Getty Jalen Brunson is off to a hot start.
New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson has been a big part of the team’s early success, and fans are beginning to come around on him after initially doubting his signing.
There were fans before the season started blasting the Knicks for having a “Mid 3” consisting of RJ Barrett, Julius Randle and Brunson all making over $100 million with their deals. A 3-1 start with the lone loss coming in overtime against the Memphis Grizzlies has fans changing their tune.
Brunson put up a career-best 13 assists in the win over the Charlotte Hornets to go along with 27 points and seven rebounds.
After the game concluded a variety of reactions, including apologies, came pouring in.
Brunson Gets His Respect
What a night for @jalenbrunson1 💥
13 assists is a career high for JB
It’s still very early into the season, but there’s plenty of things to be encouraged by if you’re a Knicks fan.
Yes, the Knicks did get off to a hot start last season, but things feel different this time around, and the effect of having Brunson can be felt in a big way. His performance so far has fans sending him apologies on Twitter.
Won’t even lie, I was one of the main people skeptical about the Jalen Brunson signing but he been hooping,” said one fan.
“People clowned the Knicks for signing Jalen Brunson btw,” said another.
“I can confidently say Jalen Brunson is the best Knicks point guard I’ve ever seen,” wrote one more.
The last comment could ring very true for people in their 30s as the last time a New York Knick point guard made an All-Star team was the 1988-89 season with Mark Jackson. John Starks, while not typically the point guard, also made the All-Star team in the 90s, but the point stands.
This if far from the Knicks of old when they made the playoffs two seasons ago with Elfrid Payton leading the team. If Brunson keeps this level of production up, they could find themselves cruising into the playoffs, and not just through the play-in tournament either.
Can He Keep it Going?
This type of level is beyond even what the Knicks signed him for as his career high in points per game is 16.3, and he set that just last season.
So far with the Knicks, he’s bumped that up to 20, but his assists jumped from 4.8 a game to 8.5. He’s expected to be the playmaker in New York, and freed from the shadow of Luka Doncic with the Dallas Mavericks, he’s done just that.
His impact has been felt by other players on the team as well, and perhaps the biggest beneficiary is Julius Randle. Over the past several seasons, Randle ran the offense, and his production was up and down as a result. With Brunson running it now, Randle has been freed up and his numbers have looked better for it.
Randle’s field goal percentage has climbed to 47 percent through these four games, a big bump from last year’s 41 percent, and if he can keep it around there, an All-Star apperance isn’t out of grasp.
When RJ Barrett finds his shooting touch again, the Knicks could prove to be a very dangerous team.