PORTLAND, Ore. — Tom Thibodeau revealed that Jalen Brunson, not far removed from his scary knee contusion, was operating on a minutes restriction in the games leading up to his 45-point gem in Thursday’s 105-93 win over the Trail Blazers.
Brunson played an average of less than 30🔴 minutes in his previous three games — including 27 in Tuesday’s win over the Sixers.
It was the fewest mi🍃nutes Brunson logged since Jan. 9, not counting the 47-second appearance bef♔ore suffering the knee contusion in Cleveland on March 3.
But then Brunson played 38 minutes against the B🃏lazers, above his season average, and dissected the defense with the midran🉐ge game and trademark footwork.
He shot ꦏ⛦just 2 of 10 from beyond the arc but went to the line 17 times.
“I’ve had games where I’ve made a lot of 2s and no 3s, and I’m pretty sure I had one game this year where I made all 3s and no 2s. It happens,” Brunson said. “Juꦉst all about keeping my confidence, not worrying, second-guessing, just playing through it. It’s always going to be a roller coaster. Just got to keep my mentality and mind straight. That’s the one thing I can control.”
Though Brunson’s restrictions were finished, Isaiah Hartenstein’s continued with just 23 minutes on Thursdayღ. He hasn’t played more than 27 minutes in a game since returning from his last Achilles re-aggravation on Feb. 8.
“I don’t [know],” Thibodeau said of when Hartenstein’s minutes restriction will end. “He’s feeling a lot better as well, so that’s the positive. Obviously, getting OG has added a lot. So now Precious [Achuiwa] goes more to the🉐 backup 5. And then we still have Jericho [Sims]. So we feel good about that.”
Hartenstein 𝔍said he was ramping up his minutes to feel 100 percent by the pla🐓yoffs.
Despite over a decade of NBA experience, Bojan Bogdanovic’s transition to the Knic🌼ks hadn’t been smooth heading into Thursday against the Blazers.
He was shooting just 41 percent with a minus-16.3 net rating, as his bench unit strugg▨leꦦd compared to recent dominating performances from the starters.
“We just have to be better, be more aggressive defensively a൩nd offensively,” Bogdanovic said, who scored five points in the win. “You gotta be ready, especially when Jalen is off the court. The second unit gotta know how to run different kinds of set plays because obviously he is not there. And then defensively, we gotta keep the standard up, playing defense no matter what’s going on offensively.”
Blazers center Deandre Ayton, who scored 31 points in the loss, went on a rant celebrating himself ahead of the ✃matchup with the Knicks.
Ayton, who had just scored 33 points with 19 rebounds🍒 in Wednesday’s win over the Hawks, “thanked the haters,” called himself “dominant” and said “I’m wearing the cape” to carrying the Blazers “all the way.”
“I just be trying to bust that ass. That’s about it,” Ayton said. “Whether I look like the bad guy or not, I’m trying to be great. I’m trying to be a winner in thisﷺ league. I’m trying to be known as that guy. If you’re around me, you’re going to learn how to win.”
It was quite a rant from a player who missed a game this season because he didn’t shovel his driveway after a snowstorm. Ayton was the only player who didn’t make it to the areꦡna against the Nets in January.
Asked about facing Ayton, Knicks backup center Achiuwa said, “I just go out there and play bask💦etball. I don’t care much about whatไ people are saying and whatnot.”