"Some of them don’t actually watch basketball": Josh Hart vehemently counters Candace Parker's playoff take on teammate Jalen Brunson
Jalen Brunson is playing incredible basketball again in his second season with the New York Knicks. However, WNBA legend Candace Parker is not that confident in Brunson's ability to lead the Knicks on a deep playoff run, as she said on TNT's "NBA on TNT." Her interesting comments garnered a strong response from Knicks guard Josh Hart.
Parker originally praised Jalen Brunson's 2023 first-round performance against the Cavaliers but argued that his second-round numbers weren't up to par. Brunson led the way for the New York Knicks in the 2023 quarterfinal round with a 4-1 series win against Cleveland.
The Knicks lost 4-2 to the Miami Heat in the semifinal round of the postseason. Be that as it may, numerous NBA fans cited that the Knicks guard still posted great numbers despite the loss. Quoting a post reflecting Parker's comments, Hart posted on X:
"Shows you some of them don't actually watch basketball."
In the Cleveland Cavaliers series, Jalen Brunson put up 24.0 points (43.7% shooting, including 29.0% from 3-point range) and 4.8 assists per game. However, he posted some of his best numbers to date in the second round against Miami, surpassing what he averaged against the Cavs.
Not every analyst will be able to watch every NBA game that airs on a nightly basis. However, when making a strong comment about a player's shortcomings or incapabilities in the postseason, an analyst must be prepared and on point with their takes, which facts and research should back up.
This ensures they don't come off as biased or lacking in updates regarding certain NBA teams and players.
What did the Las Vegas Aces coach say about Jalen Brunson?
Candace Parker's comments about Jalen Brunson are similar to Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon's concerns when it comes to the New York Knicks. Speaking on ESPN's "NBA Today," Hammon isn't too confident about the Knicks' position in the playoffs, with the team lacking a "1A" star.
"They don't have enough personnel," Hammon said, "they don't have the manpower that they need to hang with those guys. ... They're well coached, they're going to be on their defensive game, but at the end of the day, they don't have a dude. You gotta have a dude, you gotta have a 1A dude and they're missing that at the end of the day."
Despite the New York Knicks being a well-rounded team (10th in offense and seventh in defense), postseason competition is an entirely different ball game compared to the regular season. Schemes and matchups consistently change per series, given the adjustments both teams make, placing more pressure on players to make tough shots.
With how challenging the playoffs are, teams need their star players to be able to rise to the occasion and lead their squads to victories. There's no denying that Jalen Brunson is one of the best point guards in today's league, but people like Becky Hammon aren't confident in the Knicks' chances against other elite teams if Brunson is the No. 1 option.
Brunson will have the opportunity to make things interesting once the New York Knicks secure a 2024 playoff spot.