The New York Knicks are officially out of the playoffs, but you certainly can't blame Jalen Brunson. The point guard was truly phenomenal all series long against the Miami Heat. Unfortunately, he just didn't get enough help, and that resulted in Tom Thibodeau's squad bowing out in six games and just falling short of an appearance in the conference finals.
After putting up a monstrous 41 points in the series-clincher, both Kyle Kuzma and Mikal Bridges made sure to give Brunson some much-deserved love.
Fightins man
ā Mikal Bridges (@mikal_bridges) May 13, 2023
Brunson šš½
ā kuz (@kylekuzma) May 13, 2023
Brunson accounted for nearly half of the Knicks' 92 points. Literally no one else showed out Friday, with Julius Randle and RJ Barrett combining for 26 points on 4 for 24 shooting from the field. Absolutely unacceptable.
That was honestly the entire storyline of this second round for New York. Jalen Brunson left his heart and soul on the floor every single game, yet the other two co-stars didn't step up. Josh Hart is about the only other regular who made his presence felt.
On a more positive note, it's clear NY has found a legitimate building block in Brunson. He improved his playoff numbers from the regular season, averaging 26.5 points, 5.9 assists, and five rebounds on 45% shooting in the postseason. That's big time.
As for the rest of the roster, perhaps some changes need to be made. Knicks superfan Stephen A. Smith has already suggested the team trade Randle, who has gone invincible under the bright lights of the playoffs time and time again.
We'll see what happens. Nevertheless, Jalen Brunson can be proud of what he accomplished over the last month, even though it didn't result in a deep run.
Follow Us
Subscribe