New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson is cementing himself as one of the best players in the NBA every night he takes the court. He is in the midst of a very special season, already making some history with more potentially on the way.
What Brunson is accomplishing on offense is truly impressive. He uses impeccable mechanics and footwork to get the job done, overcoming his lack of size and athleticism. Brunson works hard for his points, even overpowering bigger opponents at times as he did in college when he gets near the basket.
Standing only 6’2”, there are certainly some limitations for Brunson on the court. Offensively he has found ways to overcome them with an array of different shot attempts in the paint. He is now a lethal 3-point shooter as well, routinely shooting over longer opponents.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jalen Brunson & New York Knicks Updates
However, for all of the positives he brings offensively, there were times that he could be exploited defensively. Against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, the Heat constantly hunted Brunson and Immanuel Quickley, taking advantage of their lack of size.
As hard-working as they come, Brunson has found ways to use his size to his advantage on the defensive end as well. Opponents will go into isolations or post-ups against Brunson, but he has found a way to counter that successfully.
According to NBA University on X, formerly Twitter, Brunson has forced a turnover on 35.3 percent of isolations that he has defended. That is an astronomical number that has come almost exclusively from him being adept at drawing charges. Thus far this season, Brunson has drawn 54 offensive foul calls, which is leading the NBA by a wide margin.
A cerebral and intelligent player, Brunson has found a way to weaponize arguably his biggest weakness. If you watch him and the Knicks play, these aren’t flops that Brunson is drawing calls on either.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jalen Brunson & New York Knicks Updates
He is putting his high basketball IQ to great use, anticipating where his opponents are going to go and beating them to the spot. Brunson is being rewarded for his efforts, creating turnovers and giving the Knicks more possessions offensively.
While Brunson may not be renowned for his defensive prowess, he is getting the job done on that end of the court. Targeting him has become much more difficult for opponents as they fear their players getting into foul trouble and Tom Thibodeau does an excellent job of scheming team defense.
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