LeBron James could not hold back his praise when discussing Jalen Brunson and the success the New York Knicks are experiencing in the ongoing postseason. After being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, James and the Lakers have a long offseason ahead and a lot of issues to address.
The Knicks have fared much better this season and are currently matched up against the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Given that the team eliminated the Boston Celtics in the second round, it’s no surprise they are finally being given credit.
During a recent episode of his podcast, “Mind the Game,” James, along with NBA icon Steve Nash, spoke about Brunson and the impact he has had on the Knicks throughout the playoffs.
LeBron James, Steve Nash Credit Jalen Brunson Against the Celtics
Heading into the playoffs, many NBA experts believed the Boston Celtics had a strong chance to repeat as NBA champions. After all, they dominated the Knicks during the regular season and were expected to do the same in the postseason.
Although Brunson had a lot of help from his teammates, James couldn’t help but acknowledge his ability to score despite elite Celtics defenders guarding him throughout the series.
“You know, you got Jrue Holiday, who’s dogging you all up and down the court. You try to run a pick and roll, now Jaylen Brown switches on you, and you try to get another switch, and Derrick White is on you. At the end of the shot clock, sometimes you have Al Horford closing out on you. You can win the foot race, but the guy is still 6’10”, and he’s smart as hell, so like, that makes it all the more dynamic and it shows how great he is,” James said.
Meanwhile, Nash said, “I don’t know how Jalen does it, man. He’s got so much responsibility, and I don’t know how he does it. … Man, I don’t know how he’s able to sustain that level of performance at his size with the best guy guarding him.”
Lebron James and Steve Nash praise Jalen Brunson
LeBron calls Brunson Great
My Goat getting the respect he deserves
via @mindthegamepod pic.twitter.com/9Z4Llqx5B6
— Sukano (@iHateSukano) May 20, 2025
It is certainly high praise to be called “great” by one of the best basketball players in league history. Although Brunson may have found it difficult to score against the Celtics’ top defenders, he managed to do just that — and eliminated the defending champions in six games.
While this season is over for James and the Lakers, Brunson and the Knicks remain in championship contention and are closer to a title than many experts predicted. If the Knicks get past the Pacers and punch their ticket to the NBA Finals, they will be just four wins away from a coveted championship.