In the biggest, most pressured moments, Josh Hart has full confidence in Jalen Brunson.
This reminds Hart of his trust in his former teammate Damian Lillard, who is so famous he was nicknamed “Dame Time.”
“I have a lot of confidence (in Brunson). It was one of those things, just like playing with Dame,” said Hart, who played alongside Lillard for two seasons with the Trail Blazers.
“Dame told me, ‘All right, we keep this game close in the last two minutes, I can win it for us.’
“My short time with Dame and in Portland, that was my mentality. It was about making sure the match was within reach in the final minutes, and that Dame could do what Dame does. And it’s the same with Jalen.
Brunson has been a one-man show in the playoffs, averaging 33.9 points while constantly being under defensive pressure.
Although Brunson’s efficiency declined a bit in terms of clutch time during the playoffs, he led the offense and the Knicks went 6-2 in games when the score was within five points in the last five minutes.
He averages 10 points in the fourth quarters of the playoffs.
“I have all the confidence in the world that he will go out there and make the right play, and sometimes he doesn’t score,” Hart said before the Knicks faced the Pacers in a critical Game 6 Friday night. “But it’s just him making the right play, and it’s the same mentality of keeping this game close (so Brunson can finish it). If it’s a back-and-forth game, give him the ball at the end, and I have full confidence in him to win.
Brunson, who won two NCAA titles at Villanova and improved his game in his last three NBA playoffs, agreed that he’s OK with high-pressure games.
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“I’m really excited about these moments,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to go out there and compete. For me, my parents always taught me to never be afraid to fail, no matter the situation. If you lose, you learn from it.
OG Anunoby was officially ruled out of Game 6, his fourth consecutive absence due to a hamstring strain.
He’s doing “very light work” on the practice field, Tom Thibodeau said Thursday.
The coach added that Anunoby “does a little more” than his previous update two days ago.
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Anunoby, the Knicks’ top defender, was injured in the third quarter of a Game 2 victory. They are 26-5 with him in the lineup.
When asked if the next step for Anunoby was in the works, Thibodeau replied: “It’s a medical question. »
The Knicks hope Anunoby returns in the Conference Finals, according to reports.
Thibodeau extended a playful invitation to chat with ESPN writer Tim Keown – who, in the process of publishing a profile on the Knicks coach, discovered a photo of a slender young Knicks coach lounging on the beach.
The photo of the college-aged Thibodeau made the rounds on social media and was shown by Keown to a professional switchman.
Hart immediately took a photo of the photo.
“Anyone who knows who the writer is, Tim, tell him I’m looking for him,” Thibodeau smiles. “And give it to Josh Hart?” You’re making fun of me, of everyone.
New York Post
