Why Knicks’ Jalen Brunson is ‘so special’, per Tom Thibodeau

The New York Knicks came away with 1 130-121 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of the second round to take a 2-0 series lead, and Jalen Brunson dazzled once again with his efforts in the second half after missing much of the first half with a foot injury. Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau spoke about what makes Brunson special after being asked a question related to the Willis Reed game, which happened on the same day 54 years earlier.

“That’s such a big part of this franchise, and rightfully so,” Tom Thibodeau said, via NBA on X. “As I said, the best part of Jalen is his humility. We could all talk about the great things he’s doing, and it’s remarkable, but to be as humble as he is on top of that, I think that’s what makes him so special.”

Jalen Brunson did not put up another 40 points in this game, which he had done a lot in these playoffs, including in Game 1. He still did put up 29 points in 32 minutes, leading the Knicks in scoring. The Knicks were down by double digits early in the second half as a result of Brunson missing a big chunk of the game.

After the Pacers made the first basket of the second half, the Knicks took off and outscored them 36-18 in the third quarter overall. The fourth quarter was tight, but the Knicks were able to close out the win, despite losing OG Anunoby to a hamstring injury.

The Pacers are upset at many of the calls that took place in this series so far in the first two games, submitting 78 plays to the league. The Knicks have been able to escape with a 2-0 series lead despite a limited rotation and having Brunson and OG Anunoby off of the court for significant minutes in Game 2.

Knicks’ outlook for the rest of the series