Jalen Brunson 39 points vs Hawks (Apr 28, 2026): First round Game 5
39 PTS · 15-of-23 FG · 3-of-5 3P · 6-of-8 FT · 34:42 MIN
Usual: 2025-26 regular season, 73 games, Oct 22 – Apr 10 (25.8 PTS · 19.8 FGA · 34.9 MIN)
Game Score 32.4 against a usual 18.8 (+13.6)
above usual
Playoff game · against the 2025-26 regular season
No more than 3 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far above their usual: playoff games, each against the player's regular-season usual.
How the score worksWhy did Jalen Brunson score 39 points?
Jalen Brunson scored 39 points in 34:42 against the Hawks on Apr 28, 2026, Game 5 of the first round: 15-of-23 from the field (65.2%), 3-of-5 from three (60.0%), 6-of-8 on free throws (75.0%). Before this game, Brunson averaged 25.8 points on 19.8 shots in 34.9 minutes across 73 regular-season games. Brunson took 23 shots, 3.2 more than usual. The rate from the field was 65.2%, against a usual 46.5%. Points by shot type, against the usual: two-pointers 24 (13.1), free throws 6 (4.8), threes 9 (7.9). Minutes: 34:42, against a usual 34.9; Game Score per 36 minutes: 33.6, against a usual 19.3. The Knicks won 126-97 at home against the Hawks, a 29-point win. The box score records what changed, not why: it holds no injury, matchup or coaching information.
Generated from the box score and this season's game log. How the score works
What changed
Brunson in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (73 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 34:42 | 34.9 | -0.2 |
| Points | 39 | 25.8 | +13.2 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 23 · 65.2% | 19.8 · 46.5% | +3.2 · +18.7 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 5 · 60.0% | 7.2 · 36.9% | -2.2 · +23.1 |
| FTA · FT% | 8 · 75.0% | 5.6 · 84.5% | +2.4 · -9.5 |
| Rebounds | 3 | 3.3 | -0.3 |
| Assists | 8 | 6.8 | +1.2 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2.4 | -1.4 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 73 games | 36.3 | 30.7 | +5.6 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 33.6 | 19.3 | +14.3 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (73 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 9 (3-of-5) | 7.9 (2.6-of-7.2) | +1.1 |
| Twos | 24 (12-of-18) | 13.1 (6.6-of-12.6) | +10.9 |
| Free throws | 6 (6-of-8) | 4.8 (4.8-of-5.6) | +1.2 |
| Total | 39 | 25.8 | +13.2 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
32.4 against a usual 18.8 (+13.6)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +12.8 |
| Rebounds | +0.1 |
| Assists | +0.8 |
| Steals and blocks | -0.8 |
| Turnovers and fouls | +0.7 |
| Total | +13.6 |
This postseason so far
Playoff games in date order, this game last; no score
| Date | Round | Opp | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 18, 2026 | First round · Game 1 | vs ATL | 36:24 | 28 | 5 | 7 | 21.2 |
| Apr 20, 2026 | First round · Game 2 | vs ATL | 35:06 | 29 | 2 | 7 | 14.9 |
| Apr 23, 2026 | First round · Game 3 | @ ATL | 40:18 | 26 | 3 | 4 | 15.4 |
| Apr 25, 2026 | First round · Game 4 | @ ATL | 33:54 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 5.5 |
| Apr 28, 2026This game | First round · Game 5 | vs ATL | 34:42 | 39 | 3 | 8 | 32.4 |
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Knicks won 126-97 at home against the Hawks, a 29-point win.
- Previous appearance: Apr 25, 2026, 3 days earlier.
- Earlier in this series: 28 points (Game 1), 29 points (Game 2), 26 points (Game 3), 19 points (Game 4).
- The source holds fewer Knicks regular-season games than the 2025-26 regular season had, so the usual line counts only the games it holds.
What this page cannot tell you
The same on every performance page
Box scores record what happened, not why: no injuries or health, defensive assignments, matchups, coaching decisions or play-by-play.
Game Score against the player's own regular-season usual line, never blended with last season. How rare a gap is comes from NBA playoff games of 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26, each postseason checked on a table fit on the others; the top tier is Rare.