Getty Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks.
The New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson is getting rave reviews from his new teammates through the first two games of the season.
After the Knicks’ 130-106 win October 21 over the Detroit Pistons in Brunson’s Madison Square Garden debut, guard Immanuel Quickley told reporters that Brunson “has impacted us on the floor greatly.”
Through the first two games of the regular season, Brunson has dished out 15 assists and has zero turnovers.
“I think off the floor has been even bigger,” Quickley said. “He let me come over to his house and watch the game. His energy and leadership, I think has been even bigger. Everybody has seen what he’s done on the floor, he’s a great player, we all knew that. He’s a great teammate.”
Brunson put up 17 points, two rebounds and six assists, following up a 15-point, six-rebound, nine-assist effort in the Knicks’ season-opening 111-112 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. In his positional matchups against Pistons guards Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey, Brunson proved to be effective, using his craftiness and playmaking to impact the offensive end of the floor.
Immanuel Quickley on Jalen Brunson’s impact on the Knicks:
“I think he’s impacted us on the floor greatly. I think off the floor has been even bigger.”
Other Knicks, including RJ Barrett, have lauded their new teammate, too.
“Jalen’s great,” Barrett said in September, according to The New York Post’s Marc Berman. “A really hard worker. He works on his game a lot. He has a natural leadership ability too. Being around him, I’ve gotten to gravitate toward him. When we’re together, we’ll play well, especially with us both lefties.”
Brunson Talks About Win Over Pistons
Brunson, who signed a four-year, $104 million contract in June, after four years with the Mavericks, told reporters about his mindset whenever he’s on the court.
“It’s the same approach every single time I step on the court no matter who I’m with or playing against,” Brunson said after getting his first regular season win in a Knicks uniform. “Obviously, I’m adjusting to a new team and new teammates, but the approach stays the same. Whatever it takes to win every single time I step on the court, that’s how it is.”
Brunson noted the team’s need to persevere and win “the ugly ones,” referring to New York’s three-point road loss to Memphis. In that game, the Knicks erased a 15-point halftime deficit.
“If we’re going to be a great team, we gotta win the ugly ones, Brunson, 26, said. “When things aren’t going for us, or we’re a little frustrated, we got to win those games.”
Going Up Against Next Opponent
The Knicks will face the Orlando Magic on October 24, playing at home against a Magic team that features Paolo Banchero, the first pick of the 2022 draft.
The Magic are winless through their first three games of the season, losing to the Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics.
Banchero has shown promise, averaging 23.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists. A key matchup will be the 19-year-old rookie going up against Julius Randle at power forward. Randle is averaging 19.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists through two games.
Last season, the Magic were one of the teams that gave the Knicks surprising defeats. In four games played last season, the Knicks and Magic won two games apiece.