Against the Suns, Jalen Brunson enjoyed himself. 

Brunson’s outstanding play in the second half proved to be the difference in Friday night’s 139-122 victory over the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center, writing another significant chapter in the story of his New York Knicks career. After a humiliating loss to Utah on Wednesday, the point guard turned in a career-best performance in numerous categories, highlighted by a game-high 50 points. This helped the Knicks (14-10) resume their five-game road trip.

For starters, it was a historic night for Brunson, as he tied the single-game NBA record set by Ben Gordon (twice) and fellow New Yorker Latrell Sprewell by making all nine of his three-pointers. Both the nine triples and the five thefts were career highs for him in a single game. Brunson is also only the ninth player in Knicks history to score fifty points or more in a single game, and the sixth to do so on the road.

Not only did Brunson bounce back from his Salt Laker City slump, but Julius Randle added 23 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, while RJ Barrett added 21 points. Josh Hart was an incredible plus-34 when he came off the bench, while Immanuel Quickley (10 points, 5 rebounds) and Isaiah Hartenstein (8 rebounds, 3 blocks) were plus-29 and plus-28, respectively. 

The Suns (13–12) suffered multiple setbacks on Friday, which made the evening of their induction of franchise legend Shawn Marion into their Ring of Honor gloomy. After making a good three-pointer in the first quarter, Bradley Beal left the game early due to a right ankle injury in just his second game with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. 

With 29 and 28 points apiece, Durant and Booker led Phoenix, and Jusuf Nurkic recorded a double-double with 12 rebounds and 21 points. With the victory, the Knicks defeated a club that had Durant on its roster for the first time since April 2013, back when Durant was still with Oklahoma City, his first NBA employers.  

The Knicks are compelled to play another back-to-back, so there’s no rest for them. They have a Los Angeles doubleheader at Crypto.com Arena starting on Saturday night at 10:30 p.m. ET (MSG).