Jalen Brunson explains why he rejected Chris Paul's help in Knicks-Warriors game

Jalen Brunson didn't want Chris Paul's help after the Warriors guard knocked him over at the end of the third quarter. He didn't need it. Instead, the New York Knicks star guard waited for one of his teammates to give him a hand.

Brunson got the ball close at midcourt and turned to cross the court. Paul pushed his right shoulder into Brunson, who fell back. Somehow (but also not surprisingly), a foul wasn't called.

CP3 tried to give Brunson a hand, but the New York guard quickly shut him down. Paul put his hands up and walked away.

Knicks fans immediately applauded Brunson for turning Paul down. That competitive edge and fire will always be something fans want to see. However, if you think Brunson did it because he has something against CP3, think again. After all, he considers the 38-year-old a mentor.

"Chris Paul has been a mentor for me for a long time, since high school,” Brunson said. "

- Jalen Brunson, via New York Post

Jalen Brunson clears the air about rejecting Chris Paul's help in Knicks-Warriors

On Friday afternoon, Brunson was a guest on the Bleacher Report Live Show with Chris Haynes. The NBA insider asked about the "incident" with CP3, and Brunson explained there wasn't much to it.

He said he talked to Paul before and after the game but that things are different when he's playing. Friendships with opposing players don't exist for those 48 minutes. He simply wanted one of his teammates to give him a hand (literally).

Brunson's not one to ignite any drama. He avoids it. He doesn't try to start anything on the court, so he didn't mean anything bad by rejecting Paul's assistance. Of course, he probably didn't like getting clobbered, but basketball's a physical game. If Brunson held grudges against every player who has knocked him over (foul or no foul), the list would go on forever.

As one of the best point guards in the NBA, Brunson has plenty of respect for the future Hall of Famer, and vice versa. There's no bad blood between the two!