Jalen Brunson knows he needs to be better.
The Knicks took a 2-0 first-round playoff series lead over the Philadelphia 76ers despite an abysmal shooting start from New York’s All-Star guard.
Brunson shot just 8-of-26 in Game 1 and 8-of-29 in Game 2, succumbing to the length the Sixers deploy in a number of versatile forwards who guard the Knicks point guard the full length of the floor.
“For the most part, the shots that I’ve been shooting have been the ones I’ve been making all year,” Brunson said after Knicks practice on Wednesday. “So I’ve gotta obviously be better and make the shots. But also you’ve got to give them a lot of credit. It is what it is at this point. I’ve just gotta be better.”
Starting forward Josh Hart said even though the pair of Sixers forwards Kelly Oubre Jr. and Nic Batum has given Brunson issues, there’s only one way to get out of a shooting slump: shoot more.
“You’ve gotta give Philly credit: [Kelly] Oubre and [Nic] Batum, they’ve been guarding him full-court. So I don’t think there’s anything he has to do different. He’s shooting shots that he normally makes, and you shoot into a slump, and you shoot out of a slump,” Hart said. “So for him he has to continue to shoot, continue to be aggressive, and that’s what we need.”
Hart also said playing at a faster tempo could help get Brunson some easier looks.
“So maybe we can play faster, try to get him cleaner looks where he’s not battling, holding or trying to push off or exert physical energy trying to get the ball and then trying to make something happen,” he said. “So maybe we can play a little faster and get him some cleaner looks.”
Brunson, who averaged 28.7 points per game this year on 47 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent shooting from three-point range, also struggled in the regular season series against the Sixers, who held him to 40-30 splits from the field and from three through four regular-season games.
The star Knicks guard took ownership of his struggles in this first-round playoff series.
“The easy answer is I need to adjust and I need to be more poised and understand what they’re doing, and honestly be flat-out better,” he said. “There’s no gimmicks to it. It’s just ‘Jalen you need to be better.’ It’s that plain and simple.”
L2M REPORT
The NBA’s Last Two Minutes Report concluded a foul should have been assessed on Brunson on the game-clinching play at the end of Game 2’s miraculous Knicks victory.
Brunson grabbed Sixers star Tyrese Maxey’s jersey during an inbound pass Maxey ultimately turned over. Donte DiVincenzo made a game-winning three after an offensive rebound on the Knicks’ next possession.
Thibodeau said he isn’t concerned with the postgame report.
“No I’m more concerned with the 46-minute report. And I mean that,” he said. “I knew they couldn’t call a foul. I’m watching the way Jalen’s being guarded.”
The Sixers also filed an official grievance with the officiating in Games 1 and 2.
“I’m locked into Game 3,” Thibodeau said. “That’s where we are. We don’t get sidetracked with that stuff. I watched the whole game, not two minutes worth.”
NOTHING CHANGES
Hart said the Last Two Minutes Report isn’t going to change anything.
“I don’t think there’s anyone on the court that harasses the refs more than I do. Sometimes that’s how it goes. We’ve been on both sides of it,” he said. “When you’re in that position, there’s not a computer that’s telling the ref that’s a foul. It’s up to the ref’s discretion. Fortunately for us they didn’t call a foul, but we’re not too worried about it. Nothing’s gonna change and they’re gonna give us their best shot.”
