Brunson and Wembanyama score career-highs

Jalen Brunson is 6′2″ tall, which might seem too short for a successful NBA player. Despite his impressive college career and championship titles with Villanova, he was drafted at number 33 in 2018 and later left the Dallas Mavericks for New York. It took the Mavericks too long to realize that Brunson could be a valuable teammate for Luka Doncic in the backcourt. On the other hand, Victor Wembanyama, who is 7′4″ tall, is much younger than Brunson (20 years old compared to 27) and was the number one draft pick, with many anticipating him to be the next LeBron James. However, some had doubts about his ability to keep up with the fast-paced NBA season due to his unique physique - being too tall and too weak. What would be the point of everything else if he couldn’t stay healthy or strong enough to play in most games?

Brunson has already been an all-star, while Wembanyama, being a rookie, has not achieved this feat yet. However, he is expected to become one for many years to come. There are various ways to play basketball well, but ultimately, the goal is to make your team win. This was evident in the game against the San Antonio Spurs. Despite other exciting games like Timberwolves-Nuggets, Kings-Mavericks, and Pacers-Lakers, the Spurs game made headlines because Brunson and Wembanyama played exceptionally well. The Spurs won the game 130-126 after overtime, securing their third consecutive victory- a first for Wemby. They still have an 18-56 win-loss record and can avoid becoming the worst version of the Spurs ever, which was 20-62 in 1997, the year they tanked to get Tim Duncan.

With the New York Knicks losing the game, they’ve missed a great opportunity to move closer to second place in the Eastern Conference. They are currently in fourth place, with the Milwaukee Bucks two games behind and the Cleveland Cavaliers half a game away. If they can secure second or third place, they can avoid facing the Atlantic division’s dominant team, the Boston Celtics, in the conference finals. The Knicks lost despite putting up a good fight in their latest game. Jalen Brunson scored 61 points, making it difficult for the Knicks to clinch a win.

Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs won their game, narrowly escaping defeat despite a remarkable performance by Wembanyama, who finished with 40 points, 20 rebounds, and 7 assists. Basketball games often come down to two great players facing each other, each with their strengths and strategies, until only one team comes out victorious. The last time two players finished with at least 60 and 40 points in a game, respectively, was in 1961 when Elgin Baylor scored 63 points, and Wilt Chamberlain scored 78 and 43 rebounds. This puts the performances of Brunson and Wembanyama in quite a perspective.

Brunson, as far as his strength went

Brunson did not equal the Knicks’ record of 62 points set by Carmelo Anthony in 2014. He shot 47 times at the basket in the game, making 25 of them. This happened a day after Dejounte Murray also took 44 shots in the Hawks-Celtics game, becoming the first player in eight years to do so, following Kobe Bryant and Russell Westbrook. Brunson shot three times more than Murray, scoring 17 additional points, but his team still lost. He missed a crucial three-pointer that would have significantly changed the game’s outcome with only five seconds left (at 128-126). After that, Tre Jones made two free throws, and Wembanyama stole Miles McBride’s final pass and threw the ball into the stands, celebrating. The Frenchman became the first rookie since Shaquille O’Neal in 1993 to have a 40+20 game. He also became the first player in history to achieve at least 35+20, 5 assists, and 3 triples, finishing 4/9, the last key to reach 40 and bring the victory within reach in the final stretch of overtime. Wembanyama is the third player, rookie or not, to accumulate 40 points, 20 rebounds, and 4 triples in a game. Previously, only DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis had accomplished this feat.

The Knicks had a rough start to the game, falling behind by 13 points in the first quarter and ending the first half down 74-57. However, in the third quarter, Brunson scored an impressive 24 points, tying the game and leading the Spurs to a narrow victory of 94-91, thanks to a pair of triples from Wembanyama. The Frenchman then scored the free throws that led to overtime, but the New Yorkers (still without Anunoby and Randle) only scored 2 points in overtime and were 2/8 in shots. Despite allowing an average of only 93.4 points in their previous ten games, the Knicks had already given up 130 points to the Spurs. Although it seemed like it wasn’t their night, Brunson’s performance almost turned the game around for the Knicks.

“I’ve just witnessed so much greatness and want to be a part of it. I always wanted to, but more and more, I’m seeing that I’m already able to compete with those guys. I’m not there, but I’m on the right path. I know it, and I’m gonna get there one day soon.” Wembanyama, the French basketball player, has been performing exceptionally well in the NBA. His latest game was no exception, and his words after the game should be taken as a warning to all other teams in the league. Despite playing in 65 games, he has managed to maintain his physical condition and has not been affected by the rookie wall. He continues to learn and grow daily, improving his game reading and adding new skills at an impressive rate. He possesses unique abilities that make him a valuable asset to any team. The only question is how long it will take for the Spurs to provide him with a top-quality roster. Once they do, it’s safe to say that other teams will have trouble dealing with him.