New York needed a huge game from Jalen Brunson in the last matchup, where he dropped 32 points en route to a 111-94 victory at Madison Square Garden.

History will decide whether this was an accomplishment — reaching the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years, a first step for a team put together with a window of matching ages and...

New York has not won as an underdog of +145 or more on the moneyline this season in eight games with those odds or longer.