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Jalen Brunson has cemented himself as the face of the New York Knicks franchise in this playoff run that they hope to extend tonight against a more experienced Miami Heat team.
But Brunson can’t do it alone.
NBA analyst Jay Williams said the Knicks need a consistent sidekick for their rising star.
“I know who Jalen Brunson is. [He’s] the heart and soul,” Williams said on the May 11 episode of First Take. “Jalen Brunson needs a sidekick consistently.”
RJ Barrett is the second-most consistent Knicks performer in this playoff run, growing rapidly after his poor start in the opening round against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
But for Williams, the sidekick who needs to be consistent is Julius Randle, who had 24 points, five rebounds and five assists in the Knicks’ Game 5 win.
“I really get worried about his ability to play through his emotions,” Williams said of Randle. “There’s like a wave that occurs with him. Can you stay consistent and not let your emotions get the best and stay in attack mode? I watched him play, and the last time I knew, he had a decent game. To me, you are the difference maker — your ruggedness, your mentality.”
Randle is only averaging 16.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists on 35/27/67 shooting split in nine games this Knicks’ playoff run — a steep decline from his regular-season numbers. In 77 regular-season games, Randle averaged a career-best 25.1 points, 10 rebounds and 4.1 assists on 46/34/76 shooting split. Those monster numbers have earned him his second All-Star nod and second All-NBA Team honors.
“Will the All-NBA player Third Team, the only [Knicks] All-Star even though we know Jalen Brunson should have been an All-Star, be that guy for you when you need him the most? I’m not sure he will, and that’s going to cost [the Knicks this series],” Williams said.
Jalen Brunson Earns Heat’s Respect
Brunson may have been snubbed in the All-Star and All-NBA teams, but his validation as one of the league’s rising stars is not just limited to those accolades.
“He has a great competitive will,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after Brunson’s near triple-double performance in a no-relief job in Game 5. “So, he’s going to continue to attack. He’s going to try to manipulate the defense. He’s aggressive, he’s physical, but he also knows how to draw fouls. He’s clever, so he has that combination. So be it. You have to respect him as a competitor and then find a way to get the job done.”
“I mean, he’s just really crafty. That’s one thing about him. But our job is to make him take tough shots, and I felt like he got into a little groove in his pocket spots. He was making his shots,” Adebayo said of Brunson.
Brunson was at his best at crunch time, delivering 10 points and managing the Knicks’ lead to fend off the Heat’s last-ditch rally.
Knicks Bid to Become 14th Team to Overcome 1-3 Series Deficit
While they only have a 4.7% chance of overcoming a 1-3 series deficit, the Knicks are taking it.
“We’re fighting for our lives right now. This is something that can be done. It’s been done before 13 times, so we just wanted to focus and try and go get this win tonight. We were able to do that, and now we got to go get one in Miami,” RJ Barrett said after their Game 5 win.
The Knicks also want to snap a 14-series losing streak when trailing 1-3 and the Heat’s 14-series winning streak with a 3-1 lead.
A tall order but not impossible.
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