"I feel for him," Brunson said. "It's an unfortunate situation for a player like him. The league needs Jayson Tatum. What he's been able to do in his career has been remarkable. He still has a lot to do in his career, meaning he has a lot of time to make an impact and make a name for his legacy. What he's done is special."

Bryant twice scored 100 fourth-quarter points in his first 10 playoff games, back in 2001 and 2003, and then added a 99-point run to open the 2008 playoffs. Stephen Curry likewise scored 99 in the first 10 games of the 2023 playoffs, but Brunson's fourth-quarter scoring pace has moved him past those two legends.

Hard work pays off. Just ask Jalen Brunson. The son of an ex NBA player who now serves as his assistant coach, the barely 6ft 1in Brunson has risen from second-round pick to unquestioned leader