The first standout defender was Ausar Thompson, recognized as one of the league’s best young talents. Now, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White have emerged as maybe the NBA’s premier defensive duo.
Facing them won’t be a walk in the park for Jalen Brunson.
The Knicks’ star guard, who was awarded NBA’s clutch player of the year, led his team to the Eastern Conference semi-finals for the third consecutive year, finishing off the Pistons with a memorable three-pointer in Game 6 on Thursday night. Throughout the series, he averaged 31.5 points and 8.2 assists, consistently stepping up in the fourth quarter.
“Big players,” White commented to reporters on Friday. “It feels like he always delivers in crucial moments. He’s had a fantastic year, and his performance in these playoffs has really been something special.”
If the Knicks hope to advance past the Celtics, who are favorites, Brunson might need to elevate his game even further compared to his performance against the Pistons. That won’t be easy.
Holiday, an elite defender, had to sit out the Celtics’ final three games in their opening round series against the Magic due to a hamstring issue. Celtics coach Joe Mazzula noted on Friday that they still have two NBA champions and three first-team all-defensive selections available.
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“He’s improving every day and is doing everything possible to return quickly,” Mazzula said. “He’s putting in the effort.”
Brunson had strong stats against Boston in the regular season, averaging 26.7 points and 5.0 assists while shooting 43.3% from beyond the arc.
Unfortunately, the Knicks were swept in four games, with only their last meeting being closely contested; the Celtics won that in overtime.
Brunson’s health is another concern. He missed 15 games due to a right ankle sprain late in the regular season, which affected him during the Pistons series.
He had to exit four games, including a crucial stretch in Game 5. However, his ankles looked promising when he scored 40 points against Detroit in Game 6, hitting the series-clinching three-pointer in the final moments.
“He was made for this moment,” Mikal Bridges remarked after the thrilling win.
