Jalen Brunson is not being discouraged from his cold shooting night against the 76ers.
The New York Knicks pulled off a hard-earned 111-105 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of their first-round NBA Playoffs matchup. New York entered the series with massive momentum as the East’s second-seeded team. In addition, the Knicks are led by none other than Jalen Brunson. Brunson did not have a great shooting night in Saturday’s win, and he understood his need to improve.
Brunson scored 22 points against the Sixers but shot 30.8% from the field. In addition, he went one for six on three-pointers. His cold shooting accuracy was partially due to Phiadelphia’s hounding defense. Brunson acknowledged Philly’s plan to slow Brunson and vowed to be better from his tough night.
“It was great defense. And they had a great gameplan, and I gotta go back to the drawing board and be better,” Brunson said, per SNY Knicks
Despite Brunson’s challenging night, he stayed positive and found a way to put up points.
“But the one thing I kept doing was turning the page knowing that things would be better. [I have to] have short-term memory when [misses pile up]…but honestly just have to give [the 76ers] a lot of credit,” Brunson added.
Brunson’s squad played well against Philly despite their efforts. As a team, New York shot 45.7% on three-pointers. Moreover, the Knicks had a massive advantage on the boards over the 76ers. New York outrebounded Philly 55-33.
As mentioned, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey gave the Knicks a hard time, scoring 29 and 33 points, respectively. However, New York counterattacked with stout production from their role players. Most notably, Josh Hart finished the game with a 22-point-13-rebound double. Meanwhile, Miles McBride contributed 21 points off the bench.
Jalen Brunson and the Knicks need to stay locked for Game 2, as the Sixers will come storming back. Nevertheless, New York has an advantage that is hard to beat.
Jalen Brunson, Knicks will continue to rely on their synergy against the 76ers
New York had an incredible push in 2024 that earned them their first 50-win season in over 10 years. As a result, they earned the No. 2 seed in the East despite the presence of the mighty Milwaukee Bucks. The Knicks are not taking their postseason berth for granted, and it showed with their Game 1 win on Saturday.
Jalen Brunson is New York’s star, but all-around team play is what allows the Knicks to shine. At the end of the regular season, Donte DiVincenzo admitted that the team’s supreme synergy gives them an upper hand.
“I think we genuinely like each other. It’s not BS, it’s not for the cameras — I think everybody in this locker room likes each other and everybody in this locker room wants everybody else to succeed. That’s the rarity here,” DiVincenzo said.
“It’s not ‘I’m trying to get mine, I hope you succeed as well.’ It’s ‘I hope you succeed, and you’re gonna help me succeed at the same time.’ And I think that’s the overall mindset in this locker room and it’s helped us get 50 wins this year,” he added.
New York looks to continue to use chemistry to their advantage for the rest of their battles in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. It will not be easy, given they are facing the reigning league MVP Joel Embiid. Yet, just as Brunson vowed to get better for Game 2, the Knicks will vow to keep playing hard and working together.
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