New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown continues to praise Jalen Brunson after win over the New Orleans Pelicans
The New York Knicks are continuing to build off last season's Eastern Conference Finals appearance, entering Tuesday's NBA slate just a game back of the Detroit Pistons for the first seed in the conference. A major part of the team's success this year has been the improvement and usage of depth, but it also boils down to one player.
A former second-round pick who was overlooked despite being a National Player of the Year, Jalen Brunson has seemingly improved as a player this season, now averaging a career-high 29.4 points per game this season. He might not look or play like other MVP candidates like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Luka Doncic, but he's sure effective at what he does.
Mike Brown Praises Star Guard
When it comes to praising and campaigning their star players, perhaps nobody in the league does it more than Knicks head coach Mike Brown. Whether it's making a case for OG Anunoby to be an All-Star or for Brunson to be an MVP, he's constantly praising his players after games.
After the team's 130-125 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night, Brunson earned high praise from his head coach yet again after dropping 28 points and 10 assists.
"You gotta have a guy, and when I'm talking about a guy, I'm talking about a league MVP, and we have a guy. So, he definitely makes the game easier for everybody for sure," Brown said.
Even though some analysts think someone of Brunson's stature can be a true MVP or best player on a championship team, he seems to silence the critics every game.
Brunson's performance against the Pelicans is just one of the latest stellar performances he's had. Over his last 10 games, he's averaging 32.8 points and 6.8 assists while shooting 49.1% from the field and 44% from three. He's not putting up triple-doubles or sitting out fourth quarters because of his team's play, but he's proving to be an invaluable piece to the Knicks roster.
On top of all that, he's also one of the most underpaid players in the league for what he brings to the table, making just $34.9 million this season. While that is a lot of money, that ranks him below players like Jalen Suggs and Darius Garland, two guards he's clearly better than.
However, Brunson's team-friendly contract allows for them to spend in other ways, building up a roster with depth that can sustain injuries throughout the season without breaking. If Brunson continues to play at this level, he'll have a serious case to be the team's first NBA MVP since Willis Reed in 1970.