[Highlight] This angle of the Brunson crossover of Wemby
Crazy that so many of these comments are shitting on Wemby, when the main takeaway should be how unguardable Brunson is when he’s locked in. Wemby played great defense and still almost got the block
Even now there is a comment “Wemby can’t even stop Jalen Brunson” as if Brunson is some random guard instead of HIM
Modern NBA fan culture pisses me off, just so negative lol
Yeah my main takeaway from this is
Right now Wemby is still pretty frail, so Brunson can give him some crafty bumps to shake loose. It’s one of his biggest (only?) weaknesses as a defender. If he puts on another 10 pounds of muscle this gets way harder to do, and even now only a handful of elite crafty guards can do it.
The other main weakness is his stamina at this point leaves him standing watching when he needs to be coming to help or crashing the boards.
Yea and when you’re tired a little bump like that sends you off balance, kinda stumbling like Wemby is here. If this is the first quarter he’s probably not affected much by the bump
The problem is Wemby center gravity is too high, so he would need to drop his hip, but that get taxing real quick. He needs to get stronger, and better control of his stamina for his frame which is big challenge for Wemby.
I mean, people aren’t supposed to be that big
I still can’t wrap my mind around a dude that big having a heart strong enough to pump blood through his whole body at the intensity needed for NBA. I get dizzy from standing up too quick and I’m a whole foot shorter than him lmao.
I saw a video on YouTube that said the Knicks deliberately hunted Wemby on defense, which sounds counterintuitive. Conventional wisdom would be to target the weakest defender. But the Knicks knew he would be gassed by the 4th.
And even when the spurs were on offense, the knicks were grabbing and hugging him basically every moment they could. As much contact as humanly possible to wear him down from the start of game 1.
Exactly. Mitch Johnson was trying to save him for the second half in G5, but even with all the rest in the first half he was still spent in the 4th quarter again.
His other man weakness is lateral speed. He’s not hard to blow by, though his length can make up for it at times.
Also one of those crafty bumps is a push off with his left arm here. I’m fine with that being a no call especially in the playoffs, but this sub would probably react differently if other players did that same pushoff
He also grabbed Brunson’s arm prior to that push off so if you want to get technical about it he fouled first
I’m fine with it being a no call, since Wembanyama fouled him first anyway. So if you call it by the book, the push off doesn’t even happen.
Oh, but Wemby grabbing him first was just fine?
He’s always going to have trouble with bumps against stronger guards, even with more muscle. The difference in their center of gravity is simply too high.
Username checks out.
And yes, Wemby would need to put on an ungodly amount of lower body mass to fight off a forearm to his hips in a meanignful way.
He’s gonna start playing with 20lb ankle weights, problem solved
It wasn’t just the bump that shook Wemby, it’s also the hesi after the pivot-pump fake right into the follow thru step layup. Brunson is just creatively shifty to get defenders off balance - specifically off balance away from the basket.
If he puts on another 10 pounds of muscle this gets way harder to do
That’s not going to change a whole lot for a man that tall and lanky, a lot of the reasons he can be moved from his spot are due to his general frame. its going to take a lot more bulk than that to meaningfully change things in situations like these.
He probably doesnt ever put on that much muscle, his frame isn’t built for it.
He has absolutely elite footwork and the stamina to use it late in games to find perfect positions and make defenders scramble to keep up. It’s such an old-school fundamental skill that’s lost among newer players and fans, but the truly great guards have great footwork and Brunson is just on another level
He’s turned his low center of gravity into an advantage
My buddy called Wemby “Gobert with better PR” after G5 and I just wanna say Gobert would still be at the foul line holding his ankles in a plastic bag on this drive…
Lol that’s also a pretty funny take because Gobert is a 4x DPoY
I mean his strength was never defending small PGs at the top of the key tho lol
Brunson’s mentality is insane. Like he’s been told his whole life that he can’t be the guy, at every level of the sport. Most people would just work on being a role player like Josh Hart, which isn’t a bad player in any way. Brunson just doubles down and becomes this insane elite offensive player as the smallest guy on the court. Just crazy to me.
For real.
Fans seem to have not really enjoyed Brunson. Every post “celebrating” him is actually just shitting on either Wemby, Becky Hammon, or Luka for some reason.
A lotta folks don’t know how to appreciate something without using comparison.
