It wasn't necessarily pretty, but the New York Knicks managed to stave off elimination in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series against the Miami Heat by picking up a 112-103 victory. While New York received strong performances from several key players, it's clear that Jalen Brunson was the star of this game for the Knicks, which earned him some big praise from Tom Thibodeau after all was said and done.
Brunson played the entire game for New York, and put together one of the best playoff performances of his young career in the process (38 PTS, 9 REB, 7 AST, 12/22 FGM). Playing a full 48 minutes, especially in a do-or-die playoff game, is not an easy task, and after the game, Thibodeau was full of high remarks for Brunson, and his comments will almost certainly catch the attention of Jimmy Butler on the Heat.
"I've never seen anyone work the way he does."
– Tom Thibodeau on Jalen Brunson pic.twitter.com/4MTAkaKfYn
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 11, 2023
While Butler is the biggest thorn in the Knicks side in this series, it's also worth remembering that he and Thibodeau have a history working together in the past. Thibodeau was Butler's coach for his first five seasons with the Chicago Bulls, which is when Butler built himself into the star he is today, as well as his quick one-and-a-quarter season stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Tom Thibodeau and Jimmy Butler had success together, but given how his stint with the Timberwolves ended, it's safe to say that they likely aren't on the best of terms, and this may be a veiled shot at Butler. Brunson certainly had a standout performance in Game 5, but it would be safe to assume that Butler won't be too happy to hear these comments, and he will do his best to finally put the Knicks to rest in Game 6.
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