- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,265,426
- Reaction score
- 59
The NBA Finals were barely underway when the night threatened to turn into a nightmare for New York. The Knicks entered the series as slight underdogs, riding an extraordinary 11-game postseason win streak and carrying the weight of a city starved for a championship. Then, in the first quarter at Frost Bank Center, their leader went down. What happened next would make Game 1 one of the most unforgettable opening nights in Finals history.
Brunson was getting into position for a rebound when Spurs forward Harrison Barnes barreled in, colliding with Knicks guard Landry Shamet before tumbling to the floor and making contact with Brunson’s right knee. The All-Star guard immediately clutched his leg and signaled for a substitution. He was seen walking gingerly through the tunnel to the locker room, returning to the bench early in the second quarter with a wrap around his knee.
Ankle Injury Sidelines Jalen Brunson After Luke Kornet Collision in NBA Finals Game 1 (Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)
That was only the beginning. After checking back in, Brunson came down awkwardly on his left ankle when Spurs big man Luke Kornet inadvertently stepped on it after contesting a drive. Brunson was furious with official Scott Foster over a no-call on the play.
Despite the back-to-back scares, he refused to leave the floor. He struggled through three quarters on poor shooting, but in the fourth quarter alone scored 13 points, including an improbable high-arching jump shot with 37 seconds left that gave New York a six-point lead and effectively ended the game.
Brunson finished with 30 points, joining Willis Reed as the only players in Knicks history to score 30 or more in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The Knicks beat the Spurs 105-95, with Karl-Anthony Towns adding 18. On the San Antonio side, Victor Wembanyama scored 26 but struggled with his shot, finishing just 6 of 21 from the field. After the game, Brunson told the ESPN broadcast, “I’ll be all right.”
This was not the first time Brunson played through pain on basketball’s biggest stage. The Knicks came into the Finals after falling behind 2-1 against the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, then winning 11 straight games while outscoring opponents by 19.4 points per game, the best margin in NBA Playoffs history.
Entering Game 1, Brunson was averaging 26.9 points, 6.6 assists, and 2.2 three-pointers per game on 48.6% shooting across 14 playoff outings. That kind of load always carries a cost.
Head coach Mike Brown summed it up simply after the win: “Jalen’s tough as nails. I think he’s okay.” His status heading into Game 2 will dominate the narrative. How long can one player absorb this kind of punishment?
The Knicks now lead 1-0 in the best-of-seven series. Game 2 is scheduled for Friday at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, where the Spurs will look to level things up and test New York’s resolve once more, this time without the luxury of catching Brunson off guard.
Continue reading...
Ankle Injury Sidelines Jalen Brunson
Brunson was getting into position for a rebound when Spurs forward Harrison Barnes barreled in, colliding with Knicks guard Landry Shamet before tumbling to the floor and making contact with Brunson’s right knee. The All-Star guard immediately clutched his leg and signaled for a substitution. He was seen walking gingerly through the tunnel to the locker room, returning to the bench early in the second quarter with a wrap around his knee.
You must be registered for see images attach
Ankle Injury Sidelines Jalen Brunson After Luke Kornet Collision in NBA Finals Game 1 (Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)
That was only the beginning. After checking back in, Brunson came down awkwardly on his left ankle when Spurs big man Luke Kornet inadvertently stepped on it after contesting a drive. Brunson was furious with official Scott Foster over a no-call on the play.
Despite the back-to-back scares, he refused to leave the floor. He struggled through three quarters on poor shooting, but in the fourth quarter alone scored 13 points, including an improbable high-arching jump shot with 37 seconds left that gave New York a six-point lead and effectively ended the game.
Brunson finished with 30 points, joining Willis Reed as the only players in Knicks history to score 30 or more in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The Knicks beat the Spurs 105-95, with Karl-Anthony Towns adding 18. On the San Antonio side, Victor Wembanyama scored 26 but struggled with his shot, finishing just 6 of 21 from the field. After the game, Brunson told the ESPN broadcast, “I’ll be all right.”
Brunson’s Toughness Faces Its Biggest Test Yet
This was not the first time Brunson played through pain on basketball’s biggest stage. The Knicks came into the Finals after falling behind 2-1 against the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, then winning 11 straight games while outscoring opponents by 19.4 points per game, the best margin in NBA Playoffs history.
Entering Game 1, Brunson was averaging 26.9 points, 6.6 assists, and 2.2 three-pointers per game on 48.6% shooting across 14 playoff outings. That kind of load always carries a cost.
Head coach Mike Brown summed it up simply after the win: “Jalen’s tough as nails. I think he’s okay.” His status heading into Game 2 will dominate the narrative. How long can one player absorb this kind of punishment?
The Knicks now lead 1-0 in the best-of-seven series. Game 2 is scheduled for Friday at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, where the Spurs will look to level things up and test New York’s resolve once more, this time without the luxury of catching Brunson off guard.
Continue reading...
