Jalen Brunson had no time to waste this December 25! Author of 15 points in the first quarter of the match against the Bucks, the leader of the Knicks put his team on the right track, and it is again he, 70 seconds from the end, who will score the basket of wins it. Even if RJ Barrett was also very good, Brunson burst the screen from the top of his 1m85.
Opposed to Damian Lillard, he won his duel with an almost perfect performance: 38 points, but also 6 assists, 4 rebounds and no lost balls! “They focused their game on him. They gave him every opportunity, and he took full advantage of it.” summarizes Lillard.
For the Knicks, this is a significant achievement. Firstly because it is the first against the Bucks this season, but also because these same Bucks had nine consecutive victories. There was therefore a very special issue Monday evening, especially since it was at home, in a meeting broadcast on the national network.
“We needed a little more energy, and we showed it, from start to finish” explains the New York leader. “In the past, we were able to make comebacks, or take control of a match… But tonight, we led from the start, and we found a way to maintain this advantage until the end. »
A step in the right direction
Brunson's best friend, Josh Hart, can't believe his friend is capable of getting out of such matches. “I always knew he worked hard to succeed, but even I didn't know he would be able to do it NBA style. When did I realize this? Maybe three years ago when he started getting into it. »
For Brunson, it all starts with physical intensity. Without aggression, technique is nothing.
“Today we had to be a little more physical in everything we did,” concludes the international leader. “We had to be more intense, our one-on-one defense had to be closer, our running had to be better, the communication, everything. I think we took a step in the right direction today. We made them miss shots, but I think we can do better in that area too.”
