New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson cautioned his teammates against presuming a return trip to the Eastern Conference finals, telling Games Hub that the club must “go through this process again and continue to get better.”
“Hopefully we don’t have that mindset going into the season where we think we’re just going to jump back into the Eastern Conference Finals,” Brunson said in the interview, which was relayed by Kristian Winfield of the New York Post. The Knicks fell two wins short of the NBA Finals last spring.
Core Intact, Reinforcements Added
New York enters training camp with virtually the same roster that made last season’s run, while adding Jordan Clarkson, Guerschon Yabusele and several camp hopefuls. The most significant change comes on the bench, where Mike Brown replaces Tom Thibodeau. Brown is known for using a deeper rotation than his predecessor, a shift Brunson welcomes but refuses to label a finished product.
“I think we’ve been taking steady steps every year,” Brunson said. “The best part about our team is the chemistry we’ve grown and we’ve created. Everyone says, ‘Oh, you need to get experience.’ Well, this is us getting experience.”
Karl-Anthony Towns’ Impact
Brunson also highlighted forward Karl-Anthony Towns, who arrived from Minnesota and earned All-NBA Third Team honors in his first season at Madison Square Garden. “Having him as a teammate has been really fun,” Brunson noted. “He shoots the ball so effortlessly, he can make plays, and he has great touch around the rim.”
On paper, the Knicks are widely viewed as one of the Eastern Conference’s top contenders. Brunson’s message: championships are earned, not predicted.
Source: Hoops Wire
