Even though Hart said it in jest, the Knicks All-Star could be the best scorer in the NBA at his size, up there with Stephen Curry. Brunson is listed at 6'2", but he does not have Curry's light feet and burst of speed. He gets the job done using impeccable footwork and a variety of crafty moves in the paint and in the midrange.

“He’s smart, man,” said Orlando guard Jalen Suggs, one of the better point-of-attack defenders in the NBA. “He’s got good pace, and he’s really smart. He doesn’t really get too bored with the game. He doesn’t get too bored keeping it simple. He challenges you every possession.

In an NBA economy defined by optionality, asset management and a near-constant hum of trade speculation, the word “untouchable” is thrown around loosely.

Hart’s point, in his own way, was clear: Brunson is playing at an elite level right now. And Knicks coach Mike Brown was more direct, walking into the postgame interview room Saturday and hammering home a specific point he’s been making in recent weeks — that Brunson, even this early in the season, belongs in the MVP conversation.