The New York Knicks’ climb up the NBA rankings has focused heavily on the performance of Jalen Brunson, and rightly so. Brunson has developed into an All-Star and All-NBA caliber player and has earned the MVP chants that rain down from the MSG rafters when he shoots free throws.
But Brunson would also be the first person to tell you that his success and the wins the team is getting aren’t just because of him. It takes a total team effort and his teammates have helped elevate him to this level.
One of the teammates who has been helping out lately is Donte DiVincenzo. Since being inserted into the starting lineup in place of Quentin Grimes on December 8th, his production has skyrocketed.
The chemistry DiVincenzo built with Brunson during their college days at Villanova was on full display. He has embraced his role as spacer and opportunistic defender, providing outlets for Brunson and Julius Randle and making the most of his options.
With injuries ravaging the lineup in recent games, Tom Thibodeau has relied heavily on his starters to play big minutes. That includes DiVincenzo, who has played 38-plus minutes in five straight games.