NEW YORK – With an average of 28.5 points per game this season, Jalen Brunson has been the driving force behind the New York Knicks’ surge up to second in the Eastern Conference standings.
His tally, which included 37 points in the 118-109 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov 28, saw him named NBA Player of the Week, alongside Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers.
New York coach Mike Brown believes Brunson, who has surpassed 30 points in nine out of 17 outings this season, should be in the Most Valuable Player conversation.
“The numbers he’s putting up are pretty good,” said Brown, who called the 29-year-old guard the “engine” behind their form.
“I don’t see it all the time, but when I see people talking (about MVP candidates), or I see lists, I never see him, and I’m amazed at the lack of attention that he gets for what he’s done in this league already – and what he continues to do, night in and night out.
“Especially when he’s the guy on a team that’s in a pretty good spot in their conference.”
Brunson himself likes the way his team have been playing lately, and will try to help extend their winning streak to five games when the Knicks visit the Boston Celtics on Dec 2 (Dec 3, Singapore time).
“We’re holding each other more accountable,” Brunson told The Athletic. “We’re paying attention to detail a little more – we can still do better at that. I think the little things matter more than people think.
“If we keep believing that and keep doing that, then we’ll keep winning games. Playing in this league, there’s so much talent around the league, the little things can make or break wins and losses. We have to continue to do all that little stuff.”
Brunson, who tossed in a game-high 31 points when the Knicks beat the Celtics 105-95 in New York on Oct 24, will be hoping for more of the same at TD Garden.
Brown, who led Boston with 23 points in that loss, is 10th in the NBA’s average points tally, one spot below Brunson.
Boston beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 117-115 on Nov 30 without Derrick White (calf) and Neemias Queta (ankle). Multiple reports have said both are expected to be in the line-up on Dec 2.
Queta returned from an ankle injury and tied his career-high tally by scoring 19 points and also had a career-high 18 rebounds when Boston lost to Minnesota 119-115 on Nov 29, but was held out of the following day’s game for precautionary reasons.
Brown collected 19 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists – the fourth triple-double of his career – in the win over Cleveland, but was more of a playmaker than scorer in that game as Payton Pritchard recorded a season-high 42 points.
Pritchard shot 15 of 22 from the floor and made six three-pointers. It was the second time he has scored at least 40 points in a game during his NBA career.
“(Brown is) our best player, so I think what he’s capable of doing is he can affect the game in different ways on different nights,” Pritchard said.
“You’ve seen the night before, he had 41 (in the loss to Minnesota). He can put on a scoring display. And then he can have a night like (Sunday) and have a triple-double and affect the game, which is even more impressive because he really missed a lot of shots that he usually hits… So the growth and everything, it’s impressive.”
Boston are averaging 11.1 turnovers per game, the fewest of any NBA team. New York ranks second among NBA teams in rebounding (46.5). Both teams average 15.3 made three-pointers per game.
In other matches on Dec 2, the Memphis Grizzlies will look to build on their three-game winning run when they travel to San Antonio to play the short-handed Spurs.
San Antonio won two out of four games during their recent road trip, despite being without star centre Victor Wembanyama (calf) and guard Stephon Castle (hip flexor), neither of whom are expected to play against the Grizzlies.
Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors aim to get back to winning ways during a five-game homestand that starts against the Portland Trail Blazers. REUTERS
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