Knicks' Jalen Brunson Wows Fans with 45 Points in Win vs. Bulls amid NBA Playoff Race

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson continued his tremendous season on Tuesday by dropping 45 points in a 128-117 road victory over the Chicago Bulls, vaulting his team to third place in the Eastern Conference in the process.

Brunson scored 15 first-quarter points, including back-to-back three-pointers to give the Knicks a 36-24 edge. He finished the first half with 24 points.

The former Villanova star scored 10 more in the third quarter, with his three-point play giving the Knicks a 81-64 lead with nine minutes remaining in the frame.

Chicago fought back, though, and cut the lead to four points on multiple occasions in the fourth quarter. But Brunson kept dropping buckets, including a clutch three to give him 40 on the night and provide the Knicks with a 117-104 lead with 5:45 left.

The Bulls later cut the lead to seven after a late 6-0 run but couldn't get any closer. A Brunson three with 2:08 left proved to be the dagger, giving the Knicks a 122-112 lead with 2:08 remaining in regulation.

Simply put, Brunson has been on fire, averaging 39.5 points per game over his last four outings. He's only a couple weeks removed from scorching the San Antonio Spurs with a career-high 61 points.

Brunson also etched his name on an elite list with another 40-plus points Tuesday, two days after he scored 43 against the Milwaukee Bucks:

Brunson's hot streak is sorely needed for a Knicks team that has lost All-Star forward Julius Randle for the season with a dislocated right shoulder that required surgery.

Despite missing Randle, the Knicks have hung tough and find themselves just one game behind the second-place Milwaukee Bucks with a 47-32 record (three games remaining).

Somehow, the Knicks still haven't clinched a playoff spot (top six in the East), but they only need one more win (or one Miami Heat loss) to do that.

Brunson is obviously the catalyst for the Knicks' success, and fans and analysts alike praised his remarkable run, which continued Tuesday thanks to a 13-of-24 shooting night (7-of-12 from three, perfect 12-of-12 from free throw line). He also added eight assists.

Brunson and the Knicks close out the regular season with three games in four nights starting Thursday at the first-place Boston Celtics. They'll finish the year at home with games against the Brooklyn Nets (Friday) and Bulls once again (Sunday).