Getty Donovan Mitchell, New York Knicks
Now that the New York Knicks know the Cleveland Cavaliers will be their opponent in the first round of the playoffs, Tom Thibodeau and his coaching staff can begin working on their game plan.
However, it’s worth remembering that both New York and Cleveland have a star guard who can light up opposing defenses in the blink of an eye, as we saw last year when the Dallas Mavericks faced off against the Utah Jazz.
According to Jonathan Macri in an April 4 edition of his Knicks Film School newsletter, both Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell will be relishing the challenge of facing off against each other. Yet, should the Knicks fall short, there may be new questions surrounding New Yorks’ inability to land Mitchell via trade last summer.
Jalen Brunson vs Donovan Mitchell in the 2022 playoffs
27.8 Points
4.8 Rebounds
4.2 Assists
The man responsible for the Utah Jazz trading Rudy Gobert & Donovan Mitchell.
“Neither team will come out of this smelling like roses if they lose, although the stakes should certainly be higher for the higher seed,” Macri wrote. “With what the Cavs gave up to get Mitchell, and with the assets the Knicks were able to retain by not trading for him, there should be no question as to who faces more pressure. But any New Yorker who has ever seen the back page of a tabloid knows better. If the Knicks lose, questions will be asked about why they didn’t pull off the trade last summer, at least until the next opportunity comes up to acquire a star.”
Brunson has been excellent for the Knicks this season, averaging 24 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game while shooting 49.1% from the field and 41.6% from deep in 68 regular-season games.
Tom Thibodeau Heaps Praise on Jalen Brunson
During an April 4 media session, Thibodeau was asked about the impact Brunson has made since joining the Knicks, leading the veteran head coach to heap praise on his team’s star guard.
“He’s made a quantum leap this year…he always puts the team first. You couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Tom Thibodeau makes Jalen Brunson’s case for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award:
“I think the impact that he’s made has been terrific and I think that if you really dig into his numbers you’ll see how much he’s improved,” Thibodeau said. “He’s made a quantum leap this year…he has all the attributes that you value…and he always puts the team first. The best thing is the way he connects with people. He’s been great with all his teammates. He sets a great example each day in practice. You couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Obi Toppin Facing Uncertain Future With Knicks
When speaking to Ian Begley on an April 4 episode of The Putback, ESPN’s Zach Lowe shared his thought’s on Obi Toppin’s long-term future with the Knickerbockers, noting how he thinks the explosive forward will eventually move to a new team.
“At some point there’s an expiration date on playing two six-minute shifts where you get to take a couple threes & you come out of the game.” – @ZachLowe_NBA on Obi Toppin
Zach & @JCMacriNBA talk Knicks, Toppin, Cavs & more on The Putback. Full show here: t.co/Oce8tCmB7R
“You just sort of know how these things go. Obi’s a high draft pick, a talented young player. At some point there’s an expiration date on playing two six-minute shifts where you get a couple threes and you come out of the game,” Lowe said. “There’s just an expiration date on that.”
Toppin has struggled for a consistent role this season, averaging just 14.8 minutes per game while averaging 6.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.8 assists on 43.1% shooting from the field and 33.5% from three-point range.
The Knicks will be back in action on Wednesday, April 5, when they face off against the Indiana Pacers.