Jalen Brunson had a fabulous outing against the Washington Wizards on Thursday night, and a fan joked that it was all because he saw rapper Coi Leray courtside.
"Jalen Brunson saw Coi Leray courtside and turned into 2001 Allen Iverson."
It has obviously become a bit of a running joke now that NBA players give it their all when they see "baddies" courtside. Jordan Poole is the example that often gets brought up, and he played in this game, recording 24 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. It was a solid showing, but the Knicks star completely outshone him.
Brunson put up 41 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block on the night, and Allen Iverson would have been proud of that performance. The 27-year-old relentlessly attacked the basket, as Iverson used to in his heyday, and led the Knicks to a 113-109 win.
Jalen Brunson Should Be An All-Star In 2024
Brunson surprisingly wasn't an All-Star last season but he should be one this time around. If he doesn't make the team, then Charles Barkley won't be going to Indianapolis for All-Star weekend.
"Jalen Brunson better make the All-Star team, or I'm not going to Indianapolis," Barkley said. "I'm telling you. (If) Jalen Brunson's not an All-Star, I'm not going."
Barkley was shocked that Brunson was snubbed from the All-Star Game last year, and he wants him on the roster in 2024. I do agree with the Hall of Famer that he should make it in.
Brunson is averaging 26.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game this season. He is by far the biggest reason why the Knicks are currently fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 25-17 record, and he looks set to lead them to the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
In the third and final return of the 2024 All-Star fan voting, Brunson ranked sixth among guards in the East. He was never going to be in contention to be a starter, but with this, there is a slight chance he might not make the team. It would be a shame if he doesn't, but I think he will get in.
Paul Pierce Thinks The Knicks Could Reach The Conference Finals
With Brunson leading the way, the Knicks won their first playoff series since 2013 last year. Paul Pierce thinks New York now has what it takes to make an even deeper playoff run, but there's one caveat. Pierce believes the Knicks can reach the Conference Finals if they avoid the Boston Celtics.
That's a bold claim, but I don't agree with the Hall of Famer. You would think that if the Knicks somehow avoided the Celtics, they would be facing either the Milwaukee Bucks or the Philadelphia 76ers in the Conference Semifinals. Even with the addition of OG Anunoby, I don't see New York beating either of those two in a playoff series.
While I would back Brunson to perform well, the Knicks need another star alongside him if they are to topple either the Bucks or the 76ers. Julius Randle can't be relied upon to be that during the playoffs, as he has struggled mightily in the postseason. Randle had an injury excuse last year, but I'm not sure he'd have played a whole lot better even if he was healthy.
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