Monday was a non-shooting day for Jalen Brunson, but it didn't take away from his role as what Julius Randle calls a “floor general.”
Brunson scored 16 points, but was scoreless in the first quarter, going 5-of-23 from the field and sinking just one 3-pointer on nine attempts.
His shot was only consistent at the foul line, where he went 5-of-5.
But his career-high 14 assists helped the Knicks beat the Timberwolves 112-106 to open 2024.
“Credit to the guys who made the knockdown shots, but I just saw how the defense played,” Brunson said. “They went down a little bit, but I was able to find guys in the right spots and they were beating them. It was all my teammates and nothing to do with me. ”
Granted, Brunson got some help from Randle's 39 points and OG Anunoby's 17 points in his debut, but Randle and head coach Tom Thibodeau are more aggressive around the floor, from charging to hunting for loose balls. He praised the efforts.
“I always say this: You're not going to shoot great every night, but you can still play well even if you don't shoot great. So do other things,” Thibodeau said. “You make plays, you play great defense, you play your best. If you do that, the most important thing is to find a way to win and contribute in any way you can. Some nights it's not your night. Others. It’s night.”
Randle called Brunson's career-high record “amazing.” “Coaches always say if you're not hitting the ball well, find something else to do well. He took the offense, fought and competed on the defensive end. He's a floor general and leaves spots open for everyone. We were missing a lot of shots, otherwise he could have easily gotten 20 assists.”
This is Brunson's first double-digit assist of the season, having previously tallied nine assists twice in the last month.
His previous career high was 13 assists in overtime against Charlotte on October 26, 2022.
