Reigning champions Celtics were a cut above the rest of the league last season and cruised to the title. They are the favorites to win the championship again and become the first team since 2018 to win back-to-back titles. However, Kendrick Perkins believes the Knicks can dethrone them because they not only have a stellar roster but also a top 10 player in the league in Jalen Brunson.
On Thursday’s episode of NBA on ESPN, host Mallika Andrews asked the analyst how the Knicks should manage the expectations placed on them following the arrival of Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. The former Celtics center said they should feel comfortable and not worry because they have the best player in the Eastern Conference. Perkins said,
“When you look at Jalen Brunson, in my opinion, he was the best player in the east last year averaging 28, now you go out, get Mikal Bridges, get Karl Anthony-Towns, he have the perfect pieces around him to go be successful. He knows it, everybody in the organization knows it, and I believe he’s a top 10 player in the NBA right now.”
He added that the Knicks would dethrone the Celtics, win the Eastern Conference, and end the franchise’s 25-year wait for an NBA Finals appearance. The analyst’s expectations from New York are lofty, but he’s spot on about Brunson.
Brunson is one of the best guards in the league
Last season, the Knicks looked like a title contender with Brunson on the court. His ability to manage the game while finishing at the rim and finding teammates for open shots was brilliant.
The guard’s value cannot be understated. Last year, the Knicks were 1-4 without him and averaged only 100 points. With him in the lineup, they went 49-28 and scored a whopping 113.6 points per game.
Brunson ranked fourth in the NBA in scoring, averaging 28.7 points per game. He also provided 6.7 assists per night. His efforts led the Knicks to 50 wins and a second-place finish in the East. He played 35.4 minutes per game, the most in his career so far.
Come playoff time, he elevated his game. In 13 outings, Brunson averaged 32.4 points on 44% shooting from the field, 7.5 assists, and played nearly 40 minutes per game.
Despite being the Knicks’ primary ball-handler and a high-volume scorer, the guard’s turnover percentage is relatively low, at 2.4 per game. His +/- of 6.6 was higher than what Luka Doncic (4.6) and Stephen Curry (2.6) managed.
Brunson averaged more points than Kevin Durant, shot more efficiently from the field than Jayson Tatum, and better from beyond the arc than Devin Booker. With his speed, skill, and maneuverability, the Knicks star is in the running for the title of the best player in the East, which currently belongs to Joel Embiid.
The 76ers superstar missed out on the MVP award as he failed to meet the NBA’s 65-game threshold. However, he averaged 34.7 points in 39 games, proving he’s the most unstoppable player in the Eastern Conference.
However, Perkins’ claim about Brunson being a top 10 player in the NBA is valid. HoopsHype ranked the guard eighth in their list of the league’s top 100 players ahead of the upcoming season. The 28-year-old being placed about LeBron James and Stephen Curry sparked some outrage on social media. However, the numbers suggest he deserved that placement.
A stellar regular season, followed by a historic postseason, where he matched a 30-year record set by Michael Jordan, has cemented the Knicks superstar’s place as a top 10 player in the league.
