The New York Knicks secured a 118-109 victory over the Boston Celtics, with Jalen Brunson emerging as the standout performer, scoring an impressive 39 points on 23 shots. Brunson’s stellar performance garnered widespread acclaim, with Kendrick Perkins among those vocal in praising his abilities. Perkins, speaking on ESPN’s “NBA Today,”
suggested that Brunson could potentially be the top player in a series against the Celtics and even contended that outside of Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, Brunson could excel as the premier player in any series. However, it’s important to contextualize Brunson’s performance against the Celtics, considering their lack of motivation and recent coasting, which may diminish the impact of his showing. Additionally, claims that Brunson has been the best player in the Eastern Conference this season seem overstated, particularly given the stellar performances of Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
While Brunson undoubtedly possesses elite talent and is fulfilling the role of a star player for the Knicks, it’s a stretch to place him among the top five or top ten players in the NBA. Perkins’ remarks may be inflating expectations for Brunson heading into the playoffs, especially considering the absence of a clear second star alongside him on the Knicks roster. Such high praise could potentially set Brunson up for disappointment, particularly given the Knicks’ injury challenges.
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