Except it’s not comparison. They’re disparaging the opposing player instead of focusing on Brunson.
Comparison would be looking at what other players are doing offensively.
They don’t know how to appreciate it without comparison because they don’t know how hard it is to do anything out there so they just react to what they are able to see. I’ve certainly gained a new level of appreciation for all the players out there from just trying to learn a better jumpshot.
The problem Brunson has is that his game is as visually entertaining as Duncan’s. He’s not flashy, just ruthlessly effective. That leads people to think it’s the other person messing up when it’s really him having perfect execution of the right play at the right time.
I’ve said it a ton but the average fan doesn’t watch a game and go “wow his balance and footwork is unreal, crazy how he exploits the tiniest gaps and has counter moves for his counter moves”. Most people just see big dunks, long threes, or other insanely athletic plays, but they underrate the stuff he does. Which is funny because the stuff he does is the kind of thing kids should learn from and try to mimic. You don’t get to choose if you’re born a 6’8 athletic monster with a 7’4 wingspan. But anyone can try and improve things like balance and footwork and hard work.
Yeah and the fundamentals of pretty much any sport are Iike that. No one watches baseball to see straight innings of strike outs.
And absolutely, the kids need to mimic Duncan and Brunson’s approaches to getting solid on the basics. I think AAU ball has slowly killed the fundamentals base that kids developed in the 70s-90s since scouting happens at too early of an age now.
I understand why people like those bigger and awe inspiring things, but I just think the deeper you get into following a sport, the more interesting it is to look at the other parts. Also, don’t even get me started on AAU ball. So many games, so little practice. Just all about individual talents and skill and moving away from the other parts of the game. Just a way of making money off parents at this point. It’s certainly not about developing hoopers.
Also, I’m not saying that working on fundamentals will get you to the NBA or anything. But it just goes to show that you can be deemed “too small” and “not athletic enough” for the NBA and still overcome that by exploiting the smallest of margins. Different player, but Hali is similar to me in that while he is still athletic, his really skill is his BBIQ and how he makes everyone on the court better. I’m not sure the level he operates at can be taught, but it’s another example where it’s not just raw athleticism that gets you far. There are so many ways to improve on small margins that add up to being a fantastic player, but they never get the hype of the other stuff.
AAU… and sports media coverage I would add. A 24⁄7 media spin cycle regurgitating the same tired topics over and over and over again ad nauseum. All to create maximum drama and pull in eyes. In essence helping further dilute sporting intellect on field of play or amongst the masses.
This clip is purely great defence, and probably stops 90% of players, better offense. Nothing to criticise here. Just appreciate.
I dunno dawg, that footwork and then mitch’s offensive rebound had me hollering
I mean it had me hollering too. I wanted you guys to win after seeing the ECF series last year. It was beautiful to watch both teams play unselfish ball with minimal flopping.
Hell, half the posts here about the Knicks winning the comments are 90% about the Spurs losing rather than giving credit to the Knicks for getting it done and playing well.
While I understand why everyone focuses more on the Spur’s choking, I think people still misunderstand the things that made this Knicks team great and difficult to beat. If anything, the comparison between the Knicks record when being down 20+ in the playoffs over the last 2 years vs the league should make it pretty clear that this isn’t simply the Spurs choking.
Team with excellent depth that came off two consecutive sweeps and plays suffocating team defense, dominated a team with a bunch of young guys and less depth that came off a 4-2 series and a 4-3 grindfest, in the second half of games.
It’s like people can’t comprehend there’s a reason the Knicks were better in the second half’s.
Let me celebrate Brunson for you. Let me tell you what Knick fans say about Brunson to other Knick fans.
Brunson is he. Brunson is a stone cold killer and if the NBA was a one on one league id bet on Brunson to 3 peat.
There are very few people in this world who are willing to dedicate themselves fully to a singular thing. Very few. You might think surely NBA players are exceptions to that by virtue of being a one in a million talent to reach the NBA in the first place - no. The league is jam packed full of guys who got to where they are on minimally necessary effort and natural talent. You can count on one, maybe two hands the number of pure winners there are in the league at any given time. Not only is Brunson among them, he’s the first among them. He has the same mental tick that Bird, Magic, Kobe, Mike and the rest of the usual suspects had. I believe this to my bones. Whether or not he wins multiple titles is up to things beyond his control, but if he doesn’t it will not be because of him. He’s going to the parade, going to vacation for a few days, and I know as the sun will rise tomorrow we wont reach July before he’s back in a gym working towards next year. Dead fucking ass.
