The New York Knicks lost another close one in Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers. Jalen Brunson had a big moment when he missed a pull-up three that looked ill-advised.
Jalen Brunson is one of the NBA’s most reliable superstars. He is the primary reason behind the New York Knicks‘ rise to competing in the Eastern Conference Finals. Since everyone in the Knicks organization trusts him, he can take any shot.
Despite that trust, Brunson might have made a mistake when he tried to tie the game with a three-pointer. It would have been a moment worthy of his Clutch Player of the Year award, but he missed. Myles Turner corralled the rebound and would hit two free throws to seal the 114-109 result.
The shot has led to a discussion about how it was a bit ill-advised. Former NBA player Quentin Richardson made his opinion known on SportsCenter.
While Brunson deserves more credit for his productivity for the Knicks, he had a bad moment. He scored 36 points to lead the Knicks, but he could have created a better shot opportunity. Richardson feels that way because the Knicks had more time to generate an open look.
A few seconds earlier, Brunson broke down the defense with a drive to the hoop. With his physical style, he could’ve done that again and drawn a foul. The old-fashioned way of getting a three would have sufficed, but Brunson trusted himself.
Considering his reputation as a clutch star, it is hard to blame him for that shot. However, it is hard for the Knicks to accept the defiant Pacers winning the first two games of the series.
“I felt like Jalen Brunson did not do a whole lot of wrong last night, but I didn’t like that shot. I can see where he was coming from. Trying to get it because they were doubling him and jumping him,” Richardson said on SportsCenter.
“That was a pretty deep shot, and he doesn’t shoot those distance threes. Even if it wasn’t for him, they could’ve gotten a better shot on that play.”
Even though he is averaging 39.5 points per game, Brunson will still want to bounce back. The Knicks have come close to winning both games, but the Pacers got the wins. Brunson would love to perform better even if he does not score 40+ points.
His teammates, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, would love a bounce-back performance. They are already aware of what went wrong, so they will keep pushing and competing.
The Knicks will play in a hostile environment because Games 3 and 4 are in Indianapolis. Brunson and the Knicks could not capitalize at Madison Square Garden. This means they must prove themselves in a pressure-packed environment.
