When Jalen Brunson goes cold, can the Knicks adjust? Brunson was unable to find his shot late and bring the Knicks back into the game against a hot Jaylen Brown in Boston. Despite Mikal Bridges‘ unconscious shooting, knocking down eight threes and scoring 35 points, he was not fed late in the 4th quarter. Brunson went six for 21, and an abysmal one of eight on three pointers. Mike Brown ran Brunson in isolation for the last minutes of the 4th quarter, and Bridges was still knocking down three after three. Brown should be able to recognize the hot hand and feed it, but Brunson is more than capable of making the pass as well.
Can The Knicks Adjust When Brunson Goes Cold?
Mike Brown Juggled Lineups But Neglected Bridges
Championship basketball requires active coaching and adapting to what is being given on the court. Brown put many different lineups out there, from small to big, and appeared to be trying anything to stop the well-coached Celtics. At one point, Tyler Kolek and Brunson were on the floor together, which proved to be disastrous defensively. Without OG Anunoby playing, Jaylen Brown went unchecked and dropped 42.
Bridges was hitting three pointers all game long and didn’t show any signs of slowing down. Brown should have been able to recognize this and key Brunson in on it. The last 4 minutes of the game showed that this was not the case. Brunson drove to the rim repeatedly, neglecting Bridges. There are going to be games when Brunson is not scoring however he wants, and the adjustment to get Bridges the ball should have been made.
The Case Against Jalen Brunson
Brunson is due to shoot less than 30% from the field sometimes. His game involves throwing up a large number of shot attempts, ranking 8th in the league in field goal attempts while drawing fouls. His assists come second, but he is an excellent passer. In closing out the game against the Celtics, he was unable to stop forcing his shot. If Brown isn’t drawing up plays for Bridges to get open, then it falls on Brunson to read the game and lead accordingly.
The Knicks have no shortage of scorers. Aside from the red-hot Bridges, Karl-Anthony Towns was on his game, and Miles McBride shot well when the ball found him. Everyone was hitting their shots besides Brunson. Playoff basketball will only expand upon this weakness, unless Brown and Brunson are able to play more dynamically.
Facing The Other Coach
Excellent coaches tend to find themselves in the playoffs, and the Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla is one of them. You can see his attentiveness on the sideline. He is practically on the court with the players and is always reviewing matchups. Brown needs to dictate and move his talent around accordingly and recognize when his players are hot or cold. The league is about runs, and all of his starters are capable of going on a hot streak.
At this stage in the season, Brown is experimenting with lineups. The playoff contributors are quite clear. Brown need to ensure he isn’t outcoached. This team will look different with Anunoby back on the court, and minutes will tighten up. It is up to Brown to make sure the playoff rotation gels and is put in favorable match-ups more consistently. Brunson draws defenders in the paint consistently. The Knicks need to set up outlets for him at all times.
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