"ALL-STAR HIM AS A STARTER": NBA fans react as Knicks rally behind Jalen Brunson's 41 points tonight vs Wizards

Jalen Brunson's 41 points tonight saved the New York Knicks from a near-loss against the lowly Washington Wizards. The game was close for most of the 48 minutes. The Knicks may not have held off the Wizards without Brunson's efforts. He scored 20 of those 41 points in the fourth quarter alone.

Brunson and the Knicks led by only one point with five minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Wizards didn't allow New York to stretch their lead significantly and put the game to bed. However, Brunson ensured his clinical play did the trick for the Knicks to secure their second consecutive win in his return.

Brunson had missed two games before making a comeback on Wednesday against the Houston Rockets because of a calf ailment. He dropped 30 points and seven assists in the 109-94 win over the Rockets before the 40-piece against the Wizards on the second night of a back-to-back on Thursday night.

NBA fans continued rallying for Jalen Brunson to get nominated for the 2024 NBA All-Star game, not just among the 12-man East team, but as one of the starters as one fan wrote:

"ALL STAR HIM AS A STARTER"

More reactions followed:

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Jalen Brunson Points Tonight: Where does 41-point night rank among career-high games for Knicks guard?

Jalen Brunson played as a second and third option with the Dallas Mavericks, the franchise that drafted him, but a free agency move to the New York Knicks in 2022 made him a No. 1 option. Many doubted the emerging guard's ability to hone that role, but he's seamlessly fit there and produced the goods.

Brunson's not just running point as a traditional guard. He's the Knicks' primary scorer and creator offensively. Some of his best scoring nights have come in a Knicks jersey. Thursday's 41-piece is tied for the sixth highest-scoring game of his career.

Brunson's career-high is a 50-point night, which he had against the Phoenix Suns earlier this season on Dec. 15. He has eight games with scores of 40 or more. Brunson's top 14 scoring nights have come as a Knick, a testament to how well he's coped with the pressure of playing for a big market as their starting point guard.

Thursday's game was one of his best scoring efforts. He scored or assisted 28 out of the Knicks' 35 fourth-quarter points. Brunson shot 51.9%. He had eight assists, eight rebounds and two steals as well.