Exceeding expectations: Jalen Brunson
Exceeding expectations is nothing new for Brunson. He should be named an All-Star reserve and even has an All-NBA case. Somehow, he's only getting better. Should we really be surprised at this point, though?
Knicks fans already knew what Brunson would bring to the table in 2023-24, so his numbers aren't surprising. Still, it's impressive that he's averaging a career-best 26.3 points and 6.5 assists per game, shooting 47.2% from the field and 42.6% from three (another career-high).
He's coming off a game where he posted 41 points on 14-of-27 shooting (51.9%), which included 20 points in the fourth quarter. Brunson's one of the best clutch players in the league. It's icing on the cake that he also leads the league in charges drawn per game at 0.58. He recorded three charges against the Wizards on Thursday. That isn't normal.
Who cares how short he is? Brunson is that guy.