Jalen Brunson 'Overconfident' in Knicks Core Despite Defeat

Captain Jalen Brunson went down with the New York Knicks' ship on Saturday. When it's inevnitably raised, Brunson hopes he has the same crew.

The stage is set for an eventful, if not awkward, offseason after the Knicks were once again removed from the NBA Playoff bracket in heartbreaking fashion, sealing their dire fate with a 125-108 loss in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. But captain's orders after the game were to stay the course with the current group, which earned 51 wins and the Knicks franchise's first ECF showing since 2000.

"The most confidence, overconfident, seriously," Brunson said when questioned about his championship faith in the current core, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. "There's not an ounce of any type of doubt that I'm confident with this group."

May 31, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts after a play against the Indiana Pacers in the third quarter during game six of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Understandably mum in the aftermath of the Knicks' 52nd consecutive season without a Larry O'Brien Trophy hoist, the closest Brunson came to be insulted was when one questioner queried about his faith in head coach Tom Thibodeau, briefly dropping his stoic captain persona to back the longtime Manhattan boss.

"Is that a real question right now?" Brunson asked in video from SNY. "You just asked me if I believe if he's the right guy. Yes."

Only time will tell, however, if this season was year one with the current group or as a fleeting, if not thrilling, chapter of Knicks history. Since the Knicks gave up most of their immediate draft capital to secure Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, any big move that immediately flips metropolitan fortunes will likely require the team to part ways with familiar faces and name-brand talent.

Don't tell Brunson, who seems quite content with his latest supporting cast, even if the result added a new layer of disappointment.

Brunson, held to 19 points on 8-of-18 from the field on Saturday, seemed to anticipate the scrutiny that will likely follow Towns, who was acquired in the latest stages of the offseason in a controversial deal that sent Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle up north to Minnesota. The point guard took on any metaphorical charge inevitably heading his fellow All-Star's way, making it quite clear he's comfortable having Towns on deck.

"We definitely grew," Brunson said of the Knicks group that features Towns (h/t New York Basketball on X). "It's a lot of fun playing with KAT, man. I've realized that there are a lot of ... narratives about what people say about other people, how people perceive us as players."

"He's one of the best teammates. He's one of the guys that come in, does, his work, does everything can to get ready to go to games. Definitely a little goofy, but this dude has been great to play with, a lot of fun to play with. It just [stinks] that we couldn't get it done tonight, but I got a lot of faith in him."

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