Jalen Brunson's Playoff Performance and Knicks' Future

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00:00Brunson finished the playoffs with 29.4 points per game, 3.4 boards per game, 7 assists per game.

00:07He shot 36% from 3. He had a really good playoff, Jalen Brunson.

00:12He had a really bad game 6 on Saturday night.

00:15Here he was after being asked if Tom Thibodeau is the right guy to lead the Knicks moving forward.

00:22Jalen, when you talk about the confidence, obviously, I feel like nobody takes more criticism than Tom.

00:28And this team, obviously, has turned around during his tenure.

00:32Do you kind of feel that going forward, he's the same guy to lift you guys the rest of the way at next level?

00:39Is that a real question right now?

00:43You just asked me if I believe that if he's the right guy.

00:46Yes.

00:48Thanks, guys.

00:49Come on.

00:51Come on.

00:52Yeah, I really don't see what is so bad about the question.

00:58Like, he acts like he offended him.

01:01And let me talk about, like, I've already said this before.

01:05I mean, I got to tell you, like, to me, 36% from downtown is kind of ass.

01:10And I also think his turnovers were just unbelievable.

01:15And he's a flopper.

01:16He plays no defense.

01:17And all they do is show his offensive numbers.

01:20And we know why he gets those numbers.

01:23He's a great player, a great scorer.

01:27There's no doubt about it.

01:29And he's a great actor.

01:30He's a flopper, Hannah.

01:32And he gets to the line a lot.

01:33He gets a lot of calls.

01:35There is no getting around that he has game.

01:37But you can't sit there and brag to me about all those numbers when you don't win and you don't stop anybody.

01:45I mean, his defense is porous.

01:48And that's all there is to it.

01:50So when people ask him about his coach, like, I think it's a fair question.

01:54And I guarantee other people are going to talk about it, whether or not he's going to stick.

02:00And I already said earlier on the show, I think that, and I said this last week, I don't think he should go anywhere.

02:05The guy's won 56% of his games in New York over five years.

02:10Do you realize that, like, if a guy in the NBA hits 51, it's like gold.

02:16In betting, if you're at 53, you're making money.

02:20All these people around here acting like they're hitting 75, 85, 90% of their bets.

02:24They're all liars.

02:25They're just lying through their teeth.

02:28They never talk about their lost tickets and their ripped tickets.

02:31All we ever hear about is how wonderful everyone is.

02:34Well, let's talk about how horrible the defense was.

02:38Let's talk about, like, they played no defense.

02:41That's why they lost.

02:43I don't care what he thinks.

02:44Like, you don't like the question?

02:45You're going to get up and leave the room?

02:47Like, let's talk about your bunk-ass defense.

02:50Because all he does is flop.

02:52He don't stop nobody.

02:55Ever.

02:56And that was also, like, his, the way he answered that question, that was kind of how he answered everything.

03:04Like, he just, he wasn't in the mood for any of it, obviously, after losing on Saturday night.

03:08That's why I say, why interview the losers?

03:10It's a waste of time.

03:11They never say anything.

03:12It's a gigantic, you know, cluster F, and no one, you know, gets anything out of it ever.

03:18And, you know, you're listening to some morbid coach talk about how much he loves his guys.

03:23There's no guys I'd want to go to battle with more than the guys in that room right now.

03:27And right now it's a little tough.

03:29But I love everyone.

03:31And they were there with me all year.

03:33And there's no one I'd rather go to battle with.

03:36Oh.

03:36Is there anything worse than the interview with the loser in the hallway after the game?

03:41I mean, there's nothing worse in sports.

03:44Who cares what the loser has to say?

03:47Tibbs was more, is going to be more looking ahead, obviously, of what you need to do now to get better.

03:52It's going to be a very busy offseason for the Knicks.

03:56Tom, what do you feel like are those next steps you guys have to make?

03:59And again, like you would do after every season, you take a step back.

04:04I think decompress.

04:05You do a deep dive on the team.

04:07And then you analyze what you think you need to improve upon.

04:12And then, you know, we have the draft.

04:14And then we have free agency.

04:16And there's trades.

04:17And then there's the internal development.

04:19And then it's the study and preparation for next season.

04:22And so it's a big offseason for us.

04:26Yeah, you think?

04:27Listen, there's no getting around that.

04:30I think that I said it in simpler terms earlier.

04:33They have to figure out what's missing because it's not much.

04:39But they're definitely, to me, they were literally a seven-guy team.

04:45Whereas the Pacers were a 12-guy team.

04:48So to me, they're missing at least two pieces that could do more for them at both ends of the floor.

04:56I don't think they legitimately have anyone.

05:01And I'm going to say this.

05:02Ananobi and Hart, to me, are the two best dogs on the floor for them defensively.

05:10Without question.

05:11Now, people can say whatever they want about Josh Hart.

05:14I heard somebody today say that he's going down the other side of the mountain.

05:18I'm like, no, he's not.

05:20He's the same age as Brunson.

05:22But they're not old.

05:23He's a double-double machine.

05:25He's had triple-doubles.

05:26He gets rebounds.

05:27I've never seen a guy 6'5 rebound like that before in my life.

05:31He plays with all heart, no pun intended.

05:34And I like his game.

05:36They need more players like him.

05:38I've got to be honest with you.

05:40So make some trades and get players in that play defense.

05:43You know, like a hunter.

05:45Some guy that actually is a dog on the glass.

05:49And I've got to tell you, excuse me, my mistake.

05:53Mitchell Robinson has to be mentioned defensively and on the boards was the best player on the Knicks, hands down, and way better than Ananobi.

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