New York Knicks star point guard Jalen Brunson will have his work cut out against the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden tonight as the New York side will play without Julius Randle and OG Anunoby. Brunson has been on a phenomenal run with the Knicks this season, averaging 27.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game. His incredible on-court ascent also earned him a spot on the 2024 All-Star game’s Eastern Conference team, where he added 12 points and 5 assists.
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Before the intense matchup, let’s look at how the Knicks star has fared against the Celtics in his career. According to StatMuse, Brunson has averaged 16.1 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.4 rebounds in the 14 games he has played against the Celtics. Furthermore, the 27-year-old has recorded his points on 47.5% shooting from the floor and 34.5% from the three-point line in his career.
While playing for the Dallas Mavericks, Brunson averaged 11.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 8 games against the Celtics. Playing for the Texas franchise, Brunson’s career-high in points, assists, and rebounds were 22, 11, and 7 respectively. The 2024 All-Star joined the New York Knicks in 2022 and, since then, has faced Boston five times in the league. Brunson currently holds a career-high of 26 points, 10 assists, and 4 rebounds against the Celtics while playing for the Knicks.
In his 14 games against the Celtics, Brunson has amassed a 7-7 record against the team. During his stint with the Dallas Mavericks, the guard retained a 5-3 record against the Celtics and currently holds a 2-4 record against the team in Knicks jersey. In his head-to-head matchups against the Celtics, Brunson has averaged 21.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists on 41.1% shooting, including 26.8% from beyond the arc.
Jalen Brunson’s contributions have been notable in the Knicks emerging as an unexpected contender in the East. Furthermore, the franchise recently acquired OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors, who complements well to boost Brunson’s efforts for the team. Furthermore, the Knicks adding Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from the Pistons have also given them a competitive edge to go all-out in contending for the postseason. However, Brunson will have to take the extra load against the Celtics in the absence of Randle and Anunoby.
How will the New York Knicks fare against the Boston Celtics in the postseason?
The upcoming playoffs will see intense competition among teams, especially among Conference rivals such as the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics. While the Celts stand atop the Eastern Conference standings with a 44-12 record, the New York Knicks are not far behind, standing fourth with a 32-22 record.
This season, the teams were to face each other four times in the league, with Boston already edging ahead of New York with a 3-0 record. In tonight’s game, the Knicks could either try to make the record 3-1 against the Celtics, or the Celts could continue their winning streak against New York with another win, bringing their record to 4-0 against the team this season.
According to the current standings, the Knicks and the Celtics could face each other in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals if both teams advance past the first round of playoffs. However, it’s worth noting that the Knicks lag behind the Celtics in playoffs record with an all-time 31-36 tally.