Idk if you saw any clips from Bridges ig live this morning, but even as he’s taking shots at 11am lol, he even says, going to enjoy this one for a little bit then it’s time to run it back.
As a Knicks fan I think you’re right about Brunson, and I love how he has a killer mentality that brings the team together in on the goal instead of alienating more role type players.
Even in series where the winner sweeps, the series gets harder as it matures. The fourth win is harder than the first, almost absolutely. The close out cliche is a cliche for a reason. And as this series matured, Jalen got bigger, Jalen got better. He’s it. I’m telling people, this is the start of a lil something for the Knicks. I would be shocked if they dont reach at least one more finals in the next 3 years. And I expect the Knicks to win at least one more.
To be fair the fact that it’s DPOY Wemby does make this play by Brunson way more impressive. Brunson and OG both were absolutely fearless in this series which is refreshing after seeing the entire Blazers/Timberwolves/Thunder rosters afraid to touch the paint in Wemby minutes.
I was generally rooting for the Spurs, but I was definitely rooting to extend the series because it was so much fun to watch. Even still, every time Brunson scored I kept yelling “He’s so fucking good!!!”
I mean… Becky Hammon should be shit on because of how great Brunson has been. She was wrong but is too arrogant to admit it.
I think people are so addicted to social media that they’ve internalized how outrage and rage bait are rewarded by engagement. They’d rather spread hate and feel like they exist than praise someone and receive fewer reactions.
Someone always has to get “clowned” in every highlight, it can’t just be 2 elite players going at it with one managing to come out on top. IMO it’s a product of today’s online culture which is obsessed with public shame/humiliation
There was a shot I think maybe in game 3 where he had like 3 defenders around him and still did his pull up jump shot and gave it such an insanely high arc that no one had a shot at blocking it, and of course it went in. When a guy is dropping those kind of shots, it feels like there’s nothing you can do. Just gotta make the points back on the other end, and try to keep the ball out of his hands.
I remember that one. I was like WTF
You’re only as good as your most recent clip posted on Reddit.
JB really should be celebrated more highly, he’s putting together a HOF career before our very eyes. personally, i think he should compete for olympic gold to complete his resume.
Everyone is a fraud so if you beat a fraud you were supposed to and it means nothing, but if you don’t you were always a fraud anyway so it’s also meaningless.
This is the way.
Can’t believe Fraudster Wembanyama can’t even stop Fradulent Brunson smh
Just makes me think of guys like Ant saying hiw exhausted they are which yes, they sure are and thsts correct but Brunson isnt the athlete that Ant is and Brunson still had the drive to drop a hard 45 and close it out. Thats why hes got a ring and Ant hasn’t figured that one out yet
Brunson is a certified dawg, and should be getting all the praise imaginable. The guy is a monster when he is locked in.
They get it from watching Shaq and Chuck
Modern NBA fan culture pisses me off, just so negative
I got the chance to see Trae Young play up close last year, and the way a guy that size can just get to their spots and keep the ball on a string with defenders all around is so insane. I know they are different players, but seeing Brunson get into the paint in game 5 reminded me of watching that.
That’s modern fan culture in general. Extremely toxic and everyone sucks unless they win the big prize
FTFY
Everything is constant negativity these days. I’ve always heard it’s a sign of the times which was probably true before social media. Now it’s just that negativity gets more engagement.
Brunson sets the standard on how to score as a smaller player. The change of direction, start/stop, fakes, leaners, floaters, getting into the body of the larger defender, all the little things. I’m usually the smallest guy height wise on the court, but I have a bit of bulk. Watching Brunson’s very inspirational and educational for players like us, even in pickup
Literally like slender man chasing me in my dreams from the shadows. Dude is a creature
Brunson defeated Slenderman
Bruh…son…😭😭😭😭
For me, it’s Holmgren chasing Lively around like a Scooby Doo villain. Hilarious and terrifying.
Blows my mind that wemby still almost blocked that
Was coming to comment the same thing. JB hit him with 3-4 perfect hesitation moves and Wemby still was so close to blocking that.
