- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 436,626
- Reaction score
- 44
Ausar Thompson gave a one-word answer.
A day after Jalen Brunson erupted for 34 points in his Knicks’ Game 1 win over the Pistons, Thompson — Detroit’s go-to defender — was asked what are some of the biggest challenges he faces when guarding Brunson.
“None,” Thompson replied.
Thompson’s comment followed a film session in which the Pistons reviewed Saturday night’s 123-112 loss at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks unleashed 21-0 run in the fourth quarter to take a 1-0 lead in the first-round playoff series.
Brunson scored 12 points in that final quarter, including a dagger lay-up in which he blew past Thompson with 1:05 remaining.
That capped a 12-of-27 shooting effort by Brunson, who began the game just 2-of-13 from the field after repeatedly seeking and drawing contact that didn’t result in foul calls.
Brunson ultimately attempted 10 free throws but only two in the first half.
“Just don’t foul him,” Thompson said. “He’s good at drawing fouls. Well, he’s good at selling fouls, so you’ve just got to be smarter.”
Brunson finished 3-of-6 on the shots he attempted with Thompson as his primary defender in a half-court set, with all three baskets coming in the second half.
The 22-year-old Thompson regularly guarded Brunson on Saturday, but foul trouble limited the second-year guard’s time on the court.
Thompson drew a pair of fouls within the game’s first three minutes, including on a charge drawn by Brunson, and sat out from the 9:21 mark of the first quarter until the 8:04 mark of the second.
“I’ve still got to be aggressive,” Thompson said. “The first foul, to this day, I still don’t think I fouled him at all. The charge, that was a charge, but I was in a bad position already having a foul. I’m still coming out aggressive, but I’m not gonna give the refs a reason to call anything else.”
Thompson — one of the NBA’s best athletes and top defenders — praised Brunson as “a great player” and the “elite of the elite” among scorers who play with a herky-jerky style.
But Thompson also said he “1000%” needs to take advantage offensively when he’s being defended by Brunson. Thompson scored 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting on Saturday but attempted only one shot against Brunson, which he made after using a slick spin move.
“Just be aggressive, no matter if they’ve got Jalen on me or anybody on me,” Thompson said. “Just be aggressive and be a threat to the other team.”
Thompson finished with five fouls in only 23 minutes, causing Detroit to use Malik Beasley and Dennis Schröder against Brunson.
Beasley in particular served as an irritant, making it a point to initiate contact with Brunson even during stoppages.
“We’ve got to put as many bodies as we can on him,” Beasley said Sunday. “AT starts on him. Dennis is on him. Me. I’ve just got to put my body on him, make him feel it, because if it goes down to a Game 7, I want him tired.”
After enduring the Pistons’ early physicality, Brunson went into attack mode down the stretch, successfully targeting and scoring against Tobias Harris multiple times.
“I felt like they had a good game plan, and I just had to reset,” Brunson said afterward. “I found a way to get going in the second half. Teammates have the utmost confidence in me, and I appreciate that to the fullest. I just had to find a way to reset and regain composure.”
Continue reading...
A day after Jalen Brunson erupted for 34 points in his Knicks’ Game 1 win over the Pistons, Thompson — Detroit’s go-to defender — was asked what are some of the biggest challenges he faces when guarding Brunson.
“None,” Thompson replied.
Thompson’s comment followed a film session in which the Pistons reviewed Saturday night’s 123-112 loss at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks unleashed 21-0 run in the fourth quarter to take a 1-0 lead in the first-round playoff series.
Brunson scored 12 points in that final quarter, including a dagger lay-up in which he blew past Thompson with 1:05 remaining.
That capped a 12-of-27 shooting effort by Brunson, who began the game just 2-of-13 from the field after repeatedly seeking and drawing contact that didn’t result in foul calls.
Brunson ultimately attempted 10 free throws but only two in the first half.
“Just don’t foul him,” Thompson said. “He’s good at drawing fouls. Well, he’s good at selling fouls, so you’ve just got to be smarter.”
Brunson finished 3-of-6 on the shots he attempted with Thompson as his primary defender in a half-court set, with all three baskets coming in the second half.
The 22-year-old Thompson regularly guarded Brunson on Saturday, but foul trouble limited the second-year guard’s time on the court.
Thompson drew a pair of fouls within the game’s first three minutes, including on a charge drawn by Brunson, and sat out from the 9:21 mark of the first quarter until the 8:04 mark of the second.
“I’ve still got to be aggressive,” Thompson said. “The first foul, to this day, I still don’t think I fouled him at all. The charge, that was a charge, but I was in a bad position already having a foul. I’m still coming out aggressive, but I’m not gonna give the refs a reason to call anything else.”
Thompson — one of the NBA’s best athletes and top defenders — praised Brunson as “a great player” and the “elite of the elite” among scorers who play with a herky-jerky style.
But Thompson also said he “1000%” needs to take advantage offensively when he’s being defended by Brunson. Thompson scored 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting on Saturday but attempted only one shot against Brunson, which he made after using a slick spin move.
“Just be aggressive, no matter if they’ve got Jalen on me or anybody on me,” Thompson said. “Just be aggressive and be a threat to the other team.”
Thompson finished with five fouls in only 23 minutes, causing Detroit to use Malik Beasley and Dennis Schröder against Brunson.
Beasley in particular served as an irritant, making it a point to initiate contact with Brunson even during stoppages.
“We’ve got to put as many bodies as we can on him,” Beasley said Sunday. “AT starts on him. Dennis is on him. Me. I’ve just got to put my body on him, make him feel it, because if it goes down to a Game 7, I want him tired.”
After enduring the Pistons’ early physicality, Brunson went into attack mode down the stretch, successfully targeting and scoring against Tobias Harris multiple times.
“I felt like they had a good game plan, and I just had to reset,” Brunson said afterward. “I found a way to get going in the second half. Teammates have the utmost confidence in me, and I appreciate that to the fullest. I just had to find a way to reset and regain composure.”
Continue reading...
