NEW YORK — The New York Knicks, as much as anything, needed to reveal their worthiness. The people were waiting.

The confused faces they passed on their winding, regular-season trail were looking for a reason to believe that New York, in fact, just wanted to hurry up and get to where it is now — the NBA playoffs — to show its true colors. The starting lineup, which was told for two years that they don’t work together, had to punch first.

In one fell swoop Saturday, Jalen Brunson checked every box. Bucket after bucket — and another and another and another and another — the face of New York basketball and returner of hope to the Mecca unveiled his cape, on the stage where he’s become a must-watch.

Brunson started Game 1 of the Knicks’ first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks hitting his first six shots. By the time the first quarter expired, he made 8 of 11 shots en route to 19 points in 12 minutes, setting the tone for the level of focus this time of the year deserves. The star was being the star, and his first-quarter ridiculousness helped New York win 113-102.

The stardom, the spectacle and the evolution of the player we all know today started on the same date, four years ago. On April 18, 2022, Brunson, then a member of the Dallas Mavericks, scored 41 points in a Game 2 first-round win over the Utah Jazz. No Luka Dončić, who was injured, by his side. Just Brunson, a second-round pick and college national champion, now with the platform to prove he could be just as good on the sport’s biggest stage.

The rest since then is history that is still being written.

“It wasn’t like he wasn’t on the scouting report, but I don’t think us as a team thought he was going to perform the way that he did,” said Jordan Clarkson, who is now a Knick but was on the Jazz team that Brunson tortured in Game 2. “It was like his coming-out party.

“He was just busting our ass, for real.”

The similarities between that night four years ago and Saturday’s win smack you in the face. Brunson made his first six shots against the Hawks. Back in 2022 against Utah, he made his first five shots. In both games, three of those makes were 3s. He couldn’t be bothered, let alone stopped.

Brunson’s attentiveness is hard for many to duplicate, which is why he is considered one of the game’s best players. It tends to come out most in high-pressure situations, like the playoffs, where Brunson is now working on a double disc of his greatest hits, with so many memorable postseason moments. It’s shown in the clutch; Brunson was the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year a season ago. This year, he flipped the script and ranked second in the NBA in first-quarter points during the regular season, behind Dončić.

The Mavericks needed Brunson’s best that night four years ago. They got it. On Saturday, New York needed to show itself and the rest of the basketball world that the lackadaisical, up-and-down play that was too often sprinkled in between quality wins might just be blips in a long schedule. Brunson took it into his own hands to send that message. His team followed.

“I think we knew the impact he could have on the game,” said Quin Snyder, who coached the Jazz during the 2022 playoffs and now, coincidentally, is the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks. “Luka was out, and I think that provided him an opportunity where there was a need, and he was prepared for that because of how good a player he is. I think, also, it speaks to his mindset, his mental toughness, to step into a situation like that in the playoffs and raise your level to the point that he did, but it was in some ways foreshadowed.”

Four years ago Saturday, Jalen Brunson torched the Jazz with Luka Dončić sidelined. (Kevin Jairaj / USA Today Sports)

Brunson made just one shot after that first-quarter performance Saturday. You read that correctly. It happens, but that’s what teammates are for.

OG Anunoby was a steady presence on both sides of the ball. Karl-Anthony Towns played good defense throughout, and then his scoring caught up late in the second half. Mikal Bridges was consistent defensively. Josh Hart did Josh Hart things.

For the rest of the game, the Knicks didn’t need Brunson to play savior. That is what makes this version of New York so potentially dangerous. But the Knicks did need someone to come out of the gate and take charge. Brunson shook off everyone else’s nerves by showing he had none of his own. It led to a strong performance by the New York starters, which has been hard to come by since the group was put together two summers ago.

The Knicks had a professional win. B-plus. Very few notes. The game was close at points, but New York always felt in control before pulling away for good late. There was no need to play catch-up, as the Knicks had at so many points during the regular season.

Come playoff time, there’s always a moment or two or three when you’re reminded that Brunson is one of the greatest scorers the game has to offer. Then you, naturally, remember his NBA backstory, and that can’t be told without mentioning that night in Utah.

Brunson, though, prefers to use a different starting point.

“I think (the game four years ago) did a lot (for me mentally),” Brunson said. “But I think, most importantly, everyone sees that game … the first couple of years before that, I was just chipping away and chipping away. I was working every day. You work on your game to be the best, most complete player you can be. When you’re out there on the court, you have to perfect the role that’s asked of you. Every day, I was working on my game. In the summers, I was getting better.

“When an opportunity like that comes around, there’s no reason to get ready when you stay ready.”

And yet again, four years later, Brunson was ready for the moment. Only this time, everyone was aware of who they were watching.