New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson has been one of the best players in the NBA throughout the 2023-24 season. Despite the team being hampered by injuries, Brunson has put together a stellar campaign, earning his first trip to the All-Star game with more accolades on the way.
Teams have tried all sorts of defenses against him, but he always finds a counter to them. If you play him 1-on-1, he is going to put his matchup in a torture chamber. Whatever he is lacking in size and athleticism he makes up for it with elite footwork, balance and basketball IQ.
Some teams have started employing defenses we normally see during the NBA playoffs. They are blitzing him with double teams as soon as he crosses over midcourt, getting the ball out of his hands. That has put pressure on his teammates to step up, and to this point, they have as Josh Hart and Isaiah Hartenstein have thrived with the ball in their hands as the outlet.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jalen Brunson, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks Updates
Then, you have teams such as the Milwaukee Bucks. Despite some solid personnel for the defensive end of the court, they are lost when it comes to attempting to slow down Brunson. Head coach Doc Rivers had no answer for him, as Brunson went to work on whoever matched up against him.
In a huge game on Sunday night, it was Brunson and the Knicks who came away victorious, 122-109. The star point guard led the way with 43 points, shooting 16-of-32 from the field overall, 2-of-6 on 3-pointers and 9-of-11 from the charity stripe.
With that performance, Brunson made some NBA history. Coming into the season, it was Allen Iverson who had the most points in a single season against the Bucks with 181. That record is now held by Brunson, who has 186 points against Milwaukee during the 2023-24 campaign.
The Bucks have struggled on the defensive end this season; that is part of the reason a coaching change was made with Adrian Griffin being replaced by Rivers. Rivers hasn’t turned things around as much as the organization would have hoped, and Brunson’s dominance is a prime example.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jalen Brunson, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks Updates
Griffin didn’t find much success slowing Brunson down either, but at least the Bucks were winning with him at the helm. That is no longer the case, as the Knicks are only one game behind the Bucks for second place in the Eastern Conference.
Brunson and the Knicks have just exposed what people have known about the Bucks all season long. Their perimeter defense is suspect and they are feeling the loss of point guard Jrue Holiday. For all his excellence offensively, Lillard is a massive liability defensively.
If the Knicks and Bucks match up in the NBA postseason, New York has to like their chances. As long as they can find a way to corral Giannis Antetokounmpo, they match up well everywhere else. Having Brunson at the helm certainly helps, as Milwaukee has had no answers for him this season.
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