Knicks' Jalen Brunson shoulders responsibility for early struggles
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson celebrates after a basket during a preseason game at MSG. Credit: AP
Opening night at Madison Square Garden for the Knicks is an occasion filled with pomp and circumstance. Before fans even entered the arena, they encountered a new billboard declaring Jalen Brunson “King of New York.” Another featured his mother, Sandra, with a message from her telling him, “You were given the keys to lead for a reason.” Another spot had Body Armor reps handing out foam fingers in the form of his three-point celebration.
The last time Brunson was on the court here for a game was Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, when the Knicks were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers, their opponent on Friday night. He spent the fourth quarter in the trainer's room, as a broken hand and the loss put a disappointing ending on what had been a magical season for him.
“It’s very special to play in front of the home fans in this arena and everything New York has to offer,” Brunson said. “It’s been unbelievable every single time. So I don’t take things for granted whatsoever.”
A contract extension in the summer and being named team captain ensured that he would arrive Friday night as a returning hero. But the billboards and the "C'' on his chest also bring responsibility. The face of the franchise on the best of days also must be that face on the worst.
And Tuesday in Boston was about as bad as it can get, opening a season filled with high expectations against the defending champions and falling behind by as many as 35 points. He finished that game on the bench, but because of the score, not an injury. So while the newly constructed roster may have been put on the clock among that fan base, in Brunson’s mind, it’s always what can he do.
So Brunson took that one on his shoulders. Last week, he spoke of Josh Hart feeling lost and said it was his responsibility to change that feeling. And when newcomers Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges struggled to find their footing in the opener, Brunson said it was his job to make them fit.
“Making sure everyone has confidence,” he said. “No matter what the situation is, no matter what is said on the outside, just making sure we’re giving each other confidence. We’re all we got inside the lines, and so it doesn’t matter what happens outside of there. It’s all about us.”
Towns was nearly invisible in the opener and Bridges was scoreless in the first half before contributing 16 points after the game was far out of reach. So Brunson insisted that they must work harder in practice, spend more time working, to develop the chemistry that the previous incarnation of the team had together.
“We have to,” Brunson said. “We have no other choice if we want to be a good team. We have the personality to do it. Like all things, it’s going to take time. For the most part, we genuinely care about just wanting to get better, wanting to win, wanting to help the team. So the thought is there; we’ve just got to put the effort and execution there.
“It’s a little bit of everything. It’s watching film, it’s getting more comfortable. Making sure we’re on the same page. We can use a little bit of everything when it comes to that. But just being ready to play once the ball is put in the air.”
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said facing the new-look Knicks is imposing.
“There’s certainly nothing easy about it,” he said. “It’s gonna be hard. They’re a top team. They’re projected to be way up there. Regardless of what happened in Boston the other night, they’re coming home, we’re coming off of last year’s playoffs. This will be, on your third day of the regular season, this will be the closest thing to a Game 7 atmosphere and feel. So it’s a privilege to have the opportunity to compete in that environment and this venue, and we’ve gotta embrace that and keep understanding how hard it’s gonna be.”
Notes & quotes: Pacome Dadiet may have been a surprise addition to the rotation in the opener after a shoulder dislocation cost Landry Shamet his spot with the team, but Tom Thibodeau spoke highly of him. “Just next man get in there,” Thibodeau said. “So he’s done a good job, worked hard and wanted to get a look at him. Obviously we thought Landry was playing well, we were going that way, but we like what we’ve seen from him. He was the next man in the rotation. Get in there and get the job done.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
