In the Knicks’ first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers, Jalen Brunson has struggled with his shooting, hitting just 8-of-29 in Game 2 and 8-of-26 in Game 1. However, he has found success in the stop-and-pop game, particularly around the foul line extended and when driving to the right side of the floor towards the baseline. The Knicks have also had success setting high screens for Brunson near half-court, allowing him to use his speed to create distance from his defender before generating a quality offensive possession.
Brunson also found ways to manipulate the Sixers’ defense in the second half of Game 2, forcing defenders to collapse before finding Isaiah Hartenstein for easy dump-off passes at the rim. Hartenstein finished the game with 14 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field.
Despite Brunson’s struggles with his shot, head coach Tom Thibodeau praised his toughness and playmaking ability.
“I just love the way he’s wired. And so just keep going. You never know when something changes,” Thibodeau said.
Brunson said he is willing to sacrifice his own scoring if it helps the team win.
“The one thing about this team: no one really cares who’s doing what, who gets the credit for what. We just want to go out there and win,” he said.
The Sixers have been effective in disrupting Brunson’s rhythm, particularly by contesting his shots from behind when recovering off pick-and-roll actions.
“[I need to] slow down, be myself,” Brunson said.
The Knicks will need Brunson to be more efficient in Game 3 if they want to tie the series. The Sixers will likely continue to throw different defenders at him in an attempt to disrupt his rhythm, but Brunson will need to find ways to create his own shot and make plays for his teammates.
