The home stretch of the season has arrived for the Knicks. Twenty-two games are left for coach Tom Thibodeau’s team to either build off of a strong first 60 or regress. As the last few weeks begin Friday night in Washington, the Knicks find themselves in sixth place in the Eastern Conference and just two games behind the Nets for fifth.
With that in mind, let’s evaluate how the club’s key figures have done thus far with a look forward into what they have to do the rest of the regular season to keep the good vibes going, or get them back in tune:
Jalen Brunson
Grade: A
Already one of the best free-agent signings in Knicks history, the 26-year-old point guard looks like a bargain at $26 million a year. He’s played at an All-Star level despite getting snubbed for the showcase, averaging career-bests of 23.9 points, 6.2 assists, 5.9 free throw attempts and 41.1 percent from the 3-point arc. He’s also proved to be an invaluable leader. Thibodeau and Julius Randle credit Brunson with the All-Star forward’s bounce-back season, and Brunson has become a go-to guy in the locker room for reporters, always accountable and deferring credit to others. A true professional.
