Jalen Brunson looked dejected at the podium after the New York Knicks suffered another late-game collapse in Thursday’s 109-108 Game 3 road loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
Brunson committed multiple costly miscues with the game on the line as the Knicks fell into a 2-1 series deficit in the first-round Eastern Conference playoff series, prompting a candid postgame response from the star guard.
Jalen Brunson Gets Blunt After Frustrating Game 3 Loss
Brunson’s 26-point night, which included a clutch 3-point play to put New York ahead 108-105 with 1:03 remaining after rallying from an 18-point deficit, was overshadowed by poor execution in the contest’s waning seconds.
The three-time All-Star airballed a fadeaway jumper with the Knicks leading 108-107 with 16.4 seconds left, opening the door for Hawks veteran guard CJ McCollum to hit a go-ahead shot on the other end. With one last chance to win the game, Brunson proceeded to turn the ball over on the final possession, sealing New York’s fate.
When asked how he felt about his offensive performance after the Knicks’ second straight crushing 1-point postseason loss, Brunson didn’t soften his answer.
“Not good enough,” Brunson told the media.
Upon being pressed to expand on whether there was anything he could have done better, the 29-year-old simply responded, “Everything.”
Addressing his game-deciding turnover, Brunson exhaled before acknowledging that he was at a loss for words.
In theory, the final sequence of the game began unfolding the way the Knicks wanted it to. Head coach Mike Brown explained that they got a switch they weren’t expecting, with Hawks big man Onyeka Okongwu guarding Brunson.
“We cleared the side of the floor for him. That’s what we wanted to do,” Brown said. “We wanted to zip him to the top of the floor, and clear that right side of the floor for him because that’s what he’s comfortable doing. And tell him, ‘Go win it.’ That’s what we were looking for.”
Instead, Brunson drove the baseline, got trapped, and was forced into a critical giveaway.
Mikal Bridges Comes Up Empty in Game 3 Loss
Despite Brunson’s low spirits, he was far from New York’s main problem on Thursday. Starting wing Mikal Bridges finished with 0 points, going 0-of-3 from the floor in 21 minutes of action in a contest where every bucket counted.
Bridges also logged a game-worst minus-26 plus-minus and 4 turnovers, with his undeniably negative impact putting the Knicks in a tough spot late.
New York parted with a massive haul featuring five first-round draft picks to land Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets in the 2024 offseason. As such, the eight-year veteran has continuously faced heavy scrutiny, and he vowed to “take it on the chin” on Thursday as he looks forward to Game 4.
“You know it’s going to suck,” Bridges said. “It is what it is. It’s got to be better to help my team out there.”
Speaking on how the Knicks can even up the series again, Bridges added, “We just got to put it all together. Like I said, it starts with me. I’ve got to be better, but we’ve just got to play as a team and fight for all 48.”
Game 4 is Saturday in Atlanta.
