In his much-anticipated return to the court, Jalen Brunson notched up 15 points and dished out six assists, contributing to the New York Knicks’ victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday with a score of 112-98.
Reflecting on his performance after missing nearly a month due to a sprained ankle, Brunson commented, “It could’ve gone better, it could’ve gone worse. There’s definitely plenty of room for me to improve.”
Though Brunson only connected on 3 out of his 9 attempts from the field, he managed to stay active for 34 minutes.
Stepping up in Brunson’s absence, OG Anunoby made quite an impression by closing the game with an impressive 32 points. Riding an almost 24-point average during the period Brunson was sidelined, Anunoby showed no signs of slowing down, and Coach Tom Thibodeau insists that the forward’s aggressive playstyle will remain consistent despite Brunson’s return.
Coach Thibodeau also observed that Brunson seemed to find his rhythm as the game went on. “When players come back, they generally need some time to get comfortable. They’ll encounter moments where they’re tested a wee bit. But then, when they realize everything’s intact, they elevate their game,” Thibodeau noted. “In the second half, I saw him shift into a higher gear.”
