Knicks' Jalen Brunson searching for balance in pushing and passing
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson looks to drive past Detroit Pistons guard Dennis Schroder in the third quarter in Game 2 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs on Monday at Madison Square Garden. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
DETROIT — Jalen Brunson was recognized Wednesday night as the winner of the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year award, deservedly lauded for his ability to take over games in the most nerve-wracking moments.
But now, with the Knicks struggling through the first two games of the playoffs, which they have split in the best-of-seven series against the Detroit Pistons, it’s a balance for Brunson — do what his instincts tell him and take over the game, or, as Tom Thibodeau preaches, let the game tell him what to do.
“I mean, I just gotta make the right decisions,” Brunson said after the Knicks' morning shootaround before Game 3 Thursday. “There’s time to be aggressive and there’s times to make plays for others. It’s always going to be a learning adjustment, it’s never going to be mastered but I’ve gotta continue to work for that. So there’s always room for improvement, always room to get better.”
Brunson has been the most prolific scorer in the postseason so far, averaging 35.5 points through the first two games. But that’s part of the issue with the balance the Knicks meant to inject into the lineup with offseason trades for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges and signing OG Anunoby to the richest contract in franchise history. The next Knicks players on the postseason scoring list are tied for 35th, Anunoby and Towns - both averaging 16.5 points.
As the Knicks mounted a 21-0 run in the fourth quarter of Game 1, scoring 40 points in the period to turn around an eight-point deficit, Brunson scored 12 points, but Cam Payne had 11, Josh Hart had eight and Towns chipped in with seven.
Contrast that with Game 2 when the Knicks started the quarter with the same deficit and Brunson scored 14 points, taking eight field goal attempts and seven free throws while Towns played the entire quarter and didn’t take a shot.
“There were a couple possessions where I had some bad shots and that’s on me, just to understand the situation where I need to get off of it,” Brunson said. Asked what he meant by "get off of it", he said, “Pass the ball. I gotta say it in French? Pass the ball.”
“The toughest part is trying to find that balance,” Hart said. “I think him coming in, maybe starting the game to try to get some of these guys involved, get them free flowing. You see it with LeBron [James] all the time. One thing with LeBron, he comes in the first quarter, the second quarter, makes sure he gets his guys involved and gets them into rhythm and then he takes over when you need him to take over."
The Knicks have relied all season on Brunson and Towns, creating one of the most dangerous pick-and-roll combinations in the game. But Detroit has caused some frustration by clamping forward Tobias Harris on Towns and not letting the Knicks center find space on the perimeter. It’s not the first time a team has done this, but the Pistons have managed to limit Towns on the perimeter to just five three-point attempts, and one made, in two games — while keeping Jalen Duren lurking in the paint to help if Towns drives.
“They’re just playing great defense,” Brunson said. “You’ve gotta give them credit. They had a great game plan in Game 2. We just need to make adjustments and come back and be ready for Game 3.”
The Pistons also have thrown waves of defenders at Brunson. Whether it’s Ausar Thompson, Dennis Schroder or Malik Beasley, they all are hounding him the length of the court and playing physically. The Knicks are confident that the adjustments will come and that, even if they have the Clutch Player of the Year, it’s not an issue for players to speak up and demand the ball.
“That comes with familiarity and trust and a lot of times you only get that when you go through adverse situations together,” Hart said. “So it takes time. And there’s times where – there was a play with JB, a pullup, he had KAT wide open. I’m not sure if KAT said something to him, but I know that if KAT goes, ‘Look at the pop, I’m open on the pop,’ he’s going to look at that...same thing with all those guys.
“So it’s definitely a feeling-out process. It comes with time. But we’re all old enough. I think our hearts are in the right place. So you know it’s not coming out of any selfish intent. So that’s something we can do more, and we will do more of.”
Notes & quotes: The NBA announced that the Abu Dhabi Games 2025 will feature the Knicks and 76ers playing two preseason games on Oct. 2 and 4 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island. “It’s an exciting moment for our entire organization to participate in the NBA Abu Dhabi Games,” Knicks president Leon Rose said in a statement. “This will serve as a strong way to tip off our 2025-26 season and provide our players with a special opportunity to showcase and grow the game we love around the world.”
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.
