they host the Cavaliers for Game 4 at noon CT. And his teammates are enjoying the show, too, DFW native Julius Randle saying of the dunker, he "must have been feeling good." 

Yup. Unlike Mavs fans who have nothing left to do in this NBA season but watch guys like Jalen Brunson.

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