Jalen Brunson has been on red-hot form lately for the New York Knicks. He recently became the fourth player in the franchise’s history to score 40 or more in consecutive games. While Brunson’s new-found form is earning him praise from all over the league, his teammate and long-time friend Josh Hart didn’t miss this opportunity to troll Brunson’s achievement.
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Hart and Brunson have been teammates since college, which explains their longstanding friendship. Hart had previously brutally trolled Brunson after he was snubbed from the All-Star Starters’ list for this year’s game.
A Reddit user u/OnlyMamaKnows recently posted Josh Hart’s statement on Jalen Brunson’s consecutive 40-point game record on the r/nba subreddit. As per the post, Hart told The Athletic, “He’s our go-to guy. Great that he was able to kinda get into that company. That’s elite company. Maybe he’ll pass a little bit more next game.”
The fans in this post’s comments were fawning over the tight-knit bond between Brunson and Hart and their banter. Complimenting the same, one fan wrote, “Pretty dope those 3 friends get to play together every night.”
Another fan loved the duo of Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson, given their incredible on-court chemistry. They wrote, “High expectations Nova teammate,” referencing Hart and Brunson’s collegiate careers with the Villanova Wildcats.
This fan seems convinced that Josh Hart might be related to the Celtics’ head coach, Joe Mazzulla, who has a similar dry humor as the Knicks star.
The level of chemistry and understanding that the two friends have while sharing the floor is nothing less than immaculate. This fan wrote, “More teams should pair up friends. Their culture is incredible.”
Brunson’s rise to glory has been more or less organic, given he has been on a steady trajectory of brilliance since replacing an injured Julius Randle on the roster. The New York Knicks stand fourth in the Eastern Conference with a secured playoff spot. If Jalen Brunson maintains this similar consistency, he could perhaps lead New York deep into the playoffs this postseason.
How has Jalen Brunson played since replacing Julius Randle?
Julius Randle has been out from the Knicks Roster since January 27 after dislocating his shoulder in a game against the Miami Heat. Though some reports suggest Randle’s steady recovery from the injury, the player has not ruled out the possibility of a season-ending surgery. In Randle’s absence, Jalen Brunson has taken up the mantle of carrying the Knicks and is excelling in this role.
Without Randle, Brunson has started in 18 games for the Knicks, averaging 29.6 points, 6.4 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game, as per Stat Muse. During this time, Randle had at least nine games scoring 30 or more points and recently registered himself as the fourth player in Knicks’ history to score more than 40 points in consecutive games. Furthermore, Brunson has led the team to an 11-7 record this season without Randle.
