Jalen Brunson Still 'Trying to Do Better' After Historic New York Knicks Season

Jalen Brunson just wrapped up a historical season for the New York Knicks but is still looking to improve.

Jeremy Brener | Apr 15, 2024

Apr 12, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) shields the ball / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson has been remarkable for his team this season.

Brunson just wrapped one of the most productive seasons in franchise history, averaging 28.7 points and 6.7 assists in his second season in Manhattan. He came up particularly big in the final stages of the season, putting up over 38 points over the final seven games as the Knicks (50-32) locked up not only a 50-win season but also the second seed on the Eastern Conference playoff bracket. The regular season ended with seven consecutive games of Brunson scoring at least 30, including 40 in Sunday's closing win over Chicago at Madison Square Garden.

Apr 11, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) shoots the ball / Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

All that and more, however, hasn't been enough to satisfy Brunson, according to head coach Tom Thibodeau.

"What I love about Jalen, he just stays locked in," Tom Thibodeau said ahead of the regular-season finale against the Bulls, in video from SNY. "Whatever it is that he's done, it's never good enough, he's always trying to do better."

Stepping up in the wake of numerous injuries cemented Brunson as the undoubted face of the franchise. The former Dallas Maverick continues to play up to the expectations a four-year, $104 million contract burdened him with during the summer of 2022 as he has more than solved the Knicks' long-standing backcourt issues.

Placed in the second seed for the first time since 2013, Brunson and the Knicks have a prime opportunity to vie for the franchise's first championship in over five decades. If history is any indication, even that won't be enough to satisfy the ever-hungry point guard.

Published Apr 15, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.