[Breber] By my count, CJ McCollum has 22 points on 82.3% TS (9⁄12 FG) when being guarded by Jalen Brunson in this series. I think New York’s gonna have to be more aggressive to keep Brunson out of this matchup. It’s a big problem.
CJ is a professional scorer. Even if we took him off, they are going to hunt that matchup. We were in a position to win this game even with CJ cooking Brunson. We are doing a good job on limiting NAW and JJ. 1 guy going off is better than 3.
Wizards made people forget CJ is like that sometimes
He was randomly winning games for the Wiz, he had to go
Nothing that happens on the wizards is real.
The hawks are doing to others what every team did to them when trae was the pg.
Its so much more fun on this side
That’s when you put two on the ball and bank on either CJ’s tunnel vision getting the best of him or if he does pass out of it that funnel shots to Jalen Johnson and NAW since both are playing like the lights are too bright for them
I think that’s a good option cause CJ is definitely prone to forcing it, but you risk letting NAW and JJ back into the series if they get a run of easy looks. Jalen has been pretty ass the first two games but in that 4th quarter he finally remembered he’s bigger and faster than josh hart and took him to the rim a few times. If he gets it going knicks are in trouble. On the other hand if the knicks remember they have a 7 foot elite shooter who should probably get more shots the hawks are in trouble too.
If the Knicks remembered that this season they’re probably the two seed, I wouldn’t call that a serious risk for y’all
Yeah you just can’t let cj iso against Brunson. Bring a second guy and try to scramble back.
They have to do exactly what NY did to the Jays last season. Swarm CJ and get overly aggressive with hedging switches so Brunson can’t get isolated, thus forcing CJ into making the right read/pass to the open player on the perimeter for a 3.
Problem is I don’t think I trust Mike Brown to figure that out the way Thibs did. And yes, that exposes scoring from other guys.
CJ rolling isn’t a bad thing, as he will start to feel his oats and begin bricking hard later in the series.
Brunson is a remarkably bad screen navigator. It’s odd, given his offensive playstyle, but he’s got stiff hips and kind of heavy feet on the defensive end. Doesn’t seem like he possesses great anticipation either.
He’s decent in space. I remember in one of their matchups vs the Lakers he got switched on Reaves and they ran a 1-4 flat to let him iso and Brunson moves his feet really well and forced him into a contested middy.
He’s good when it comes to slower guards because he himself is a slower guard but once you ask him to try guarding twitchier and shiftier guards like CJ he just can’t stay in front of them.
Yeah he’s not athletic is really his downfall, but he should fight over screens harder. I think consequently his need to have heavy iso action for 11-15 seconds to usually get his shot off sucks. If they had a real secondary creator where he could get quick shots it would be easier to play defense by not wearing yourself out on every offensive possession.
It’s weird cause gabe vincent is skinnier than brunson but he uses that to his advantage to squeeze through tight spaces through screens.
Vincent is way more athletic than JB though. JBs entire game relies on him getting defenders off balance and then exploiting that. There isn’t really equivalent on defense because you are the one reacting.
Trae Young with better PR
He doesn’t know how to guard himself, ik that’s fs
Man CJ was saucing him up the entire game, lmao
Bbq chicken
It’s not surprising, Brunson is probably the worst defender in the playoffs rn.
I want more young guards to watch CJ and Jamal Murray. No where near the flashiest guys, but they seem to always get to their spots, against any defender with various combos, change of pace, back downs, and IQ.
Just damn good basketball players who has (CJ) and imo will (Jamal) age like wine.
There’s no surprise they’re elite scorers in the playoffs that have go to mid range counters.
Jamal is flashy as fuck though? He’s pretty quick and is night unstoppable at times. Jamal also farms a random ass highlight layup like once a game at least. Do agree on your actual points though lmao
I feel like as PGs go, Murray is super slow/not quick. That was the concern with him as a prospect. But he does make some good highlights, I agree.
The head snap doesn’t work as well on defense
Issue is you’re already hiding KAT on Dyson so where are you going to hide Brunson? You cant have 2 bad defenders on the floor in the playoffs. It just doesn’t work.
I mean to be fair they’ve done a very good job of defending us this series. This is going to get talked about a lot over the next few days but their defense has been amazing this series
Naw has shot bad but has shot his shot. JJ has been clamped at times. While neither are playing their best it’s for very different reasons.
I’m hoping NAW will explode next game 😔 my agenda is weakening these couple playoff games. He’s had some great defensive plays though.
while not great, i disagree it’s a big problem, hawks game 2 offensive rating would have ranked like 25th
if you told the knicks that they’d hold the hawks to that, they’d take it every single time
knicks were up 12 heading into the fourth, gotta close that game out
Hawks defense is good tho. That’s kinda the issue. They’re not the best offensive team you gotta stifle them on offense to beat them.
yeah but if you go into a series with Brunson/KAT
and you hold the team to the same offense as like the Kings, you’re feeling good
it’s similar to Warriors/Cavs 2016 to me, where people were like oh Kyrie exposed Steph! it was like 93-89, if you’re the warriors and you get told you’re holding the Cavs to 93 points you take it, you gotta execute better on offense
no bias but i hope the knicks make no adjustments
Bunson
Blame Mike Brown. He switched OG on CJ wayyyyyyy to fucking late, it was like 2 min left and he finally made that change. Also fuck KAT and his constant fouls. He got in foul trouble in the third and didn’t score a single fucking basket un the fourth.
Wild take. Yesterday’s loss is not on Kat. JB isolating against plus defenders on multiple possessions fed right into the hawks hands
Literally into their hands with the ball. Twice.
You either watched the wrong game or you’re high if you blame KAT
KAT is a menace, no doubt; but he does play like he’s got 8 to give
IMO I think brown deserves more blame for how he involves Kat. Atlanta is not a team that can deal with your bigs with jock injured
Brunson is about the best small guard you can get in 2026. Says a lot about their liabilities in the postseason
small guards can still defend. brunson is just ass at sliding his feet.
Not realty, he could be better offensively.
Who’s better
Himself last year or two years ago lol.
Dmitch.
I’m confused why we didn’t put bridges on CJ. It’s like they decided to play position matchups
Bridges gets a lot of shit, some of it deserved, but it also feels like he’s never really slotted in to the team once KAT got there. It feels like there’s one too many all-star ish level players so one of them gets squeezed out.
Test
Uh test good I guess
Sorry it wasn’t letting me reply to you, had to delete and just put test to try it out
Reddit issue
They did but NAW sets a screen every time to switch Brunson on cj. Brunson never backs off, he just mindlessly switches
Alvarado gonna be closing out games for the Knicks if they have a lead.
He’s cooking his ass