The 36th captain in New York Knicks history, Jalen Brunson, is a leader, a winner, and game changer.
Everyone sees the great performances Brunson has put up to become an All-NBA-caliber player, but you can always count on him to make the right plays when it matters the most.
The best example of his clutch abilities was this season, where he led the league in clutch points with 5.6 points per game.
New York’s reliance on Brunson in big moments dates back to 2022 when they first signed him. He quickly emerged as the number one option, and there has never been a moment when he struggled to uphold this role.
However, it is still amazing how TV personalities and media members continue to count him out. Some of the skepticism stems from this year’s underperforming team, which went 3-15 against 50-win teams, but Brunson is far from the blame.
This postseason, Brunson will have to show everyone once again why he is one of the best playoff risers in the NBA.
Playoff Brunson is a Problem for Opposing Teams
Jalen Brunson had a series to remember last season, averaging 32.4 points per game and 7.5 assists per game.
One of the most overlooked stats last year was when he became the 12th player in NBA history to score 40 points more than five times in a single playoff run. The Knicks defeated the Sixers in a hard-fought first-round series and lost to the Indiana Pacers in seven games with an injury-depleted roster.
Brunson was the one constant holding the team together through those close battles. He did not have a second star last playoffs to help him, but he still turned out great performances.
Throughout his career, when Brunson logs more than 25 minutes per game in a playoff game, he has averaged 26.5 points per game, and some of this production dates back to when he played next to Luka Doncic in Dallas. This demonstrates how Brunson has elevated his game in the playoffs, even before he became the first option with the Knicks.
The Media hate is Ridiculous
Since his time with the Knicks, Jalen Brunson has been under constant criticism, with no fault of his own.
When his signing was announced, many questioned if he deserved to get paid $100 million. The talking points were he never led a team before, and he was never an All-Star.
It didn’t take long for Brunson to check all these boxes.
He has exceeded all the thresholds, except for winning an MVP, yet the media continues to raise its bar when discussing Brunson.
Last year, it was Becky Hammon talking about how Brunson is not a “1A player.“
https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1737939504097264019
Now there are new quotes from Tim Legler and David Dennis Jr. saying, “The best player on the court (in the Knicks-Pistons playoff series) is going to be Cade Cunningham.
https://twitter.com/espnnba/status/1910774178753425531?s=61
Yes, Cade Cunningham is a terrific player, and he led the Pistons to their first playoff appearance since 2018-19. However, he has not accomplished anything in the playoffs unlike Brunson. Brunson has the experience and a willingness to put an entire team on his back, and only a few players can claim to be “the best player on the court” in a playoff game against him.
We will see if his critics are correct about him this playoffs— usually, they are wrong.
Leave a comment