In Thursday night’s thrilling NBA showdown, the New York Knicks triumphed over the Boston Celtics, the NBA’s leading team, by a score of 118-109. This win puts the Knicks within striking distance of securing the second seed in the Eastern Conference right at the start of the playoffs.
Despite their strong performance, concerns persist about the team’s reliance on Jalen Brunson. ESPN analyst Alan Hahn voiced those concerns on Friday’s “Get Up,” noting that the Knicks need a strategy to deal with when Brunson is off the court during playoff games.
Hahn pointed out that successful teams in the league typically have a reliable secondary scorer, a role the Knicks have yet to fill solidly.
“They have to figure out how to survive minutes without Jalen Brunson in playoff games,” Hahn said.
Brunson has undeniably carried a significant portion of the team’s efforts, providing spectacular stats as he averaged 28.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 6.7 assists while shooting 48.1 percent from the field in his second season with the Knicks. His outstanding play was a key factor in the Knicks’ 48-32 record.