Jalen Brunson Sends Strong Message After Knicks’ Preseason Loss to 76ers
The New York Knicks could hardly have asked for a more uncomfortable opening to their preseason. The defending NBA champions walked into Philadelphia, watched the 76ers race away, and eventually walked off the floor on the wrong end of a 120-97 scoreline.
Yet somehow, the most important development for New York may have had very little to do with the final score.
Jalen Brunson was back.
After undergoing left wrist surgery during the offseason, the Knicks captain returned to game action and looked comfortable enough in his limited minutes. He finished with 12 points, four rebounds and three assists in just 15 minutes, shooting 4-for-8 from the field and 2-for-5 from three-point range.
And while plenty of fans will understandably focus on a 23-point defeat, Brunson’s reaction afterward offered a reminder that preseason results need to be viewed through a very different lens.
Brunson Refuses To Panic
Brunson could easily have looked at the scoreboard and treated the night as a warning sign.
Instead, his assessment was considerably more measured.
“It’s a good first step. Not a great first step, but as long as we’re making strides in the right direction, it’s something to be happy about. Still a lot for us to learn and be better at early,” Brunson said.
That is exactly the attitude Knicks fans should want from their leader.
New York has just come off its first NBA championship in 53 years. The expectations are completely different now. Every poor performance is going to generate questions, every defeat will receive more attention and every opponent will be desperate to knock off the reigning champions.
But Brunson understands something important: none of that matters in October exhibition basketball.
The goal is to be ready when the games actually count.
The Scoreline Looks Worse Than The Situation
Let’s be honest: