Fans resembling New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson gathered outside Madison Square Garden on Monday to compete in a look-alike contest. The winner earned a pair of tickets to watch the Knicks face the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference Finals series.

Contest Finalists Chosen by Knicks Guard Josh Hart

The competition began with 15 participants and was narrowed down to three finalists. Knicks guard Josh Hart then helped select the winner via a FaceTime call, making the final decision. This event follows a trend of look-alike contests for prominent sports figures, such as Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani, and Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell.

Brunson’s Role in Knicks’ Push Toward Eastern Conference Finals

Jalen Brunson is currently leading the Knicks as they seek to overcome a 2-1 deficit against the Pacers in their playoff series. The three-time All-Star has been instrumental in the Knicks’ postseason success, guiding the team to their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2000. During the playoffs, Brunson has averaged 29.9 points and 7.3 assists per game, showing improvement from his regular season averages of 26.0 points per game.

Upcoming Game 5 Set for Crucial Showdown

The look-alike contest winner will attend the important Game 5 between the Knicks and Pacers, scheduled for Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. This game could determine the momentum of the series and the Knicks’ chances of advancing further in the postseason.