The New York Knicks have surprised many by their transformation in the last two seasons, and now they have a winning streak to climb into third place in the East and hopefully go one step further. As the new core of the Knicks today, Brunson played well, and his outstanding performance earned more respect. After the All-Star team was announced, Brunson was selected as a first-Star team for the first time in his career.
So far this season, Brunson has averaged 26.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game, shooting 42.2% from three-point range. It was under his leadership that the Knicks recently went on a nine-game winning streak and surged to third place in the East. You must know that the Knicks are now facing the absence of Randle and the adjustment of new signings, and being able to maintain strong combat effectiveness under such a premise is enough to see the importance of Brunson in the Knicks' tactical system.
As early as last season, when the Knicks signed Brunson, Knicks management was full of expectations for Brunson's performance. As a second-round pick, Brunson was able to secure a massive four-year, $104 million contract from the Knicks, proving that his ability has reached a new level. After coming to the Knicks, Brunson began his own performance: 40+ times in a single season, 48 points in a single game...... Brunson finally averaged 24 points, 3.5 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game to lead the Knicks back to the playoffs. In the first round of the playoffs, Brunson reached a new high on the basis of the regular season, leading the Knicks to defeat the Cavaliers with a more eye-catching performance, and staged a miracle on the following grams.
With the Knicks' strength on paper, they definitely qualify as a strong team in the East, and the reason why they have not been able to achieve a turnaround for several seasons in a row is also because the team lacks a suitable leader. Since the retirement of Ewing's older generation of players, the Knicks' style of play has changed, especially driven by small-ball tactics, and the Knicks have caused the team's tactics to be disjointed because of their focus on offense, and finally fell into the quagmire of rebuilding.
In an effort to make a difference to the team, the Knicks once saw Randle as the centerpiece of the team's rebuild, and Randle played well. But in terms of the ability to lead the team, Brunson is superior. Under Brunson's leadership, the Knicks regained their former enthusiasm for basketball, never giving up even when the score was at a disadvantage, and was able to bite the score at critical moments of the game and finally achieve a rebound.
As the core of the Knicks' offense today, Brunson's offensive firepower makes the Knicks' tactics extremely threatening. On the offensive end, Brunson uses quick breakaways and frequent tempo changes to shake off the opponent's defense, and when an opportunity arises, Brunson never hesitates. In addition to his offensive efficiency, Brunson is also very active on the defensive end, always playing active on the court, completing steals with his teammates and launching quick counter-attacks.
In his five years in the league, Brunson has been honing his skills while improving his abilities, and as he plays an increasingly important role in the Knicks' playbook, Brunson has officially become the new big brother in New York. Even though Brunson is only a second-round pick, he has earned respect for his performance and declared himself the best second-round pick of his time.