Brunson Turns Ankle In OT Loss
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
By Joshua Garcia
Knicks Need More From Towns
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
Los Angeles – Everything surrounding the New York Knicks over the last month has been interwoven with the narrative that the team is incapable of beating the top franchises in the league. The Knickerbockers did little to change that black cloud hovering over Madison Square Garden after a matchup with the 2-seed in the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers.
Los Angeles has been transformed since the big trade heard around the world for the sharp-shooting Luka Doncic. New York had its latest opportunity to grab a win against top competition, and fell flat on its face in overtime at the former Staples Center, now Crypto.com Arena.
While Luka Doncic has been the trade and answer the Lakers were looking for, the Knicks continue to see putters, waves, and spurts from players like Mikal Bridges and Karl Anthony Towns whom New York assumed would be the remedy for their squad, but they have not. The inconsistency from Bridges and the inability to play physically on a night to night basis from Towns has put the Knicks in the abyss they find themselves in, with an 0-8 record against top seeds in the NBA.
Jalen Brunson proved again in front of Knicks nation, why he is one of the greatest athletes in New York City, the captain of the team, and the reason the Knicks are a top 3 team in the Eastern Conference. In 41 minutes against Los Angeles, Brunson dropped 39 points on 13/26 shooting and racked up 10 assists on the way to the overtime loss.
Captain clutch, as Brunson is known around the Big Apple lived up to his name, channeling his inner Willis Reed as he fought through a nasty ankle injury to try to push the Knicks to a win. While Brunson gave everything he had, the New York bench gave absolutely nothing. The Knick bench combined for 14 points and shot a terrible 2/12 from the 3-point land in 50 total minutes, giving Brunson zero help in the 4th quarter, when the Lakers crept back into the game.
As much as the Knicks got nothing from their bench, the Lakers were given a shot of adrenaline in the arm from theirs. A combined 32 points of production from the bench on 12/20 shooting from the field lead directly to the Lakers comeback in the 4th quarter, outscoring the Knicks 23-15 and taking it to overtime.
Heading into overtime it was obvious Jalen Brunson was the best player on the court, and that the Knicks needed something from anyone else on the floor with him, if the team was to fight off a comeback from Doncic and LeBron James. Following a drive to the lane from Brunson, he twisted his ankle severely, causing him to exit the game after his free throws. Brunson no longer being able to be Superman in the extra period, put the Knicks in a rough situation, and just like last season in the playoffs, the Knicks showed they cannot win without their Captain.
The loss makes the Knick tally 0-8 versus top teams in the league and if the Knicks plan on making any noise down the stretch, the bench has got to contribute and Towns needs to do what he was brought to New York to do. Take pressure off Brunson and not allow opposing defenses to key on him, as well as control the paint both defensively and in the rebounding effort.
The Knicks have time to round into better shape for the stretch run, but coach Tom Thibodeau needs to figure out how to get the role players to contribute additional production, in addition to reminding Kat of his role on the team if they are to be successful. New York will look to rebound in their second meeting of the road trip in Los Angeles on Friday night, this time with the Clippers at the beautiful new Intuit Dome in Inglewood against The Beard James Harden.
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