If wenby didn’t grab JBs arm when he does the initial swim move, then JB wouldn’t have pushed the hold causing Wemby to stumble and he would have blocked it. Things most players have to do to contest this are actually a hindrance to Wemby.
Wemby actually stepped on the back of Brunsons sneaker causing him to stumble, it wasn’t the push off so much.
I’ve seen this and other clips where show the trip better but this one looks like JB stuck his left foot into Wembys path. Plus, he pushed Wemby off with his forearm to throw him off more.
JB is one of the craftiest players in the league.
Why? He’s like 7’6 with a 8’ wingspan
its still ridiculous to watch someone that has that reach and can pretty much cover from one side of the paint to the other
He almost falls down
Why? He’s like 7’6 with a 4’ legspan
I mean, those measurements while being able to move like he does is mindbowling in it’s own
That’s exactly why it’s mind blowing lol
I don’t mean this in a negative way. And I realize humans are animals. But some of Wemby’s physical movements literally remind me of a giraffe.
he runs like a giraffe, honestly.
Well, I’m assuming that giraffes are evolved to run in a healthy sustainable way for their height, so maybe that’s not the worst animal for him to base his gait on.
In earlier phases of the game when my stress levels weren’t through the roof, watching Wemby and KAT was pretty funny at times.
Wemby just naturally looks strange with his massive size and ridiculously skinny frame, and KAT has always had a semi-drunken master style with his movements.
Very true. I also love how josh harts dribbling looks like it’s his third time ever playing the sport.
I saw Jar Jar.
Oh my. I also see this.
Less than 1 mm and Brunson was fully extended…just a real “ wanted it more” moment
it’s just crazy how much of the court he can cover
His arm looks like those slo-mo videos of a chameleon’s tongue extending to catch a fly.
Dude’s got go go gadget everything.
Brunson is the story of a movie tbh
Seriously. Won a couple of those games almost singlehandedly, the whole “he’s too small” part, same team his dad’s team played finals against …
he said he was not a savior when he was literally raised from birth to be our savior
I can’t believe they were calling Chalamet lisan al gaib in the locker room when it’s clearly Brunson.
Or Mamdani.
It was written
Jordan’s signature shimmy
Coming back in every game including 29 points is absolutely fake sounding movie stuff.
To me, this play was an all-time classic Finals moment, up there with MJ’s mid-air hand switch layup with Marv’s call “Oh! A spectacular move by Michael Jordan!” and all the rest. In real time, it got me more pumped up than any play I’ve ever seen. Looking back on it, no play has ever meant more to me as a basketball fan.
First, the context. This is a potential championship clinching game for the Knicks. They’ve been down by as many as 16, and as late as with 8:21 remaining in the game they were down 10, 73-83. From there, Brunson goes on to single-handedly eliminate the deficit, scoring 13 straight points for the Knicks to put them up 86-85 with 3:40 left, their first lead since it was 5-4. The Spurs later tie the game at 88-88 with only 1:16 to go, but Brunson comes right back with a floater in the lane to put the Knicks up 90-88 with 1:05 left. This is the last field goal of the game for the Knicks, as from this point out the Spurs are forced to take fouls to extend the game and hope the Knicks miss some. They miss plenty, but make just enough to pull out the win and end the Knicks’ 53-year championship drought.
This play occurs right in the heart of Brunson’s legendary 13-point run, with around 6:30 left in the 4th. Down 77-83, Brunson isolates against Wemby on the left side of the court, with all 4 of his teammates clearing out on the right side to give him room to go one-on-one. There is no set play, no screen, no misdirection. There is no Iverson-esque burst of acceleration, no Rose-esque explosion above the rim, not even an attempt to go for a reverse layup and use the rim as a shield. This is just an extremely skilled, crafty, and tough guard listed generously at 6’2” staring down the 7’4” unanimous DPOY who is a lock to become the GOAT shot blocker, with a half-century curse and a championship on the line. Brunson strings together a series of moves to get into the paint while keeping Wembanyama off balance– a cross over, a bump, a split-second hesitation, a leaning dive towards the basket. Combined, it’s all just barely enough to get the shot off cleanly.
