Bummer in Beantown
“I didn’t do my team any service,” Brunson told reporters. “Throughout the game, I just didn’t help at all.”
Final Score: Knicks 117 - Celtics 123
Record: 13-7
Riding the momentum of a four-game winning streak, the Knicks stormed out of the gates Tuesday in Boston. It looked like New York would make it five in a row, as they sprinted to a 17-4 lead and led by double digits at the end of the first quarter.
However, as brilliantly as the ‘Bockers played in the opening 12 minutes, they played just as poorly over the following two quarters. Jaylen Brown, who ended his evening with a season-high 42 points, went on a rampage, and by the start of the final frame, the Knicks trailed by 18.
Yet, this is exactly where New York wanted to be, right? Down nearly 20 points in the Boston Garden. In Games 1 and 2 of their second-round playoff series last Spring, the Knicks pulled off a pair of unforgettable, miraculous comebacks. They nearly pulled another rabbit out of their hat, as Mikal Bridges caught fire, pulling his team within a single possession. But this time around, Captain Clutch must have been exposed to some kryptonite amid the green shamrocks.
Jalen Brunson had arguably the worst game of his Knicks career Tuesday night. Not only was he awful and inefficient offensively, shooting just 6-of-21 from the floor, but he was even more detrimental on defense. Time after time, the Celtics hunted Brunson, bringing him to the top of the key and forcing him to switch on Brown, who abused him.
Even great offensive players will occasionally have nights when their shots don’t drop. There is obviously no reason to be concerned about the NBA’s reigning Clutch Player of the Year. Brunson will bounce back and will carry New York to plenty of victories this season. Nonetheless, if we are assigning blame for last night’s loss, The Captain has to shoulder the lion’s share.
He clearly didn’t have his A-game, whereas Bridges couldn’t miss. Yet, instead of feeding the hot hand, Brunson forced a few shots down the stretch. And in an effort to prevent Brunson from getting exposed defensively, coach Mike Brown smartly began running two players at Jaylen Brown, forcing someone else to beat them. The scheme adjustment allowed New York to erase an 18-point lead, but when they needed a final few stops, Brunson failed to box out Boston forward Jordan Walsh, leading to a pair of back-breaking offensive rebounds.
