Brunson's ground-bound game exasperates opponents across the NBA -- and is fueling the most exciting Knicks season in decades.
Jalen Brunson's 47-point outburst Sunday was just the latest in a series of historic, career-defining performances for the 27-year-old guard, whose relentless old-man game has exasperated opponents across the NBA. The beloved actor and writer, best known for"Curb Your Enthusiasm," made an appearance on"The Rich Eisen Show" last month, during which he talked about his belovedDavid, 76, then stood up from this seat, preparing to replicate the move."...
The high-IQ wing guessed correctly that Brunson would reject the screen, as he often does. Caldwell-Pope then stayed with Brunson step for step as the guard backed him into the paint. And he even managed to stay relatively grounded on the All-Star's first fake to the left. Twice in the third quarter Sunday, he took on the task of guarding Brunson one-on-one on the left wing. The first time, the New York star crossed the ball over between his legs three times -- left, right, then left again -- before going up for a shot. Or, at least to Harris, what certainly looked like one. Instead, Brunson used a shot fake to get Harris in the air from 16 feet out, then leaned into him and flung up a jumper as the whistle blew to signal a foul.
Despite possessing the ball for an NBA-high 662 minutes this season, and using highly intricate footwork countless times per game, Brunson was called for a total ofDespite all of the intricate pivots, spins, Eurosteps and step-throughs, and despite logging a career-high 32.5% usage rate, Brunson has perfected the most delicate of dances. His father, Rick Brunson, was a member of the Knicks back in 1999, the last time the team reached the NBA Finals.
And he bypasses help if and when it comes -- by design. At nearly 17%, Brunson rejects screens at by far the NBA's highest rate, according to Second Spectrum, confusing defenders who are expecting him to make use of the blockade. Brunson plays off of two feet, his herky-jerky style and off-beat rhythm forming perhaps the most unpredictable offensive player in basketball.
Brunson took an NBA-high 330 floaters this season, 124 more than any other player. Just 18, or a little over 5% of them, were blocked. Just 6-7and Jokic, the two-time MVP who stands 6-11 -- have been blocked less frequently on a percentage basis than Brunson, according to data site PBP Stats.
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