Getty Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks reacts before the start of the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The New York Knicks took care of business on their home floor during Games 2 and 3 and, with Sunday’s win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, find themselves one win away from advancing to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Point guard Jalen Brunson paved the way for his club’s third win in the series, as he played lights-out basketball on both ends of the floor through nearly 43 minutes of action.
His play garnered the attention of Darius Garland post-game, as the Cavaliers star heaped praise upon him for his efforts throughout the first four games of this quarterfinals matchup while also breaking down his defensive approach when guarding him.
“[Jalen Brunson] is a really good player. He makes a lot of tough shots so just try to make it thought for him. Try to send him to our bigs as much as I can and just try to make him take tough shots…That’s what the people want to see, two of the top guards in the East go at it. I’m gonna guard him on the defensive end. So yeah, that’s a matchup I want,” Darius Garland said regarding Jalen Brunson.
“That’s what the people want to see, two of the top guards in the East go at it. I’m gonna guard him on the defensive end. So yeah, that’s a matchup I want.”
Darius Garland talks about his matchup with Jalen Brunson:
As has been the case all throughout his first season with the Knicks, Jalen Brunson has been absolutely electric during these early stages of the 2023 postseason, and Game 4 proved to be more of the same.
He would wrap up his night leading all scorers with 29 points while adding on 6 assists, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block.
Josh Hart Shares Love For Knicks Crowd at MSG
Madison Square Garden has always been viewed as a venue players love to play in, and Knicks guard Josh Hart has officially voiced that he is one of these individuals.
Following New York’s Game 4 win over Cleveland, the veteran wing headed to his personal Twitter account to show his admiration and love for the Meca by means of a four-word message.
“I love The Garden 🧡💙,” Josh Hart Tweeted.
I love The Garden 🧡💙
Josh Hart received a significant amount of affection from the crowd during Sunday’s bout, as he was once again a vital two-way presence in New York’s scheme
Called upon for a last-second spot start to fill in for the injured Quentin Grimes, the 28-year-old finished off with a stellar all-around stat line of 19 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.
Knicks Coach Explains Shift From Julius Randle to Obi Toppin
Though Julius Randle has been an integral part of this Knicks team’s success throughout the 2022-23 campaign and into this year’s postseason, in Game 4 it was third-year big man Obi Toppin who was seen closing out the contest for Tom Thibodeau’s squad.
To many, this was a wise decision considering the All-Star was struggling all throughout the game and finished with a measly stat line of just 7 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block on 30.0% shooting from the field.
Following the outing, during his post-game media session the head coach explained his reasoning behind benching Randle late in the game, noting that, what with the fact that the big is still dealing with a nagging ankle injury, it likely had to do with his lowly performance.
“Julius is our horse,” Thibodeau said. “He’s given us everything that he has. A lot of guys wouldn’t probably even play. So I knew that with a quick turnaround, it probably impacted him more than most players. He was out for an extended amount of time.”
Tom Thibodeau praises the type of player Julius Randle is:
“Julius is our horse. The thing I love about him is that he gives you everything he has”
The shift to a lineup of Jalen Brunson, RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, Josh Hart, and Isaiah Hartenstein wound up working out quite nicely for the Knicks late in the game, as SNY NBA insider Ian Begley noted via Twitter that this particular unit outscored Cleveland 12-4 in a three-minute span during the fourth quarter while Toppin pulled down five the club’s 17 offensive rebounds.
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