Knicks All-Star Jalen Brunson Gives a Sneak Peak to His Basketball Genius: “I Always Have a Plan..”

Jalen Brunson has unmistakably established himself as one of the best guards in the league. The 27-year-old has single-handedly transformed the New York Knicks into a bonafide title contender for the first time in 23 years. Despite the injuries plaguing the team, they occupy a respectable fourth spot in the East with 34 wins in 56 games this season. And all this hard work and dedication bore fruit when he received his first All-Star nod in his sixth season. However, this rise to stardom was far from smooth.

He entered the league as a second-round pick who did not come into the limelight until his fourth professional season. Deemed too small for a point guard by league standards, he mostly operated in the shadows. However, he was thrust into the NBA spotlight when Luka Doncic was injured during the 2022 playoffs. He then moved to the Big Apple, where he truly blossomed into the All-Star caliber player he is today. But what’s the secret sauce behind his success?

A glimpse into Jalen Brunson’s strategic brilliance

In the recent episode of Pass the Rock, a series produced by the NBA to showcase young stars around the league, Brunson gave his fans a glimpse into what goes through his mind before he steps on the court. “Before the game, I try not to get too fired up. I try to keep myself level-headed. I always have a plan. Who’s going to who? Where’s the advantage? How can we attack it? How can I keep people off balance? Role change, roles are different, but the mindset, and everything, and the approach stays the same,” said the Villanova alum.

Safe to say, this strategy is working wonders for him. He has been phenomenal this season, boasting averages of 27.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists. His stellar display of athleticism has earned him a spot in the MVP rankings. However, while he has towed New York this far, can he lead them to a deep run into the postseason this season?

Can the Knicks make a deep run into the postseason?

The Knicks had one of the best runs in nearly two decades when they closed out last month with a 14-2 record. However, then the injury bug rained on their parade. Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, and Mitchell Robinson have been sidelined for weeks now. With so much talent lost, they faltered, going 5-5 in the last 10 games.

While during this time Brunson has seen a surge in performance, averaging 31.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists in 37.3 minutes over nine games, they will need more hands if they are to make a deep run into the postseason. In the absence of Anunoby, Hartenstein, and Robinson, their defense has also taken a hit. While health isn’t the only thing that a team needs to get going, for the Knicks right now, it is the most important thing. But as things currently stand, a deep run into the postseason seems unlikely.

Read More: “Everyone’s Gonna Be Pis*ed”: Jalen Brunson Drops Truth Bomb on All-Star Game, Advises Adam Silver to Follow MLB’s Lead