Jalen Branson, a dedicated fan of the Philadelphia Eagles, said he took inspiration from the Super Bowl run that was built after the quarterback and coaches were extremely suspicious.
“Absolutely (I'm inspired). Obviously, all the criticism about Jalen hurts, he's not a champion, and he's always said he doesn't care about personal things. He just wants to win, so I admire him for that,” Branson said. “And a lot of respect for (Nick) Silianni. A lot of people were talking about him early in the year. And the same thing – he pushes and helps his team win. So. I was really excited about all of them.”
Branson spent much of his childhood in South Jersey, the country of the Eagles. He moved to the Chicago area for high school but never abandoned the team.
As a 6-foot-1 point guard and a two-round draft pick, Branson is also skeptical of his ability to lead his team to the title.
He has silenced most detractors, but unlike the wounds he had before Sunday, he hasn't won a professional title yet.
Branson is one of several Eagles supporters of the Knicks organization, including Karl-Anthony Towns and Miles McBride.
Commander fan Josh Hart said he didn't care about the Super Bowl outcome, but after Sunday's Clanker by the Chiefs quarterback, he declared that Brady Mahome should stop talking.
“There were a lot of comparisons,” Hart said. “I don't think it should be after that game.”
Hart was again listed in the Painful Injury Report in the Right Knee. This didn't actually prevent play, but could require summer corrective action.
“I don't know. I'll see what it's asking for at the end of the season,” Hart said. “But like I said before, I'm a servant of this year (my teammate). I want to put these people in the best situation, not just for them. It's also for (Tom Thibodeau). I want him to be available to him, but when I'm there, I play at a high level and play the game in a way that plays the game. I want to make sure I'm playing. If I'm there, I'm healthy enough. And I'm fine.”
Hart has been listed multiple times as suspicious due to knee pain, but he missed one game this season. That was for personal reasons.
He finished second in the NBA this season on Monday, following his teammate Mikal Bridges.
OG Anunoby has been upgraded to the suspicious one after missing three games with a foot sprain.
That update came after ESPN reported that Anunoby would not return until after the All-Star break. So, if accurate, he missed it at home against the Hawks on Tuesday.
Thibodeau did not rule out Anunoby on Tuesday.
Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson participated in part of Monday's practice at the Knicks facility. However, Robinson hasn't played 5-5 yet, and is out of the pacer game.
