Jalen Brunson didn’t just score 36 points in Wednesday’s epic Game 4 comeback. He rewired what New York fans expect from a point guard in the playoffs. Down 29 points to the San Antonio Spurs, the Knicks flipped the script and stole a 107-106 win — one that puts the franchise on the cusp of its first championship since 1973.
But the player who delivered that performance is not the same one who left Villanova in 2018. And few people know that better than Mikal Bridges.
From College Floor General to NBA Alpha
Bridges, Brunson’s teammate at Villanova and now in New York, sat down Friday to explain how the 29-year-old guard has evolved. The difference, he said, isn’t just the scoring numbers — it’s the confidence to make the hard decisions look routine.
“Just being in college every single day — obviously it’s different systems and different teams in the league,” Bridges told SNY Knicks. “But coming to New York, his game has grown. It’s a little different. His scoring went up, so you get to feel that off-ball a little bit. But it’s been great. His progression as a scorer and as a playmaker has been huge for us — not just me, but everybody.”
Bridges didn’t stop at the stats. He dug into the mental shift that defines Brunson’s game now.
“The thing I know about Jalen — and it always felt this way in college — sometimes because he’s so talented, his right read might be taking a contested shot,” Bridges said. “And I’ve known him long enough to realize that’s actually a pretty good decision from him. I think he’s grown as a player, and I’m just happy to be here.”
The Comeback That Cemented a Legacy
Wednesday’s 29-point deficit was the largest overcome in an NBA Finals game in over a decade. Brunson’s 36 points anchored a second-half surge that left the Spurs reeling and the Madison Square Garden crowd in a state of disbelief. The win gave New York a 3-1 series lead, with Game 5 set for Saturday night in San Antonio.
For a franchise that spent decades in the wilderness — defined by bad contracts, front-office dysfunction, and one playoff run here or there — Brunson’s arrival in 2022 changed the trajectory. Now he’s one win from joining the short list of Knicks legends who have actually delivered a title.
“He’s grown as a player, and I’m just happy to be here,” Bridges repeated, almost as if he still couldn’t believe the opportunity.
The Knicks haven’t confirmed any roster changes for Game 5, and neither team has publicly addressed the pressure of a closeout game. But if Brunson’s track record holds, the Spurs will face a player who no longer hesitates — on or off the ball.
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