Jalen Brunson returns from foot injury to lead Knicks past Nikola Jokic, Nuggets 116-110

Jalen Brunson returned to ‘MVP’ chants in one of the best victories of this increasingly impressive Knicks campaign.

The point guard, emblematic of the Knicks’ resurgence this season, emerged from a three-game injury absence and punished the Nuggets on the bookends of a 116-110 victory Saturday in front of a pumped Madison Square Garden crowd.

Brunson dropped 16 of his 24 points in the first quarter, then buried the Western Conference leaders with an alley-oop pass to Mitchell Robinson with 24 seconds remaining.

It secured the Knicks (42-31) their highest season win total in a decade, surpassing the 41 victories during the shortened pandemic campaign of 2020-21. More important to postseason ramifications, the Knicks moved two games ahead of the Nets for fifth in the East.

“I’m enjoying it,” Josh Hart said. “I think we’re all enjoying it.”

After a largely back-and-forth contest, t...