ATLANTA — What’s it like being Jalen Brunson? I’ll never really know. However, I tried to find out.
Brunson, fresh off a 34-point performance in a 128-125 Knicks victory over the Hawks, was sitting on a folding chair next to his locker in the visitor’s locker room of State Farm Arena. I handed the Knicks star an iPad stocked with five clips worth of Brunson plays from this season. These weren’t Brunson’s greatest hits. It wasn’t a folder full of game-winning shots or ankle-breakers, which might take up a few folders. These were plays that, in my mind, would be interesting to hear Brunson talk about, to hear about how he processes the game and what’s running through his mind in certain situations.
Brunson grabbed the iPad and kindly entertained me. For five minutes, Brunson sat there and watched each clip while I asked questions about what was on the screen, the MVP contender providing great insight along the way.
Here is what it was like to watch film with one of the game’s greatest offensive players.
(Editor’s note: Questions are edited for length and clarity.)
Here, you get the switch with Wendell Carter Jr. and then have OG Anunoby cut through and clear out. What are you seeing? Just simple spacing?
We get the switch here so (Karl-Anthony Towns) is going to roll down and stay in this dunker spot. If I stay in the original slot (top), I have to go middle. If I get to that slot (the left wing), with KAT in the opposite dunker, I can go left or right and have room to operate.
So, to go back to the beginning of the clip when you originally get the switch, are you also seeing that, with how the spacing originally is, Desmond Bane has easy gap help on the left and Anthony Black has gap help on the right? Feels like the only option in that scenario would be a pull-up 3.
I’m also trying to tell you without giving up too much of our strategic stuff. We want 3-1 spacing. We want three players on one side, one on the other, and then I’m on an angle. More times than not, that’s the spacing we want. That’s also the spacing we know we can read and react off each other best, as well.
This is just a simple isolation. When you’re on an island with a guy, how many of the moves are just moves you’re comfortable with and second nature to get guys off balance or how much is watching a guys feet and positioning?
I kind of want to eat up as much space as possible. When he keeps backing up, I can kind of walk him down. Once he creates contact, I can see where he is trying to force me. Like I said, I’m trying to take up as much space as possible and not just settle. The beginning of this game, I think, I was 0 for 5. I wasn’t trying to settle. I just wanted to get to my spot where I know I’m very comfortable.
The hard dribble into a spin back toward the middle is a move you go to a lot. Is it just instinct or are you going to it there because Darius Garland is cutting off the drive left?
It’s a little bit of both. I can see that he’s directly parallel to the sideline. So he has to open up to come back middle. I feel like there’s space to get a shot off.
We’ve talked a lot about you playing off the ball a bit more. When you get the ball and come around the screen, what’s the first thing you’re looking at?
For once, I was able to get (Andrew) Nembhard off me. He was trailing the play, so I’m looking at (Bennedict) Mathurin (he’s the low man in the paint) to see where he’s going to stop. I’m seeing if he’s committing to me. I kind of slow down a little bit to put the ball in the air so that if he comes to block it I can throw it out because it’s crowded.
How soon into the action do you know that the lob to Trey (Jemison III) isn’t going to be there?
As soon as I see all of them stay, and then (Isaiah Jackson) retreat, I knew there was no contest. That’s what I felt. So I wanted to get it on the rim.
You drive here and end up stuck under the basket, but Miles (McBride) helps you out by relocating to the corner to give you an outlet. How much of this pass is just trust that he’s going to get to the corner for you?
A lot of it. Here, I was hoping for something. Legit, when I spun, I took a dribble and had nowhere to go. That was my only option. If (Derrick White) cut it off, I was going to lead (Miles) back up the floor. No one cut it off and I was able to get it to him.
So, the whole time, you’re just hoping he ends up there?
That was pure hope and luck.
What I find interesting about this play is your quick decision, after making the pass to Josh (Hart), to relocate to the 3-point line rather than stay in the trenches. Some guys may just make the pass and stand still when a teammate shoots that open of a shot. What was going through your mind here?
One, what the hell am I going to do trying to get an offensive rebound with all these 7-footers? Second, I’m starting to get back on defense. When we get the offensive rebound, it was scramble mode. I’ve worked on a lot of relocation stuff and moving into different types of actions. Yeah, it’s a great opportunity to get a catch-and-shoot 3.
So it was you coming to the conclusion that you’re not getting the offensive rebound and someone has to get back just in case he misses?
If I get an offensive rebound, I’m going to get one out (near the perimeter). I’m not going to get one (in the paint). I need to be at the elbows or trying to get back on defense.