New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson struggled to get buckets early in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, but the Boston Celtics are aware of the danger he still poses
NEW YORK CITY – The Boston Celtics might have done a great job containing Jalen Brunson early in the Eastern Conference Finals.
But they are aware of the threat the All-Star guard poses. The New York Knicks managed to take a 2-0 lead even though Brunson struggled to get buckets more than usual. The 6-foot-2 playmaker still averaged a team-high 23.0 points in Games 1 and 2.
He shot 35.7 percent from the floor, though, a significant drop from the 48.8 clip he recorded in the regular series and 42.0 in the playoffs. Notably, the Villanova product missed a fairly uncontested floater in the last seconds of Game 1 – before New York sealed the win in overtime thanks to Mikal Bridges’ defensive brilliance.
However, Brunson is the NBA‘s Clutch Player of the Year for a reason. And Boston knows he can go off at any time.
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“I mean, he’s a great player, he’s gonna find shots, he’s gonna find opportunities to truly impact the game throughout the entire game,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said ahead of Monday’s Game 4. “We just trust our individual defenders and our help behind them.
“I think Jrue has done a great job on him. I think Derrick and Peyton have done a good on, Al has been good on him. So we just try to trust our individual defenders and trust the help behind them. And when and if we need to make adjustments, we’ll try to do those as quickly as possible.”
Brunson’s shooting percentage improved in Game 3 even as the Knicks suffered a rough 115-93 loss. The 6-foot-2 guard finished the Saturday matchup at Madison Square Garden with 27 points on 42.9 percent from the floor while adding four rebounds, seven assists, and a steal.
Heading into Game 3, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau noted that Brunson’s confidence hadn’t wavered despite an early shooting slump. Asked if he saw the All-Star guard with his head down after the first two games in Boston, Thibodeau quickly responded, “Nope.”
Thibodeau then warned that Brunson will show up when New York needs him the most against the Celtics. “You guys have seen it before,” he said.
“He’s at his best when the best is needed. He’s going to shoot his shots. He shoots them well. He’s always balanced. Some go in and out.
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“He prepares himself well for all these moments. His confidence comes from his preparation. He’s put in a lot of work. There’s going to be stretches where he doesn’t miss any shots. He can score in a lot of different ways.
“He can also beat you with the pass. He knows there’s going to be two or three guys around him. Just read the game.”
Thibodeau did give the Celtics credit for the way they defended Brunson, though. “They’re a great defensive team,” he said. “The game tells you what to do. If you’re loaded up, just make the right play.”
Brunson was nearly unstoppable in last year’s playoffs, averaging 32.4 points on 44.4 percent shooting. It might be a matter of time before he gets in his groove, making the challenge of turning the series around all the more difficult for the Celtics.
