Jalen Brunson has made a good impression on fans in his first pre-season game for the Knicks.
Jalen Brunson may just have been one of the good players around Luka Doncic on the Dallas Mavericks last season, but he's in a different situation now. Choosing to leave in free agency, Brunson signed a massive deal for the New York Knicks. The contract was one of the biggest a non-All-Star player has received in the NBA's history.
As such, Brunson has become the center of attention in New York City. The Knicks were linked with a move for Donovan Mitchell throughout the summer but ended up not signing him, he instead went to the Cavaliers. This makes Brunson the biggest acquisition of the offseason for the New York Knicks, a weighty burden on a player that just recently properly broke out during last season's playoffs.
Brunson, along with RJ Barrett and Julius Randle, is expected to take the next step with the team this season, with success being demanded by fans in the Big Apple. And if he is at all nervous about living up to the expectations that Knicks fans have placed on him, it didn't show during his first appearance in pre-season.
NBA Fans Enjoyed Jalen Brunson's Performance In His First Game For The Knicks In Pre-Season
All eyes were on Brunson during his first pre-season game in a Knicks strip on Tuesday. The guard played just 15 minutes but was seriously impressive during his time on the court. He scored 16 points, missed just 2 of the 9 field goals he attempted, and got 4 assists to boot. It also helped that the Knicks beat the Pistons convincingly. And NBA fans were quick to laud Brunson on Reddit and make predictions about the Knicks' coming season.
"The Knicks are about to surprise people this season."
"Brunson is a somewhat significant, if not pretty significant, loss for the Mavs."
"Had RJ and Randle eating too. Him and RJ together looked fantastic."
"Everything looked real comfortable for him out there today."
"The Knicks made the right call."
"Brunson is going to be a star in New York."
"I've been telling y'all, this man is about to become an All-Star."
"I know he’s good but…damn hes good. He honestly seems poised for a 24/7 All-Star year."
"I think he looked great. Obviously preseason against a young squad but I’m optimistic."
"I hope he continues his trajectory. Efficient, reliable guy with such a calm demeanor."
"He looked amazing out there. He is exactly what the Knicks needed."
"The Knicks are going back to the playoffs."
It's too early to say what Brunson can do for the Knicks this season, but the early signs are quite positive. He has the opportunity to establish himself away from Doncic's shadow, and he has the skill to be one of the best point guards in the league. How the Knicks and Brunson do this season is entirely up to them, but fans seem excited about the prospect for now.
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