Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks are making a strong case for their place in the NBA. Despite their efforts, Candace Parker remains unconvinced of their abilities. The Knicks currently hold the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference with a record of 33-21. Brunson, in particular, has been exceptional as the team’s point guard, averaging 27.5 points, 6.5 assists, and shooting over 40% from three-point range on 6.5 attempts per game.
Parker, however, stands firm in her opinion about Brunson. During a recent interview, she expressed her thoughts on his performance, stating, “Well, I feel like, first of all, I love Knicks fans… and I get it. What I was alluding to was the fact that in the first round of the playoffs, he was the best player on the court against Donovan Mitchell. He was the best player on the court.”
She continued, “And the second round, especially on the defensive end, Miami picked on him a great deal. And Jimmy Butler was, in fact, the best player on the court. And my thing was basically it was no slight on Jalen Brunson. I think he makes everybody better around him. I think he makes winning plays.”
While Jimmy Butler undeniably showcased his skills during the playoffs, it should not diminish Brunson’s contributions. In fact, it was Julius Randle’s inefficient performance, averaging 18.8 points, that played a significant role in the Knicks’ loss to the Miami Heat.
Parker faced backlash from Knicks fans for her initial comments, which many deemed unwarranted. Although she is entitled to her opinion, it simply did not align with the facts. Her remarks were made during her appearance on “NBA on TNT,” where she compared Brunson’s playoff performances with the Dallas Mavericks and Luka Doncic.
“When the game slows down in the playoffs, and you get jammed up, we’ve seen Jalen Brunson in the playoffs with the Mavs and he was No. 2, No. 3. [He] came in, played minutes, supplemented Luka handling the ball,” Parker explained. “But as a No. 1 option last year in the playoffs, great first round, second round not so much.”
Parker’s comments failed to acknowledge Brunson’s impressive statistics during the playoffs. In the first round, he averaged 24 points, 4.8 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game. In the second round against the Heat, he recorded an average of 31 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game. These numbers clearly demonstrate his strong performance, even though the Knicks ultimately lost the series.
Jon Conahan, an NBA and NFL reporter, covers the latest news and developments in both leagues.
According to the Source heavy.com