Jalen Brunson may have turned heads with his stellar 2022 postseason performance for the Dallas Mavericks, but there were still plenty who doubted whether he could live up to the four-year, $104 million deal he signed with the New York Knicks in the offseason. But now, no one would dare doubt what Brunson is capable of, especially after yet another stellar performance to lead the Knicks to victory.
On Wednesday night, Brunson torched the San Antonio Spurs to the tune of 38 points, seven boards, and six assists, leading the way for the Knicks in a 117-114 victory. Brunson put his defenders, primarily rookie Jeremy Sochan, on skates all night long with his usual change of pace antics and magical midrange mastery.
And as such, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich couldn't help but marvel at how Jalen Brunson has fashioned himself into one of the better point guards in the association.
“He's a heck of a player. He was always a nemesis in Dallas. Now he's in New York. He's got it all… he's got the skill… he's got the toughness. He's got the basketball IQ to go with it. Just a hell of a competitor,” Popovich said, per Bally Sports San Antonio.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich breaks down the loss to the Knicks, and looks at the learning experiences from today's game.@spurs | #PorVida | #GoSpursGo pic.twitter.com/CkcUpQSLYl
— Bally Sports San Antonio (@BallySportsSA) January 5, 2023
Gregg Popovich is right in that the Spurs bring out something special in Jalen Brunson, even back in his days with the Mavs. Back when the southpaw was only a rookie, he dropped 34 points, his previous career-high, against a playoff-bound Spurs team. Meanwhile, last season, he tallied just the third 30-point game of his career against San Antonio, albeit in a Mavs loss.
The Knicks needed every bit of Brunson's contributions, particularly in the clutch when the rebuilding Spurs threatened to steal away the game. And with Brunson and Julius Randle playing extremely well as of late, the Knicks could further cement themselves as a playoff team, especially if they pull off a blockbuster trade to add to their ranks.
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