Stephen A. Smith was quite critical of Jalen Brunson after the Knicks fell to the Spurs in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night.
Despite Brunson’s 32 points, Smith thought Brunson was too selfish and didn’t get his teammates — like Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart — involved in the offense nearly enough in the 115-111 defeat.
“We know who Jalen Brunson is and what he represents, but tonight it looked like he was playing to be an MVP rather than playing to win Game 3,” Smith said on ESPN after the game.
Smith cited that Towns only attempted 10 shots and even though Hart was hitting 3s in the first half, he didn’t get many shots in the second half.
He also noted that OG Anunoby had 28 points, while adding that Brunson was relying on himself too much.
“How do you not find OG Anunoby more considering the level of accuracy and efficiency that he was showing and that you’re not showing if you’re Jalen Brunson in this series?” Smith said.
Some Knicks fans, though, took to X to voice their displeasure with Smith’s remarks and defend the player who has led the franchise to the brink of an NBA championship.
“Disagree completely here. Brunson has carried this team on his back all postseason — one rough shooting night where the Spurs completely threw the kitchen sink at him doesn’t mean he was ‘playing for MVP.’ He missed shots he usually makes. He’ll bounce back in Game 4,” X user @HUkpong55415 posted.
“Stephen A when a star scores 35 in a loss: he was chasing MVP. When they score 15 in a win: he needed to be more aggressive,” X user @AdeRunsAds posted.
While Brunson’s averaged 27.3 points per game during the Finals, he’s shooting just 37% from the field and 31.8% from downtown.
In the Knicks’ narrow Game 2 victory Friday night, Brunson went just 7-of-25 while no other player took more than 13 shots.
Brunson has 13 turnovers through three games against a physical Spurs defense after averaging only 2.4 turnovers per game in the regular season.
Smith said the main reason the Knicks advanced all the way to the Finals wasn’t Brunson being self-reliant but rather having Towns serve as the team’s main facilitator.
“They (the Knicks) were out of character from what we’ve grew accustomed to seeing them be over the last 13 games,” Smith said. “And that’s why they’re only up 2-1 now instead of 3-0.”
The Knicks led the Spurs 64-57 at halftime despite a sluggish first quarter, but came out of the locker room flat and scored just 47 second-half points.
Game 4 is Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET, where the Knicks have an opportunity to take a commanding 3-1 series lead before the series shifts back to San Antonio.
