Knicks’ Jalen Brunson gets an honest thank you from Tom Thibodeau after a quiet night

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau gave an honest take on Jalen Brunson’s performance against the Raptors. The superstar point guard had a rare, quiet outing in the 139-125 victory. Brunson scored twelve points on 4-of-13 shooting from the field while recording seven assists and two steals. New York is on a four-game winning streak following its disappointing In-Season Tournament elimination by the Atlanta Hawks.

Thibodeau praised Brunson’s performance Monday night, noting that the point guard’s quiet shift reflects his ability to adapt to the flow of the game. Knicks head coach described this approach in his post-match press conference with SNY TV.

“He (Brunson) will do whatever the game needs to win. So I thought, you know, we built a big lead and Jalen doesn’t fight the game. He reads the game extremely well and we got some guys going early . I thought he got the guys into a real rhythm. I thought KAT had a great game on both ends. So, you know, Mikal played a really solid game. And when Cam came in with Deuce, they gave us a big spark.”

The Knicks seem to be rounding into form

Tom Thibodeau’s comments about Brunson’s adaptability show the superstar’s most underrated attribute. The All-NBA point guard’s unselfishness is what is starting to elevate the Knicks as this season continues. Last year, New York was more limited on the scoring front, especially when Julius Randle suffered a season-ending injury. Because of this, Jalen had to take on a more isolation-heavy, score-first role in the offense. The Knicks therefore had the second lowest assist percentage in the league.

For the 2024-2025 season, New York has become much more offensively dynamic with the addition of Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges. Brunson has now reduced his usage rate and is averaging a career-high 7.6 assists per game. match. The Knicks are therefore up to twelfth in assist percentage and have the second highest offensive rating in the league.

Jalen’s efficiency has also peaked in his third season with New York. He is currently shooting 49.3% from the field and 44.6% from three. In addition, Brunson has shown over the past two years that he gets better as the season progresses. Barring injuries, this trend should continue into 2025.

Overall, the Knicks’ ability to win different types of games will be key going forward. New York has already shown it can beat any franchise in the league when in an offensive rhythm. However, the squad must continue to learn how to win badly in order to emerge as an overwhelming favorite for the title.

Fortunately, as has been the case in this series, New York is getting healthier with the return of Landry Shamet and Mitchell Robinson is closer to making his season debut. The Knicks need to continue this momentum, which, if they do, will be largely sparked by their star point guard.