Brunson and Randle Lead NY to Second Straight Win
If it seems like Jalen Brunson is playing better than any Knicks point guard you can remember, it's because he is…
The Knicks played well in their first two games last season. They beat the Celtics in an overtime thriller on Opening Night and then won a road game before heading home to take on Orlando in the third game of the 2021-22 season.
New York lost that matchup with the Magic last October. It turned out to be an ominous harbinger, as the first of many winnable home games the Knicks would drop.
This season, after two promising performances, New York once again welcomed Orlando to MSG in the third game of the year. The Knicks took care of business this time, protecting their home floor with a 115-102 victory.
The most significant difference between last season's squad and this year's version is Jalen Brunson's steady hand on the steering wheel.
Brunson racked up 21 points, six assists, three rebounds, two steals and two treys in Monday's victory. Through three games, he's averaging 17.7 points, 7.0 assists (vs. just 1.0 turnovers), 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 triples and 1.0 steals, while shooting 46.7% from the floor and 41.7% from downtown. While those numbers may not seem jaw-dropping, it's important to note just how much of an improvement Brunson is over the previous PG's the Knicks have trotted out over the past decade.
If it seems like Jalen Brunson is playing better than any Knicks point guard you can remember, it's because he is.
Consider this:
* Brunson is the first Knicks starting point guard to tally more than 15 points and more than five assists in consecutive home wins since… Raymond Felton in December of 2012.
* Brunson is the first Knick with 50+ points, 20+ assists and 10+ rebounds over the first three games of a season since… Mark Jackson in 1989.
* Brunson is the first Knick ever to tally 50/20/10 while committing fewer than five turnovers over a season's first three contests.
* Brunson is one of only three players averaging at least 17/7/3 and fewer than two turnovers per game this season. The other two are Fred VanVleet and Jrue Holiday.
* The Knicks have dished out a total of 81 assists thus far. That's tied for the second-most assists in the team's first three games in franchise history.
After Monday's victory, coach Tom Thibodeau talked about how important Brunson has been. "You can't say enough about what Jalen does for the team. He's just in complete control at all times. You hit some tough spots in a game, and he has such a strong demeanor and a strong face, and it's one of determination," Thibs said, adding, "It gives your team belief that we can do this, we can play well, and we can get out of this."
Brunson deflected much of the praise postgame. "Every person that's come through this position in this city, it's very tough," Brunson said. "I'm not really trying to be that guy who's taking the recognition…I just wanna help this team get places. I wanna contend in the playoffs."
The other star of the night for New York was Julius Randle, who continues to play very well on both ends of the floor. Randle posted game-highs in points (25) and rebounds (12) to go along with four assists and two treys.
Randle also continues to say the right things off the court. Speaking with reporters after the game, Randle went out of his way to credit Brunson for contributing to Randle's effectiveness. "[Brunson] just makes the game so much easier for me. If I just keep moving, setting the screens, running the floor, he's always looking to make the right play, so he finds me, he gets me going, gets me easy baskets."
Randle also declared: "I'm just trying to lose myself in the team. Lean on guys like [Jalen] and RJ. Just play for my team. The only thing that matters is winning."
RJ Barrett struggled with his shot again early on but knocked down three three-pointers in the second half and finished with 20 points (on 7-of-19 shooting) and six rebounds. Mitchell Robinson patrolled the paint Monday night, scoring 14 points (on 6-of-7 shooting), grabbing five offensive rebounds and blocking three shots.
The second unit also did its thing. Isaiah Hartenstein had nine rebounds and seven points in 18 minutes. Cam Reddish had seven points on three FG attempts in the first half. Immanuel Quickley failed to score but tallied six rebounds and team-high eight assists. Thibs trusted him late in the game, leaving IQ on the floor instead of re-inserting Evan Fournier. Obi Toppin provided fireworks with a few dunks and one phenomenal assist:
It's obviously still very early in the season, and the team's two wins have come against subpar opponents, but the Knicks' metrics are encouraging. New York ranks fourth in the NBA in Net Rating. They are one of only three teams scoring more than 115 points per 100 possessions while allowing fewer than 105 points per 100 possessions.
The Knicks also rank:
First in points in the paint,
First in loose balls recovered per game,
First in assist-to-turnover ratio,
Third in rebounding,
Fourth in deflections,
Fifth in fastbreak points per game.
New York will look to keep the momentum going Wednesday night when they host the Hornets to wrap up a three-game homestand.