Jalen Brunson is not receiving as much blame for the New York Knicks’ struggles against the Atlanta Hawks as Karl-Anthony Towns, Mike Brown, or Mikal Bridges. It’s time for that to change, because make no bones about it, he is part of the problem…on offense.
For all the agonizing over what’s happening to Brunson on the defensive side, he is playing decidedly below-average basketball at the offensive end. The numbers won’t bear that out on the surface. Through three games, he’s averaging 27.7 points and 6.0 assists, while knocking down 45.5 percent of his twos (30-of-66), and 36.8 percent of his threes (7-of-19).
Still, we have yet to see a truly complete offensive performance from the captain. His numbers are also inflated by standout moments. Fourteen of his 18 assists came before Game 3, and his two-point percentage was in the gutter before going 11-of-18 inside the arc Thursday night.
Fourth quarters have been disastrous by his standards. He was 0-of-3 from the floor in the final frame of Game 3, and is now just 3-of-14 for the series, with only two total assists.Â
Yes, he’s still hit some big shots. And sure, he is still being forced to do everything for New York on offense. That does not absolve him of blame. Especially when it comes to KAT.
Jalen Brunson must do more to get Karl-Anthony Towns involved
From over-dribbling to questionable shot selection to at times playing right into Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s hands, Brunson’s list of offensive transgressions are mounting. Yet, perhaps the most critical issue is flying under the radar.
You want to lament about Towns’ lack of offensive aggression? Well, you can’t do so without harping on Brunson’s inconsistent attempts to get him involved.Â
Like it or not, Towns’ usage largely hinges on his floor generals getting him the ball. He is not, for the most part, getting the Knicks into their offense. The closest he comes to being a hub nowadays is when New York runs dribble-handoffs with him at the top of the key, and that’s not an intractable staple at the moment.
Failing an increase in his post usage or time spent as the only star on the floor, Towns is at the mercy of Brunson. And while JB entered the playoffs seemingly more connected to his big man than ever, the synergy is fading.
Following the All-Star break, 27.2 percent of KAT’s buckets came off an assist from Brunson. That share has now dipped following Game 3. More and more possessions are ending with Brunson taking exceptionally difficult shots. Whether that’s by the Knicks’ design or his own hand, it’s a one-dimensional approach that’s uncomfortable even when it’s working, and infuriating when it’s not.
The Knicks need Brunson to strike an offensive balance
Brunson is the primary reason New York returned to hyper-relevance the past few years. It would be foolish to write him off, or to presume the Knicks are better off without him.
Still, the offense in this series with him on the floor (1.12 points per possession) is trailing the returns during minutes without him (1.17 points per possession). That is to some degree impacted by the personnel around Brunson. It’s hard to drive team success when Hart and Bridges are total non-entities.Â
Even so, working within these imperfect confines is Brunson’s entire job description. He has been the Knicks’ all-everything for years. Their inability to change that, to adequately make the offense more versatile, is on them. Brunson’s spotty shot-making and predictable modes of attack in the half-court? That’s on him.
Basically, the Knicks are built in such a way that they need Brunson to be a nightly superhero or highly adaptable. Right now, he's neither. And if that doesn't change, the hole New York now finds itself in won't either.
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