Jalen Brunson accomplished something no other Knick has since the turn of the millennium, leading New York to the NBA Finals for a shot at bringing home the team’s first championship since 1973. For the people who have watched him the most, this success is only natural, given the makeup of who he is as a player.
“He has an iron will. He’s not tall, he’s not fast, he’s not overly athletic. But he’s one of the mentally strongest players I’ve ever been around,” said longtime Knicks and ESPN broadcaster Mike Breen in an interview with Steve Serby of the New York Post. “They talk about Michael Jordan, they talk about Kobe Bryant … in terms of mental toughness, I’d put him up there with anybody.”
Breen, who has worked alongside Knicks legend Walt Frazier for years, says that regardless of whether or not the Knicks beat the Spurs, Brunson has put himself in the conversation for the greatest Knick of all time, despite only being with the team for four seasons.
Brunson is also making a special kind of history, as his appearance in the NBA Finals will mark the first time that a father-son duo both played in the Finals for the same team, the NBA announced (via Twitter). Brunson’s father – and Knicks assistant coach – Rick Brunson played for New York in the team’s 1999 Finals matchup against, coincidentally, the Spurs. The elder Brunson played just 10 seconds in the series as a bench depth piece, while the younger Brunson’s responsibilities will be considerably greater.
We have more news and notes from the Knicks:
- According to head coach Mike Brown, Mitchell Robinson did some individual work during the Knicks’ practice on Sunday, per Stefan Bondy of the Post (Twitter link). Brown said he wasn’t sure exactly what Robinson is wearing to protect his pinky finger, which recently underwent surgery, nor could he provide an availability update on the big man for Game 1. The Knicks’ backup center figures to play a crucial role in the series, if healthy, as his size, defensive ability, and offensive rebounding could be a critical part of New York’s plan to deal with Victor Wembanyama.
- When Leon Rose took over the Knicks’ front office, the club was in the midst of what would end up being a 21-45 season, cut short by COVID. The first decision he made was to hire Tom Thibodeau to lead the team into what he hoped would be a resurgence of competitiveness. That was move one of 160 that brought the team from perpetual bottom-feeder to Eastern Conference champions, Mike Vaccaro writes for the Post. While there were a couple of missteps, such as the summer of Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier, Rose was able to quickly fix his own mistakes as easily as he moved on from those of his predecessors.
- If there’s one word that describes the makeup of this Knicks team, it’s sacrifice — so much so that the door of the team locker room has a “Standard of a Champion” contract signed by every player and coach, Jared Schwartz writes for the Post. “My willingness to sacrifice at the highest level for the team, on and off the floor will represent my dedication to our collective objective,” the first clause in the contract reads. The players have taken that philosophy to heart, whether it’s Karl-Anthony Towns sacrificing shots in order to help facilitate the team offense, Jordan Clarkson shifting from the run-and-gun style he played in Utah to hustling for offensive rebounds and intensifying his defensive intensity, or Robinson being willing to play a lesser role than he did a few years ago. “Being unselfish, I think that’s the biggest thing,” Josh Hart said. “And where we’re at right now, everyone is unselfish. We’re willing to sacrifice numbers and stats for the betterment of the team. And I think when we do that, we’re playing our best basketball.”
Pure team ball in these playoffs for the Knicks. Gotta respect it because they are formidable when it isn’t about personal numbers. Knicks in 6
Knicks in 6? Maybe six months when the midseason tournament comes around again.
Just kidding. I think it goes six and I thought that was a stretch. Love your confidence.
Gun to my head I still think Spurs pull off the win in the finals but I absolutely can see the Knicks winning also. As a die hard Villanova fan I think I’d prefer that but the spurs are also just so fun and how can you root against pop (even if he’s not coaching anymore)
Spurs in 5
Mike Brown basically said Brunson is short, slow, fat and unathletic lmao
Read it again. Mike Breen said that.
Damn you, dynamic reading!
Whoever said it, it’s true. That’s what makes him so amazing !!
It’s actually a great lesson for anyone who wants to accomplish anything. You don’t need to be Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant or Shaquille O’Neal.
You can be an average dude with the body but if you have the mental, you can get it done. I love it.
“Big Body Brunson”
Low center of gravity for a thick baller. Is an advantage lol. Not easy dealing with those types. Especially when you got game and are a smart player.
Mitch is not playing game 1. Look up metacarpal surgery recovery time and tell me how in hell he can play less than a week later. Forget about not needing your pinky to shoot…you can’t squeeze/grip a ball with that. And one swipe at it and he’s out for the series.
Now Brown is saying ‘the medical team will have to clear him’.
Mitch punched a wall, broke his hand, is not going to play, and the Knicks are downplaying it. I guess they’d rather make the Spurs waste their time game planning for him but he won’t be taking the floor.
Waiting for someone to say this. Not sure how the dude can play. I guess on defense he can distract somebody but offensively it’ll be four on five but perhaps they’re thinking it’s that way even when Mitch is healthy?
