Jalen Brunson just can’t catch a break from the media. The New York Knicks point guard is on his way to his first All-Star appearance this season, but another analyst found supposed flaws to harp on in a critique that has been met with blowback.
Candace Parker Falsely Claims Jalen Brunson Did Not Play Well in the Knicks-Heat Series Last Year
WNBA legend Candace Parker came under fire for alleging that Jalen Brunson played poorly in the second round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat, as Awful Announcing tweeted:
Parker’s erroneous assertion runs contrary to how Brunson produced from an individual perspective. The Villanova product not only scored in volume while getting his teammates involved, but he did so while shooting from the field and from the three-point line.
While Brunson struggled down the stretch in the first three games of the series, scoring no more than four points in any of those fourth quarters, he came alive in a major way with two 13-point outings in Games 4 and 6, as well as an 11-point effort sandwiched in between in Game 5.
Should Jalen Brunson Get Used to Media Nitpicking As His Profile Continues to Rise?
Expectations will always be high for the Knicks, and as their vanguard this season, Brunson carries the weight of the franchise on his shoulders. As he’s attracted more media attention for his stellar play, it has also come with a magnifying glass on his every high and low moment.
We have seen instances where stars’ big numbers in playoff series masked their poor quality of play, but Brunson does not fit that bill. Parker may have dropped the ball in her assessment, but Brunson does have to prove that he can will the Knicks past the Heat or whichever other elite Eastern Conference Foes they see in the playoffs this Spring if they want to play in the Finals come June.
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