There may not be a team in the NBA that has been as starved as the New York Knicks for a star player. They have been regarded as a laughingstock for most of the 21st century, putting together some of the ugliest stretches of basketball the league has seen.
The Knicks have made the playoffs only seven times since the turn of the century with two separate droughts of at least six years. Under head coach Tom Thibodeau, the team has begun the climb to respectability. He has guided the team to the postseason in two out of three years thus far and is trending toward a second consecutive.
There has been a lot of bad basketball in the years leading up to Thibodeau’s hiring. The Phil Jackson era was a dark time for the franchise, as he led the team to zero success. Derek Fisher was terrible as head coach and Jeff Hornacek was slightly better, but still underwhelming. David Fizdale’s tenure was embarrassing, but Thibodeau has helped get the team back on track.
While his style of play and defense-first mentality don’t always produce the prettiest basketball, he epitomizes New York basketball. His teams are going to give 100 percent every night they step on the court, even when facing a talent deficiency.
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That talent deficiency is what has held the Knicks back in recent years. They have sought a star player for a long time, looking to elevate the once-proud franchise back to being a pillar of success in the NBA. Patience has been preached but the front office has been questioned every step of the way, until recently.
It has been a long and downright painful journey at times, but the results are finally beginning to show. Julius Randle’s signing as a free agent in 2019 was the first building block and Leon Rose has done an excellent job of building up the roster since. But his biggest move, and what his tenure as Knicks president will be defined by, is the signing of point guard Jalen Brunson.
Rose worked hard to clear enough cap space to afford Jalen Brunson during the 2022 offseason. The Knicks were ridiculed on social media for trading away draft picks, taking back future first-round picks and unloading players they had just signed to multi-year deals to make room for an undersized point guard who has never led his franchise.
The Knicks were willing to give Brunson that chance to lead a team and it has been the best move the team has made potentially ever. The four-year, $104 million contract he signed, which was regarded as an overpay at the time, is now one of the most valuable contracts in the NBA.
Brunson outperformed that contract in his first season in New York, helping lead the team to the Eastern Conference semifinals, where they lost to the Miami Heat. He played so well in that series, that Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra had nothing but praise for him.
Heading into the offseason, there were reports that what Brunson showed in Year 1 with the Knicks was only the beginning. He had another gear he could get into and was going to show that off in Year 2.
News that like is common during the NBA offseason, as players are always ‘in the best shape of their life’ and ready for a breakout. There was skepticism surrounding Brunson, as there has been throughout his basketball career, and he once again answered the call.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jalen Brunson & New York Knicks Updates
On Thursday, February 1st against the Indiana Pacers, Brunson was announced as an Eastern Conference reserve for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game. It was the first All-Star nomination of his career, something he has certainly earned. He deserved to be a starter, but just getting on the team is an honor in itself.
Naturally, Brunson looked nothing like an All-Star out of the gates against the Pacers. He started the game shooting 2-for-6, getting his shot blocked twice; once by Buddy Hield on a layup and once by Tyese Haliburton on a 3-point attempt.
The Knicks were struggling to get stops early on as Indiana scored 36 points in the first quarter and New York’s offense was stuck in idle. Trailing by as many as 15 points in the first half, no one would have blamed them if they packed it up early. They were without Julius Randle, OG Anunoby and Quentin Grimes, who were all sidelined, joining Mitchell Robinson on a crowded injury list.
But that isn’t how Brunson or this Knicks team is wired. They are going to give it their all right to the final whistle, and that is what they did. New York settled in on defense in the second quarter, holding Indiana to only 22 points. They scored 25 of their own, with Brunson starting to get going.
He scored 13 points in the quarter, including the last eight for New York heading into halftime. Frustrated by some of the non-calls, Brunson stayed cool, calm and collected, showcasing his leadership. That same demeanor would be needed late in the game when things got tight in the fourth quarter.
