Knicks Need Jalen Brunson in NBA Cup

Jalen Brunson will lead the New York Knicks in the knockout stage of the NBA Cup.

Jeremy Brener | Dec 10, 2024

Dec 3, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) looks to shoot the ball against Orlando Magic guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (3) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson is the undisputed captain of the team.

The Knicks will need Brunson's leadership as the team embarks on the knockout stage of the NBA Cup, which begins tomorrow against the Atlanta Hawks.

ESPN writer Kevin Pelton named Brunson one of four "pivotal playmakers" for the rest of the tournament.

"Brunson averaged 26.8 PPG in the group stage, up from 25.4 overall, despite playing just 27 minutes in a blowout win over the Magic in the final game. His 37 points on 12-of-20 shooting helped the Knicks outlast an upset bid by the Brooklyn Nets that would have hurt their chances of advancing," Pelton writes.

Brunson has been the maestro behind one of the best offenses in the NBA, and if he plays well, the Knicks usually have a chance to win. Brunson is among some of the best point guards in the league, and his consistent ascension shows that he can lead the Knicks further than they went last year in the tournament.

In 2023, the Knicks lost to the Milwaukee Bucks on the road, one step before the semifinals in Las Vegas. As one of two teams in the entire league to go undefeated, the Knicks have been awarded a home game against the Hawks, who beat the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers to get to this point.

While the Knicks should be expected to beat the Hawks in front of their home crowd, they aren't an opponent that should be overlooked. They will need Brunson to be on his A-game leading his squad to try and punch a ticket to Vegas for Saturday's semifinal.

Tipoff between the Hawks and Knicks is set for tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET inside Madison Square Garden. The game can be watched on TNT or streamed on the Max app.

Make sure you bookmark Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published Dec 10, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.