In seasons that don’t end with a title, Jalen Brunson’s tradition is to sit in the mistakes. He absorbs the feelings of failure, replaying the moments that led up to them.
The memories become deterrents or motivation, depending on how one might interpret such sports psychology.
For instance, as a junior at Stevenson High School outside of Chicago, Brunson lost in the State semifinal and was photographed after the defeat, an image of devastation.
It’s hard to imagine Brunson could’ve played better in that game – he scored 56 of his team’s 68 points.
But Brunson made that photo his phone background all school year, a daily reminder of that feeling. Then he won the championship as a senior.
Similarly, a year ago, Brunson stewed over his turnover in elimination Game 6 of the 2023 conference semis against the Heat.
In Brunson’s words, “I made a terrible decision and I had to live with that throughout the whole summer. …that moment creeps back in your mind.”
So was there something last season that has been serving as his painful memory?
“A lot of things, yes,” Brunson said.
The point guard listed them.
“Game 3, in Indiana,” Brunson said. “I think that was a missed opportunity on our part.”
Brunson was hobbled by a sore foot and OG Anunoby was out with a hamstring strain, but the Knicks had a chance to win before Andrew Nembhard’s prayer go-ahead 3-pointer with 16 seconds left.
“Then Game 4, we didn’t show up,” Brunson continued.
The Knicks were blown out by 32 points in Game 4, a Mother’s Day Massacre. They were eliminated in seven games, with Brunson fracturing his hand in the final contest.
“How we closed out that series was not ideal, them winning four out of the last five,” Brunson finished. “So that’s something I’ve thought about. Obviously my hand breaking. Whenever you don’t win, you think about what you did to lose.”
Five months later, Brunson and the Knicks began their cleanse of the mistakes.
The opponent opening Tuesday night, the Celtics, also served as motivation after winning the championship on the backs of two versatile wings and a 5-out offensive system.
The Knicks, not coincidentally, started two versatile wings – OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges – and acquired Karl-Anthony Towns to space the floor.
“Whenever a team wins the championship, everyone analyzes how they did it and what their personnel was and what their scheme was and everything,” Brunson said. “And so, I don’t wanna speak for the rest of the league, but a lot of people saw how successful (the Celtics) were with their offense and their 5-out and their schemes and whatever. And so, it may not be a carbon copy, but everyone will want to kind of adjust to the new ways of basketball every time someone wins like that.”
Part of New York’s offseason, in other words, and Brunson’s, in particular, was embracing the reasons behind Boston’s success and dwelling on his own failures.
“Yes, we have the potential to do great things, but we have a long way to go and we can’t be complacent,” Brunson said. “We can’t listen to anything that people say, how good we think we are or whatever, that means nothing to us. We gotta continue to work.”