After an ESPN analyst said New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson was “too small,” he certainly played big on Christmas Day.
A full-team effort in the Knicks' Christmas Day W!
— NBA (@NBA) December 25, 2023
Brunson 38 PTS | Randle 24 PTS | Barrett 21 PTS | Quickley 20 PTS
This marks the first time since 1963 that the Knicks have had four 20-point scorers on Christmas Day pic.twitter.com/q9m5s2Z2F9
Brunson put up 38 points on 15-for-28 shooting, outscoring Milwaukee Bucks All-Stars Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Knicks won 129-122, getting their first win against Milwaukee in the four games between the teams this season.
Earlier this week, ESPN’s Becky Hammon, head coach of the WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces, declared that the Knicks “don’t have … a 1A dude.” When colleague Kendrick Perkins mentioned Brunson, Hammon said, “Naw, he too small.”
ESPN Becky Hammon on Knicks: “They’re not getting into that tier…don’t have the personnel…don’t have the manpower…pretty good team…but at the end of the day they don’t have a Dude…you gotta have a 1A Dude”
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 21, 2023
Kendrick Perkins: “…They do have that dude. Jalen Brunson“
Hammon:… pic.twitter.com/lSdt96BFz5
Whether Brunson heard the criticism or not, he upped his game for the national TV audience. It was the third game of 36 or more points for Brunson against Milwaukee this year.
For the season, he’s averaging 25.6 points and 5.9 assists, making 46.2% of this three-pointers, making a huge push for his first All-Star game — and “1A dude status.”
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