Up by one point with two minutes remaining, the ball was inbounded to Brunson. Andrew Nembhard of the Pacers accidentally hits him in the face, causing him to crumble to the ground. With no whistle being blown, Jalen Smith picked the ball up for a dunk to give the Pacers a one-point lead.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jalen Brunson & New York Knicks Updates
While Thibodeau went berserk on the sidelines looking for a call and the frenzied crowd at Madison Square Garden burst into hysterics, Brunson collected himself. The Knicks had lost the lead, but the game was far from over as he was saving the best for last.
On the next possession, the play Thibodeau drew up was defended well by the Pacers. Knowing his team needed him to make a play, Brunson drove to the basket, sinking a floater while drawing a foul for an and-one.
That gave the Knicks a 101-100 lead they would not surrender again. But, it certainly got hairy at moments down the stretch. With a chance to ice the game, New York got another stop and Precious Achiuwa came down with a rebound.
Achiuwa got the ball out of his hands as quickly as possible, knowing the Pacers would look to foul and someone to the foul line. He saw Brunson and tried to make a quick pass, but it went awry. He threw it away and Ben Shepard recovered it for Indiana, who was fouled.
It was certainly disheartening to see as Thibodeau was visibly upset on the sidelines. Fans were getting anxious as well, as the chance to seal the game could have just slipped away. But, there was Brunson again, calming down his coach and then taking onus for the mistake, patting his chest and telling Achiuwa my bad.
Even in the most stressful of times, Brunson is unphased and unmoved. He knows his team is looking to him to be a leader and time and time again he showcases it. The entire game against the Pacers epitomizes the kind of player he is.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jalen Brunson & New York Knicks Updates
The scoring numbers of course are what will garner headlines. Brunson scored a game-high 40 points, shooting 50 percent from the field. He carried his short-handed team across the finish line offensively, willing them to a 109-105 victory.
It was a total team effort, as the trio of Josh Hart, Precious Achiuwa and Isaiah Hartenstein dominated the boards. They combined for 47 of the 60 Knicks rebounds, who outrebounded the Pacers 60-44 despite halftime totals being 26-25
Achiuwa and Hartenstein both recorded double-doubles in the game. Brunson’s backup, Miles McBride, scored 16 points off the bench, playing extended minutes with Grimes sidelined. After the game, Brunson was emotional when asked what all of this meant to him; making his first All-Star game and hearing MVP chants rain down from the MSG rafters.
The All-Star nod was certainly warranted as Brunson has turned himself into one of the best point guards in the NBA. The stats speak for themselves, as he has been on a tear in his last 10 games. He has scored at least 29 points in nine out of his last 10 games; the only time he missed was a blowout victory over the defending champion Denver Nuggets.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jalen Brunson & New York Knicks Updates
Over the past two months, Brunson has scored 862 points. That puts him third in the NBA behind MVP candidates Shai Gilgoues-Alexander, who has 984 and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has 910.
While still a long shot in the MVP race, Brunson should start garnering some attention for the reward in the national media. There isn’t a player in the NBA who is playing at his level and means as much to his team as Brunson means to the Knicks.
While some context needs to be used when comparing him to other players, there is no denying the production he is providing. He is outproducing Jayson Tatum, another MVP candidate, in multiple stats, including points, assists and shooting percentages, all while being six inches shorter.
No matter what the criteria are for being considered a star, Brunson is checking off those boxes. He is producing at a high level and is the leader of a team that is only a half-game out of second place in the Eastern Conference, is 15 games above the .500 mark and owns the seventh-best record in the NBA.
Being the guy for the Knicks is something many superstars have run away from or wanted no part of. Randle was the first one to take that onus on and get the ball rolling, while Brunson is helping take things to another level.
There is no place like New York when it comes to winning. If you can win there, your legacy will live on forever winning on the bright lights of Broadway. It is not a stretch to say that Brunson is not only the most beloved NBA player in the city but an athlete in general.
If things continue trending in the direction they are heading toward, the Knicks are going to be the talk of the town if they aren’t already. As a result, Brunson is well on his way to becoming the next New York sports icon, a spot Derek Jeter held during his play days with the New York Yankees and no one has assumed since.
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