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Knicks need Jalen Brunson to make 1 big change to bounce back after Game 2 collapse vs. Hawks
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- Knicks need Jalen Brunson to make 1 big change to bounce back after Game 2 collapse vs. Hawks
Knicks need Jalen Brunson to make 1 big change to bounce back after Game 2 collapse vs. Hawks appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The New York squandered a big lead in Game 2 against the Atlanta Hawks . Despite entering the game with good vibes and a 1-0 series lead, the Knicks lost an important one, 107-106.
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While the team might believe it can recover from the loss , it ultimately gave the Hawks a reason to believe in themselves. New York missed free throws, turned the ball over, and failed to put away a lesser opponent at home. While Jalen Brunson should be applauded for owning his mistakes, the brunt of the blame is Brunson’s to own.
Jalen Brunson shoulders blame for Game 2 loss
Put bluntly, Brunson lost Game 2 for the Knicks. It wasn’t CJ McCollum winning it for the Hawks. It was Brunson. And to add insult to injury, Brunson, the NBA’s reigning Clutch Player of the Year, ultimately lost the game in crunch time.
Remember, New York was up 12 points entering the fourth quarter. They were at home. And they were playing a lesser opponent, at least by most metrics.
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Yes, the Hawks made successful adjustments that obviously irritated Brunson. But they also, maybe inadvertently, motivated him to try to win the game himself. And that’s what really hurt the Knicks.
Instead of moving the ball and getting Karl-Anthony Towns more involved, Brunson doubled down. He committed three turnovers in the game, including two costly ones in the fourth quarter. And he shot 2-for-8 on field goal attempts in the final period, as well.
And back to Towns, he only took two shot attempts in the fourth quarter . And that’s despite shooting 8-for-12 from the field on the night. Why didn’t Brunson look to Towns when Atlanta tried to take the ball out of his hands? Why didn’t Mike Brown demand more Towns’ touches? These questions could haunt the Knicks if they fail to put away the Hawks in this first-round series.
Brunson hurt Knicks in more ways than one
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Brunson also missed two of his seven free throw attempts — a trend that badly hurt the entire team. New York made only 63 percent of its 27 free throw attempts in Game 2, which compares poorly to the 78 percent converted by Atlanta.
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In post-game comments, Brunson conceded that his poor decision-making contributed to the team’s loss.
“We were a little stagnant,” Brunson said. “Obviously, I control what I can control. Poor decision-making on my part.”
But the Knicks need more than accountability. They need action. Brunson must adjust, and he must do so quickly. Otherwise, New York could be looking at early elimination.
Jalen Brunson must focus on positives to move forward
Despite the poor close to the game, Brunson played well, generally speaking. He ended the night with 29 points and seven assists. And he converted 40 percent of his 10 3-pointers.
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With the Hawks stealing a game in New York, the Knicks now have to win at least one game in Atlanta to win the series. And that will require better play and execution from, first and foremost, Brunson.
Fortunately, the series is tied 1-1. And while the Hawks just stole home court advantage, the Knicks simply have to win three of the remaining (possible) five games. While the series looks like it will end up being longer than expected, no one keeps track of difficulty. Only wins. And the Knicks are still in fine shape to win the series — if they play smart.
Related: How Karl-Anthony Towns’ Game 2 disappearance led to Knicks’ collapse vs. Hawks
Related: Knicks superfan Ben Stiller delivers blunt KAT-Jalen Brunson take after embarrassing Game 2 collapse