I don’t think they can clear him. Come Tuesday they’ll announce that he’s out.
Mitch will play. It’s a pinky injury and he doesn’t really shoot the ball. He’s already awful at the FT line, anyway. He doesn’t need to “shoot” or “squeeze/grip” the ball. He’s there for defense and rebounding for about 20 minutes a game. Play physical and use up some fouls.
It’s not a ‘pinky’ injury, it’s a hand injury. They called it a pinky at first but the boxer’s break that he has is from punch something the wrong way. It’s a very specific injury. The usual recovery for surgery on the fifth metatarsal is 6-8 weeks.
You really need to take a look at a picture of the bones in your hand. It’s a pinky injury. It’s the fifth metatarsal aka the pinky. The phalange and the metatarsal make up the pinky.
Mitch doesn’t shoot, he doesn’t ball handle. Are you familiar with Mitch at all? He barely even dribbles. 6-8 weeks is not going to happen here. If he misses any time at all, it’ll be a game or two.
I know exactly what it is and it’s the 5th bone down from the tip of the finger. Any unbiased person would look at the fifth metacarpal (not metatarsal, that would be his foot) and call it the hand and say they broke their hand…it’s from punching. Referring to it as the ‘pinky’ is technically accurate but functionally misleading. The average time out for NBA players who have had surgery on their fifth metacarpal is 34.5 days. If he plays Game 1 (he won’t) one hard swipe at his hand and he’d be out for the series. He will not be able to squeeze a basketball with two hands this week.
LMAOOOOOOOOOO look how wrong you were about everything, Doctor Ralph! Can we get another diagnosis from you? Love that you are saying you’re ‘unbiased’. You are either extremely biased or you’re talking out of your nether regions. Another internet know-it-all who doesn’t have a clue.
Mitch is a backup who’s been avg 14 mins in playoffs. He can rest for another two gms. Hukporti can handle it. We might not even need Mitch. 11 in a row lol
I’m happy to see Rose get his props for building the roster. Very impressive to complete a successful rebuild without tanking or at least having an existing superstar to trade.
But hiring Thibs wasn’t just 1 of 160 moves. It was the lynchpin. If Thibs wasn’t there to turn lemons into lemonade early on, often with Rose and the FO fighting him (with “mistakes” like Fournier, Walker and Reddish), among other things, Brunson would never have given the NYK a second look. Brunson came here for lots of reasons, but his purpose was singular, to win.
At this point in these season leave predictions to the TV guys. The Knicks are on a great run. They are playing the best team basketball we have seen since the 2014 Spurs.
However, the Spurs are playing a level of defense that I’m not sure the next have ever encountered. Next are a tougher matchup than Minnesota OKC defensively because as they’ve adjusted away from Brunson having the ball constantly, you can’t focus on shutting down one player the way you could Edwards or SGA.
The real question for me is whether the next success to this point is it true indication of their readiness. Atlanta was barely a playoff team, Philadelphia is simply terrible, in Cleveland put out one of the worst efforts I’ve ever seen in the playoffs.
Sure, the next deserve credit for blowing those teams out, as you can only beat the team is in front of you. I think we’ll get a pretty quick read game one as to whether the next continue to play offense at the level they have, against this Spurs defense.
The Spurs on the other hand have not yet played their best basketball in the playoffs, largely because a various injuries, and other distractions, so we will see if they get back to the type of ball movement and execution that led to 61 wins.
It’s going to be a good series probably go six or seven, but it’s really hard to gauge where the two teams are at this point.
Unfortunately dictation turned Knicks into “Next” in the above
“We want four more,” Wembanyama said. “We’re not done.”
You’re done young man — “le trajet est terminé”
“Being unselfish, I think that’s the biggest thing,” Josh Hart said. “And where we’re at right now, everyone is unselfish. We’re willing to sacrifice numbers and stats for the betterment of the team. And I think when we do that, we’re playing our best basketball.”
The Knicks best basketball always happened when they did this. It’s what Thibs coached and tried to build. This starting 5 is in their second yr together. And now with a new coach. They are playing that consistent team ball that winning brings. Knicks have a bench this year. And Mitch and Shamet are healthy this post season.
Mitch will be able to give enough. Of what he does rebound and defense. He’s avg 14.2 mins in playoffs. Knicks will need him against Wemby. So he better be ready. Pinky or no pinky lols.
Imo Knicks have a deeper bench than Spurs. Although Johnson and Harper are big time talents. Spurs youth will show up. Knicks have to take advantage of that. Losing is part of growing pains. Control tempo you control game. Experience vs youthful exuberance.
Let’s do This. NYK2026 🏀ING
Knicks in 6.
Brunson will get the MVP but OG and KAT won’t be far behind.
OG could actually steal it in this series because they have little answers for him offensively and defensively.
Brunson is the heart and soul of this team but OG is the brains and the brawn.
And I believe in this series OG shows up and gets compared to greats in this game. The Spurs are tailor made for his brand of basketball.
Bookmark this and see if I’m wrong.