Knicks are now down 4, and Brunson still has 9 more points to score. But this one play is the single concentrated essence of the whole series and the whole legendary title run. David beats Goliath, mental toughness beats physical aggression, crafty skill beats generational physique, unyielding heart beats overwhelming odds. Jalen Brunson is a basketball legend.
Should’ve hit him with the Too Small gesture afterwards.
i wish jb talked a little shit sometimes 😭
Why talk shit when u can drop 45 on the road in a closeout. Nuff said.
I was gonna say, he let his line do the talking
And who is the only other player to do that? 🤔
Some baseball player
I feel like the Tim Duncan style of trash talking would be super-effective for him.
That’s just what makes him who he is tho.. it’s always next play, next game, 0-0, do what it takes to win. If trash talking helped him win he’d do it, but in reality it probably just takes up your attention and focus (see: Wemby in game 4)
I’ll take the celebratory “fuck wemby” toast
I was praying the entire series he would hit him with the too small.
Just perfect David v Goliath shit.
Well we learned from Wemby Hali and Reggie Miller, champions dont pull shit like that
Brunson’s drives are like martials arts wizardry. Just an amazing magic trick time after time.
It really is crazy how he’s able to make space despite being much smaller. Somehow, despite how much larger his defender is, they seem to not be able to reach him when he drives.
Maybe it’s the hooking and hard elbow to the gut?
I’ll preface this by saying that Brunson is my personal most entertaining player to watch, especially in the clutch. But the fully extended left stiff arm is doing a lot of work here and is an obvious offensive foul. That exact type of push off gets called multiple times in most NBA games
Buckets on your head
Wemby can sometimes seem like a baby deer learning to use its legs.
One clip makes you think, damn he has immaculate control and footwork for his size, next clip shows him as a baby giraffe in roller skates.
Still needs quite a bit of polishing.
I think it might always look a little like that. The floor spaces different for someone his size.
He might always have awkward looking moments as he tries to match the footwork and pacing of such smaller players.
He looks like a smiling friends stop motion character any time he chases down a jumper in the 4th q, limbs flailing everywhere at 12 frames a second lol. Dude was clearly gassed by how he took that mild push from brunson in that clip.
How could Scott foster let this happen
Knicks won their last 11 games officiated by Scott Foster
Scott foster watches Knicks games when he stops by the leagues office confirmed
he had one job and failed. if CP3 was on the knicks bench it would have been a 30 point win for spurs though LOL
Nothing is more confusing than an unflaired account talking shit about the refs tbh
Shocked no one has the Hitler video up already with Silver yelling at his people
Unironically tho, If this was Jaylen Brown it would’ve been an offensive foul.
I was taught that holding as a defender was illegal, I was also taught that pushing with your off-arm as a dribbler is also illegal. I appreciate a more physical game, but I have no idea what the rules of this game are anymore.
I mean, Brunson stiff arms him to make space to get the shot off right? I feel like they could have easily called an offensive foul on this play.
E: missed Wemby grabbing his arm first. Probably a good no callv in playoff basketball I guess
Wembys foot also hits Brunsons and he stumbles
A lot of driving players just straight up shove players who are in front of them. I’ve seen Tatum, Shai and Castle do this multiple times a game. I guess it’s allowed now.
I’m with you, but shouting at clouds. This clip is amazing and also everything is wrong. Like u/pacgaming said, you can’t even see the feet in the clip, but Brunson stopped, pumped, and stutter-stepped after picking up his dribble. That’s not a travel this year though. Brunson shoved Wemby overtly. That’s not an offensive foul this year though. Wemby grabbed Brunson’s arm. That’s not a foul in the playoffs though.
It’s still amazing, though. How did he Jedi mind trick Wemby so far to the outside in the first place? Is Victor Wembanyama forcing middle?!?!
Well if one guy can hold the offensive player, you damn straight better not call the push off
Fearless🔥🔥🔥
this is just nice physical basketball, something beautiful when great defense is outpace by even better offense
E: slow down any possession this series and you’ll see uncalled fouls, idgaf this the basketball i like
What?? You’re not allowed to grab the guy’s arm when he blows by you. That’s a textbook foul, not great defense lmao
Yeah but they let Brunson elbow him in the stomach during push off to make up for it. Some people like his better.
Lmao this is not nice physical basketball its a defensive foul on Wemby holding Brunsons arm and then offensive foul by Brunson pushing off. NBA refs are just blind
Absolutely abysmal take the games would last 5 hours if contact like this was being called everytime.
