Jalen Brunson has been playing at an elite level but is also having to carry the load. Can his efforts have a negative effect on him down the road?
After last season’s coming out party, Jalen Brunson has continued to play like a superstar. He’s currently averaging 25.3 PPG, 4 RPG, and 5.9 APG. All while shooting 47.2 % from the field and 45.8% from the three point line. If Brunson is able to keep these averages up he will be the first Knicks player since Richie Guerin to average 25+ PPG and 5+ APG in a season. Brunson is proving that he deserves to be mentioned with the NBA’s elite. And after his 50 point performance against the Suns last week, I think the league is starting to take notice of this as well.
Stellar Performance
Brunson refused to let his team lose by putting on a historic performance that sent social media in a frenzy. Furthermore, not only did he score 50 points but Brunson also became the first player in over 40 years to score 50 points while shooting 100% from behind the arc (9-9). When you put on a show like this on national TV, it catches peoples attention. That seemed to be the case for Suns superstar Kevin Durant, as he gave Brunson a lot of praise after the game.
Jalen Brunson Burnout: The Downside
Now, seeing Brunson play at this level is great to witness as Knicks fans but It can also hurt the team in the future. Let’s be honest. We all know that Brunson is forced to carry too much of a load at times. There’s been quite a few games this season where Brunson had to score 30 or more just for the Knicks to have a chance to win. Plus, with the heavy minutes that Coach Thibodeau makes his players play, this can hurt the Knicks if they are too reliant on Brunson.
In a bad 133-123 loss against the Celtics a couple of weeks ago, Coach Thibodeau curiously kept Jalen Brunson in the game when they had no chance of a comeback. Brunson rolled his ankle right before the game concluded, which was a scary sight for Knicks fans. Thankfully, he was ok and proceeded to play the very next game against the Raptors.
Ultimately, with the mixture of bad coaching decisions like this and the responsibility that is placed on Brunson’s shoulders at times, this can potentially compromise his health later on in the season, which would be detrimental to the team. The goal is to make sure the team is healthy and is playing at a high level going into the postseason. Brunson’s health will be crucial in making this happen.
Randle’s Help
Recently, Julius Randle has been playing at an All Star level. Which has taken some of the offensive load off of Brunson. After his early season struggles, Randle has been a force with his scoring in the interior. This is a game changer for Brunson.
In the past, consistency has been an issue for Julius Randle. If he is able to play well consistently and against the best competition this season, it will help preserve Brunson when he is needed the most. Also, with both Brunson and Randle having a history with ankle injuries, early season heroics should try to be held to a minimum. Overall, this will come down to coaching and the supporting cast taking care of business. It will take a collective effort at the end of the day.
Jalen Brunson is playing the best basketball of his young NBA career. That is a great thing for the Knicks and they should hope that this continues. On the other hand, the Knicks should try and make sure that Brunson doesn’t have to continue carrying the load. The less he has to do the more he will be ready when March comes around. Hopefully, the Knicks will live up to this notion.
