Ian Begley

I think part of it, he grew confidence seeing himself on the screen with you, and that's elevated his game.

We're not even talking about Jalen Brunson, who, you know, shooting percentage...

has been below the standard he set for himself, particularly the first three games.

But last night he, he was the engine part of the engine that got the Knicks back to within striking distance.

And then as he always does, he had a few big shots late that got them to within one or two points and it gets overshadowed by in an OB and, and we understand why, but

Brunson played a big role in getting them back to within striking distance and then back to where in a position where they could win the game.

And the shooting was much better in the second half.

And the decision making, I thought, was very good in the second half.

And they're obviously not there without him.

I mean, I think from what I saw, he was getting to the spots that he has operated with success in.

And whether it was the mid-range in rhythm or, you know, he found seams, driving seams, and he's able to finish whenever you give him an inch of daylight.

And he had a few drives, multiple drives in that second half where he did finish tough, tough shots at the rim, but that's just where his talent takes him and takes the next.

And so I don't know if it, if it was anything different from Brunson's perspective, from his approach.

But I think in that fourth quarter, you know, we talked about Alvarado allowing Brunson to be off the ball at times.

And Alvarado kind of being that secondary ball handler as a pressure relief for Brunson and the Knicks.

I think that's where you could point to something and say, hey, this was different.

And maybe this is what got Brunson going or what helped him help keep him going in that second half.

I don't want to belabor the point, but just Mike Brown's thought process in bringing Alvarado in.

Part of it was getting Brunson off the ball and not forcing him to, you know, have to fight the Spurs again.

tooth and nail for every inch when he's bringing the ball up or, you know, fighting off the ball.