Mark Jackson puts Jalen Brunson in the same class as James Harden, Luka Doncic, and Kyrie Irving: "Rick Brunson's son is the real deal"

New York Knicks starting point guard Jalen Brunson continues to prove his doubters wrong. After struggling to shoot during the first two games of the Knicks' current playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers, Brunson has come alive in Games 3 and 4. The Knicks, however, lost Game 3, but last Sunday, there was no denying them the win in Game 4, thanks to Brunson.

Former Golden State Warriors head coach Mark Jackson , who was once a Knicks starting point guard, praised Brunson's performance and attributed his big game to his insane footwork.

"Rick Brunson's son is the real deal," said Mark on ' The Mark Jackson Show '. " Jalen Brunson is an incredible basketball player who has an all-time great footwork from the point guard position. There's probably three guys I put in that class as far as footwork from the point guard position of Jalen Brunson - James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Luka Doncic."

Brunson is tough to defend

Harden, Irving, and Doncic are among the most challenging point guards to match up against in the NBA. Aside from their playmaking skills, all three have the uncanny ability to score the basketball, and they do so with superb footwork that enables them to elude defenders. According to Jackson, Brunson has that same ability.

The Knicks All-Star guard is crafty as they come. He can lull his defenders to sleep, and he is gone once they blink. Brunson has the explosiveness and that sudden burst of speed that makes him tough to guard.

" You put a smaller guy on him, he's a rottweiler, he's a pit bull. He goes through them. You put a bigger guard on him, he uses that speed and slickness to avoid the size and the ability to block shots. Terrific finisher, shooter, floater. He's got the entire package and it was clicking on all cylinders in Philadelphia."

An all-time performance in Game 4

The Knicks entered last Sunday's Game 4 in Philadelphia undermanned. Without All-Star forward Julius Randle, the Knicks did not have center Mitchell Robinson and lost Bogdan Bogdanovic early in the game due to injury. But 'Big Body' Brunson was in his bag.

Brunson shattered Bernard King's 40-year franchise playoff scoring with 47 points on 18-34 shooting from the floor. The 6-2 guard also added 10 assists to become the first player since Michael Jordan in 1990 to put up at least 45 points on 50% shooting with 10 assists. He also became the first player in NBA history to score 85 points with more than 20 assists over a two-game postseason period.

More importantly, the Knicks won 97-92. With the win, New York is now up 3-1 in their first-round playoff series against the Sixers. The Knicks have not made it to the second round of the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since the turn of the century. Now they are one win away from that, and likely more, because of Jalen Brunson.

Related: "Edged into '84 Bernard territory" - Bill Simmons praises Jalen Brunson's Game 4 masterpiece