Man nba fans cried about refs whistling too much then the refs lighten their calls and everyone crying again, like no man this is not worth stopping play for passionate play with no serious foul being committed, come on.
If this shit was called every time, the players would adjust before the 2nd quarter ended.
Source: I watched old games where this wasn’t allowed.
It’s not normal for a center to be single arm pushed by a guard right? He really gotta hit the weight room
There’s only a 45lb weight difference between the two for a 1.5’ height difference going by their listed weights. Brunson’s easily going to be more stable and have better leverage at those measurements
Their feet hit each other. It wasn’t the arm push.
Damn good catch. I watched that probably 10 times and didn’t notice that
Either flopping or babyshit weak, take your pick. Chet’s toothpick frame really made yall believe some wild shit
Jesus Christ, look at their feet. Wemby hit JB’s foot and stumbled. Can’t believe the narrative yall are making up just because he lost.
It’s off-camera, but if I remember this play correctly Wemby stepped on Brunson’s foot right around that same moment. I’m pretty sure that’s what caused the stumble
Wemby flailing that much is hilarious
Watch their feet.
Yeah, seems like fairly incidental contact both ways given the main driver here was Wemby accidentally stepping on the back of Brunson’s foot which also caused the stumble.
Props to Brunson for always finding a way to create just a few inches of space which is all he needs, and props to Wemby for getting blown by, stumbling, and STILL nearly recovering enough for the block
Why watch basketball when you can just say “Wemby bad” and get internet points?
If this series proved one thing to me, it’s that Wemby is willing to play just as dirty as Chet if he feels the need to do so.
I chalk some of it up to his arms and legs being so damn long that he’s bound to hit people at times. That said, the Brunson neck shove and then him pretty clearly putting his foot down in Brunson’s landing space on the 3, and not getting called for either, now has him in that Embiid “I legit dislike this guy” category.
What? Wemby is miles above dirty than Chet
Almost like no athletes are saints…
You take that back you son of a bitch, Boban Marjanovic is the nicest human to ever grace the game and you will not slander him.
The rest of em are cunts though, yep.
when i think of the most comical driving push-offs i can remember, i think of nesmith in the playoffs. he’s not a super agile driver but hes a brick shithouse so the elbow clearouts are like rugby-esque. same with OG.
ben taylor at thinking basketball has a great video on nba offense being given license todo anything they want. the nba’s playoff fix for this is to basically stop calling the defense for freedom of movement fouls. this clip shows the experience gap. wemby and brunson are both proficient at regular season flop moves. brunson has way more playoff minutes, so he knows here that throwing his head back when wemby grabs his arms intgoing to get shit. wemby otoh feels brunson’s elbow and makes a motion like it has staggered him (a separate issue if that level of above the belt elbow staggers a big..). given how close wemby is to blocking the shot, i think there’s a good chance he would have without the little flop (which could have also just been fatigue).
As push-offs go, it’s realtively minimal. Wemby grabs/puts his arms on Brunson on the blow by, and Brunson puts him back to where he would have been if he hadn’t grabbed. Compared to the physical play the refs allowed in this series, this is very, very low on the missed call scale.
i wouldn’t even say it’s a missed call. itd be a free throw contest if that gets called these days.
There are 100% regular season games in February where BOTH Wemby and Brunson would have been called for fouls.
This series, they were not.
This clip is just another example of terrible game management by Mitch. Just don’t think it can be overstated how horrible he was. Brunson is one of the few guards out there who can feast with somebody like Wemby guarding him. He’s too crafty. You can basically think of it like they left Wemby one on one versus Kyrie. That’s just dumb as fuck.
I just can’t get over what a stupid motherfucker Mitch Johnson is. Truly.
These switches had the added benefit of tiring Wemby out. Dude lumbering up the floor after every occurrence of being switched onto Brunson.
I’ve always thought Wemby looks so awkward on the court and watching it in slow motion makes it worse. He seems like a baby deer movement wise.
