Before tonight, only three teams had reached the forty-win mark this season, the Thunder, Cavaliers, and Celtics. Well, the Knicks joined that elite list with their miraculous comeback win in Miami. All thanks to Jalen Brunson’s clutch 31-point performance, that even had Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra singing praises of his talent.
Addressing JB’s dominant outing, coach Spo said postgame, “Brunson was tremendous in the second half… That right slot, he was operating. We didn’t do enough to disrupt that.” Yes, Brunson started the game slow, scoring only five points in the first half. And that led to the Heat taking a nineteen-point lead. But just when the game started looking out of reach for the New York team, Jalen took over in the second half and muscled a comeback to force overtime. He scored 26 points in the second half and overtime combined, leaving the Heat defense bamboozled.
Adding icing on the cake, Brunson hit a clutch three-pointer in the final minutes of OT, putting the Knicks ahead by one point. “That’s what great players do: if you don’t, they make you pay, and leave you thinking about it.” Spoelstra confessed.
Spo: “Brunson was tremendous in the second half…That right slot, he was operating. We didn’t do enough to disrupt that…that’s what great players do: if you don’t, they make you pay, and leave you thinking about it” pic.twitter.com/0TrbEIqDBf
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 3, 2025
Even though there is a 1,285 miles distance between New York and Miami, Brunson felt all the love from the Knicks fans as he led his team to victory. Turns out, Kaseya Center had a significant number of Knicks supporters tonight and the 19,725 in attendance filled the arena with loud MVP chants for Brunson as he shot free throws in the closing seconds of overtime.
MVP chants for Jalen Brunson at MSG South in Miami. About as loud as you’ll hear on the roadpic.twitter.com/Tl4sWLZIB9
— The Strickland (@TheStrickland) March 3, 2025
It’s clear that Knicks fans love Brunson. And why wouldn’t they? After all, he has turned the franchise around and made them legitimate contenders in less than three years of joining the team. Even this season, JB is averaging 26.1 points and over seven assists, leading the Knicks to the third seed in the East. But one embarrassing stat still haunts the New York team!
Jalen Brunson urges the Knicks to “Wake the Hell Up” after “Horsesh*t” Record against Top 3 NBA teams
Going by their record, the Knicks look like a legitimate threat to win it all. But they are unlikely to get that recognition until they beat the top teams. Yes, Jalen Brunson and Co. have an abysmal 0-7 record against the top three seeded teams in the league this season. And that puts their credibility in question. Even Brunson acknowledged it on his Roommates Show with Josh Hart, “Our record against the top teams in the NBA: pretty horsesh*t.”
Moreover, he was frustrated because the Knicks had a shot at winning many of those games but blew their chances in the final minutes, “The frustrating part about all this is that, we have what it takes. We have the personnel. We have everything we need in that locker room, right now. We’ve just got to put it together.” On paper, the Knicks have a deep roster capable of going toe to toe against the best teams, led by Brunson and KAT. They just need to figure out a way to get over the hump.
Nov 13, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) and center Kristaps Porzingis (8) defend against New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) in the second quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Sure enough, JB had a stern warning for his teammates and probably himself, “The number of times we’ve been embarrassed on national television, that should ring a bell. That should be a wake-up call in itself, not just for those games, just for the rest of the reason. We’ve got to wake the hell up.” Well, they got the job done tonight, but they need to continue this form when they face the Celtics, Cavs, and OKC because the road to a championship likely goes through them. Maybe then, Brunson will truly be considered an MVP contender by everyone and not just the Knicks fans. Do you agree?
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