New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson shot only 8-for-29 in Game 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night, which came on the heels of an 8-for-26 showing in Game 1. But just like Game 1, the Knicks still managed to go up 2-0 behind another great game from their role players.
It’s important to note that Brunson played better Monday night than he did in Game 1. Specifically, he limited his turnovers to one, which was considerably better than Saturday night (five turnovers).
Knicks role players save the day, again
But just how did the Knicks pull out another win with Jalen Brunson still struggling? It was once again the role players who led the way, but it was different guys who stepped up this time around. In Game 2, it was mostly Josh Hart, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Donte DiVincenzo.
Hart was electric, again. He scored 21 points on 4-for-7 shooting from behind the arc. He hit the glass, collecting 15 rebounds in total. And he made prudent and poised decisions with the basketball choosing when not to shoot.
Hartenstein had among the best sequences of the night. The Knicks center generated the final possession that led to the go-ahead three-pointer, and then he came right back and blocked a Tyrese Maxey layup attempt with the game hanging in the balance. Oh, and he scored 14 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished out four assists, and blocked three shots.
And then there’s DiVincenzo, whose impact was fairly limited in the first half. But he came alive down the stretch. He scored 19 points in total, and no bucket was as big as his go-ahead triple in the final minute.
But it wasn’t just those guys. Mitchell Robinson also contributed. So did OG Anunoby. And Miles McBride. And Bojan Bogdanovic.
76ers' defense on Jalen Brunson
But let’s get back to Jalen Brunson. Kelly Oubre Jr. has been an absolute thorn in Brunson’s side through the first two games. The 6-foot-7 forward has held the Knicks star to 30% shooting from the floor through the first two games of the series. That’s uncharacteristically bad for a guy (Brunson) who shot 48% from the field this season and a scalding 40% on three-point attempts.
Oubre is a long, pesky defender. He moves his feet well and his length is a perfect deterrent to Brunson’s methodical footwork and drives to the basket. But it’s not just Oubre. Nicolas Batum is another long and disruptive defender. Even Tobias Harris’ length took its toll, albeit to a lesser degree. In fact, the only matchups Brunson can look forward to are those with Tyrese Maxey and Kyle Lowry.
But it’s not as if one defender is shutting Brunson down. 76ers coach Nick Nurse has devised a strong game plan that involves double teams and strategic traps.
Brunson looks fazed by Nurse’s strategy, rushing a number of shots and forcing too often. He has continued to look to draw fouls, but those calls are even less likely in the playoffs than they were in the regular season. So, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau must figure out a way to get Brunson going in Game 3.
Game 3 and beyond
The fact of the matter is that New York is up 2-0 despite poor play in both games from their best player. Let that sink in. Now, the series shifts to Philadelphia.
Coach Nurse stressed his dissatisfaction with the officiating thus far, putting pressure on the league to make more calls in the 76ers’ favor. In fact, a 76ers spokesperson said the team intends to file a complaint with the league regarding the officiating so far, claiming the team has been “disadvantaged” by two specific calls.
Game 3 will be played on Thursday from the Wells Fargo Center. No team has ever recovered from a 3-0 series deficit. So, there is clearly pressure on the 76ers to make a stand against these resilient Knicks.
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