Early in ESPN’s broadcast of the New York Knicks–Golden State Warriors game Monday night a debate broke out over Jalen Brunson’s place among the NBA’s elite. Using a quote from Kings coach Mike Brown, who after Brunson torched Sacramento for 42 points on 61% shooting Saturday noted that the Sacramento Kings blitzed Brunson more than any player other than Stephen Curry, the question was asked: Is Brunson on Curry’s level?
The answer, frankly, doesn’t matter. That there’s even a comparison is praise enough. Brunson validated the early game banter, torching the Warriors for 34 points. It was Brunson’s third straight game scoring 34 or more points. He is averaging 40.3 points per game on this current road trip, connecting on 51.7% of his shots.
“You almost come to expect [it],” said Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau. “It’s every night and it’s big play after big play. Every time we need a big bucket he comes up with it.”
As the Knicks barrel toward a critical postseason, Brunson will need to continue to come up with those big buckets. The playoffs have not been kind to New York recently. The Atlanta Hawks ousted the Knicks in five games in 2021. Then New York advanced past the first round last season but was eliminated by the Miami Heat in the conference semifinals. Brunson was a workhorse last year, averaging 40 minutes per game in the postseason. But his efficiency numbers dipped, most notably from the three-point line, falling from 40% in the regular season to 32.5% in the playoffs.
The Knicks were widely praised for the midseason maneuvering that added OG Anunoby, Bojan Bogdanović and Alec Burks to the roster. But in the playoffs, when rotations tighten and the game slows down, stars matter more. Julius Randle, who has struggled mightily in the playoffs as a Knick, needs to be better. And to advance past the Boston Celtics or Milwaukee Bucks, Brunson will often have to be the best player on the floor.
Can the Knicks do it? In a month, we’ll find out.
On to latest NBA power rankings.
