Getty Jalen Brunson tries to rally the troops.
The New York Knicks find themselves at .500 after dropping a game to the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 30.
To their credit, the Knicks did shock a lot of people around the league with their strong start, but it’s about in line with what was expected of them.
Something that few saw coming is the emergence of Jalen Brunson. It was known he’s a solid player, but he has completely elevated the team around him with his play, and upped his own game as well.
On the young season, Brunson is averaging 18.2 points per game to go along with and 7.2 assists, both of which would be career highs.
Playmaking is something the Knicks have been missing from the point guard spot for years, so Brunson has brought that to the team in a big way.
Following the loss to the Cavs, which dropped the Knicks to 3-3 in their first matchup with Donovan Mitchell in a Cleveland jersey, Brunson reassured his team they need to stay on track.
Brunson Becomes the Leader
The Knicks were expected to go through some bumps in the road this season, especially against talented teams like the Cavs, but Brunson urges them to stay on the right track.
“We have a lot of room for improvement,” he said. “I think we wouldn’t want it any other way. If this was easy, everyone would do it. But I think for us, we’ve got to continue to get better. We have a lot of guys who work very hard and don’t quit. So I think for us, we’ve got to keep that mindset.”
It’s still very early in the season, so it’s too early to hit a panic button, especially when the expectations are right in line with where the Knicks are supposed to be.
Brunson has stepped up in a big way this season, however, and has immediately settled in as one of the true leaders of the Knicks. He’s holding the team accountable for mistakes, but he’s also giving them hope for the future, like he did with this comment.
Having a good leader is always important for teams to have, so it’s good to see somebody so willing to step into the role like Brunson has been.
Long Season Ahead
We’re just six games into an 82 game season, so there’s time for the Knicks to go on a run, go into a huge slump, or stay on track for .500. There’s no telling what direction the Knicks will be going in, but Brunson will be trying his hardest to make sure the team stays on a winning track.
That can be done if Randle keeps up his strong start, Brunson keeps playmaking, and RJ Barrett can find his shooting touch again. On paper, the Knicks have a very solid team, and once they get it all figured out, they can make some noise throughout the season.
Whether that means they’ll secure on of the eight playoff spots remains to be seen, but it should mean they’ll at least be in the running for it. At the very least, the Knicks should be better than five other teams in the Eastern Conference, so they should be able to prove whether they’re good enough to get into the playoffs or not.