Imo he’s overly aggressive defensively on this play. You’re 7’6” playing against a guard, you can recover if he gathers for a jumper, why does this clip start with both your feet outside the 3 point line? You can take a full step backwards and be able to guard the drive and contest a shot rather than crowding and risking the blow by, I think that’s what made him off balance
This is fucking awesome but as a Shai fan if this was Shai the only talk here would be about that push
Shai would just fall down like he got shot at the first sign of contact
Shai would have been on the floor as soon as wemby stepped on his foot
Wemby grabbed him and Jalen brushed him off like gtfo of me
bro really is a stick
big body brunson
I saw someone calling him a baby giraffe and they couldn’t be more accurate. Dude is goofy AF.
Is part of playing great defense grabbing a guy’s arm with both hands as he runs by you?
The same way a forearm into someone’s chest is great offense.
A 6’2” (MAYBE) guard shouldn’t be able to shed a 7’5” DPOY with one arm, I don’t care how crafty and deep his bag is. That’s all I’m saying. JB is cold, but Wemby needs to give some of those IG upper body workout ads a try 😂
Yall notice Brunson getting slightly ahead of Wemby, taking a big step in Wemby’s direction to take space, and then Wemby actually kicks Brunson’s foot accidentally which gets him off balance. Insane
Is wemby playing with his fucking eyes closed???
Jalen Brunson is poetry in motion when he’s in his flow
He probably blocks that shot, if he doesn’t give up position to embellish the push off.
Where was the crossover. Great first step and step through but no crossover anywhere
That’s my captain!
Absolutely majestic. Beginning to end. This was a good finals.
For all of the people saying its a push off, did you not see wemby grab his arm right before? That was Brunson freeing his arm up and saying “get the hell off of of me.”
Anyone who has played ball knows that this would rarely be called a defensive or offensive foul.
Brunson is absolutely great.
On a different angle you can see wemby’s toe hit the heel of brunsons foot, it costs him a fraction of a second where he has to gather himself and re-balance to get up and contest the shot. That fraction of a second was the difference between this being blocked instead of 2pts.
the margins are very very slim, Wemby will mostly block this. This particularly instance … GO KNICKS!!!
Spurs fans gonna say that’s Fox’s fault 💔
The only way this works is that hesi before the off hand finger roll. Wemby blocks that shot into oblivion if Brunson goes up in a normal rhythm. He knew his defender and made the clear best decision there. Insane presence of mind.
“ Stop grabbing me take this forearm to the gut “ 👌🏾
He would’ve made the block if he stayed on him instead of trying to sell an offensive foul. If he wasn’t selling, then it’s an even stronger case for him to bulk up. He needs more core strength for being as long as he is. He needs equal parts summer mentoring from Hakeem and Garnett
Champaigny with some nice front row tickets to the game
Hindsight is 20⁄20 but you kind of knew after this play they were winning. Brunson is more than a foot shorter than Wemby but still attacked him to get to the paint for a layup. The fear of Wemby defending which has been his thing the entire year was gone and they were going to pull this off that night.
Perfection put wemby on skates
Wemby is a goofy bitch
The change of speed keeping Wemby off his defensive rhythm is so elite and so beautiful.
Grabs his arm then flops when Brunson pushes the arm off. Probably could have blocked it if he didn’t try to game the ref.
Best defender in the league and got cooked when it mattered most.
The Spurs are elite at grabbing once they give up a step on a drive. It’s like breathing.
There’s definitely a push off there but play continued and wemby was about to fall over off that push. How you 7’5 getting moved by someone who’s 6’2. Get your weight up
Wemby grabs his arm first. Just letting them play.
I mean Brunson also only pushes after Wemby straight up grabs his arm to stop him from blowing by….
Wemby almost falls over because he steps on jalens shoe, u cant see it in the clip but jalen had him dancing like bambi
It blows my mind that no one else sees Wemby trip on Brunsons foot. It’s not some black magic by Brunson. Wemby trips and can’t recover in time. The result is probably different if Wemby doesn’t trip but it’s still on him to keep his feet and make the play.
Tripped stepping on his foot
He really needs to get stronger. I’m wondering if he’s hesitant to put on too much muscle weight since freakishly tall guys are so injury prone?
Proabaly. Putting on weight affected Mitch. But this probably wouldn’t help the balance. Elite 6-2 guard dancing around at a giants feet is gonna do this
Pushed off because he was being grabbed.
Wemby grabs him first then stumbles because he steps on Brunson’s foot
Giraffe on ice skates
I think it was just an excellent display of basketball by both of them tbh.