NBA All-Star Weekend has officially come to a close, sparking mixed reactions across the league about whether the new format was a success. From electrifying dunks to one-legged three-pointers, the event delivered plenty of highlights for fans.
For the New York Knicks, however, the weekend was relatively uneventful, with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns putting in workmanlike efforst while representing the East. Though their production was limited, let’s take a look at how they fared against their star-studded competition.
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Three-Point Contest: Jalen Brunson falls short again
Entering the Three-Point Contest for the second consecutive year, Brunson aimed to bring home a title no Knick has ever won. Last year, he put up an impressive 24 points in the first round but fell just two points shy of advancing.
This time, Brunson struggled, finishing with just 18 points — far from enough to move on. Buddy Hield outshot him before even reaching his final rack, ending Brunson’s hopes of redemption. Despite not ranking in the top 30 for made three-pointers this season, Brunson has been a key contributor to the Knicks’ success, shooting 39.7 percent from deep and keeping them near the top of the Eastern Conference.
All-Star Game: Brunson, KAT go head-to-head
In the opening game of the new four-team tournament, Team Kenny’s Young Stars faced off against Chuck’s Global Stars. With Brunson and Towns starting on opposite sides, the Knicks teammates went head-to-head in a friendly battle for bragging rights.
Brunson had a quiet night, finishing with just three points on 1-for-5 shooting (1-for-4 from deep), along with three assists and one steal in only eight minutes of action — limited by the shortened target score of 40. After the game, he shared his thoughts on the new format:
"I think it's interesting, different. The games were kind of short. I like the format. Something new, unique. Maybe score to 50 … Never really know what to expect, but it's alright. I like how we're trying new things … We'll see going forward."
Towns, meanwhile, had a slightly better outing, finishing with six points and three rebounds on 2-for-3 shooting. He knocked down two deep three-pointers early on and even entertained Knicks fans with a playful face-off against Brunson.
Karl Towns throwing up Jalen Brunson’s three point celly 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZHxMbJkKq2
— Big Knick Energy (@BigKnickEnergy_) February 17, 2025
Team Chuck advanced to the finals, where Towns improved his performance, recording eight points and four rebounds on 4-for-7 shooting. Unfortunately, his team fell into an early 11-1 hole that they couldn’t recover from. On the bright side, KAT and Victor Wembanyama combined for 19 of their team’s 25 total points.
While the four-team bracket format received mixed reviews from fans, both Knicks players managed to make their mark. Hopefully, Brunson and Towns will return to center stage next year — with an even bigger opportunity to put on a show.