How injuries have added more pressure to Jalen Brunson and the Knicks roster
The Knicks are in a dog fight for home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Regardless of seed, if the Knicks are going to be a threat in the playoffs, All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson will need to be at his best.
With fellow All-Star Julius Randle and elite defender OG Anunoby out due to injury this past month, Brunson has taken on an even larger role. Since Randle and Anunoby’s injuries, Brunson has become a one-man offense, averaging 31.7 points and 7.5 assists. But he’s played 37.5 minutes and his offensive efficiency has dipped. He’s shooting just 33.3 percent from the three-point line in that span.
Even more worrisome, Brunson has the second highest usage rate (34.7 percent) in the NBA over the past month. The 6-foot-2 guard is being spread thin as he sees every kind of defense thrown at him.
Brunson has seen double-teams and traps. He’s also been guarded at times by elite and physical defenders like Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Dillon Brooks and Draymond Green. The rest of the Knicks’ available roster doesn’t help. New York is often playing with two non-shooting big men on the floor and 31.9 percent three-point shooter Josh Hart is also on the floor.
Carrying the team’s offense and taking the physical beating on a nightly basis could wear out Brunson. Through this stretch, he’s already missed a couple of games due to a sprained ankle and neck spasms.
Having to give up something to get something
Trading RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley for Anunoby was a bet on Brunson and Randle as the one and two options in the team’s offense. When the team is fully healthy, that has looked like the right decision. New York went 12-2 in a 14-game stretch after the trade and before Randle and Anunoby’s injuries.
Where the team misses Barrett and Quickley most is shot creation. Both players were capable of stepping up in increased roles, and making plays out of the pick and roll. For all his warts, Barrett was a sometimes-20 points per game scorer with the ability to get into the paint and foul line. In 21 games as a starter last year, Quickley averaged 22.6 points and 5.1 assists. Also, both were usually available. Having them on the floor would’ve eased the added pressure on Brunson to create most of the team’s offense.
The Knicks shouldn’t regret the trade because when healthy, Anunoby has made New York’s defense elite. He gives the team a quality shooter and finisher on offense who is capable of defending some of the top perimeter talent in the NBA. It’s a trade that should make more sense in the playoffs than it does in the regular season.
Barrett and Quickley would’ve been helpful in this stretch to weather this downpour of injuries. At this point, the priority has to be getting Brunson through the regular season in one piece. It feels unsustainable for him to play this way the rest of the season.
Heading into Sunday's game against the number two seed Cleveland Cavaliers, New York is 35-25. At 3-8 in its last 11 games, the Knicks have fallen into a tight race for the fourth seed in the East. They are tied in the loss column with the fifth seed Philadelphia 76ers and have just a one game advantage in the loss column on the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat.
It’s very possible right now that the team could fall to the play-in tournament, which would be a drastic departure from the second seed and Conference Finals hope that came up just one month ago. Anunoby has been cleared to shoot but he still has not taken any contact. When he comes back, it could be the start to the team regaining its mojo and easing the pressure on Brunson until Randle’s return.
