Category: Basketball

Jordan Walsh emerging as the ‘violent defender' Celtics were promised originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Our favorite play from the Boston Celtics’ gritty win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday night?

Early in the fourth quarter, with Boston clinging to a four-point lead as Cleveland whittled away what had been a 21-point advantage, Anfernee Simons misfired from the wing and De’Andre Hunter appeared to secure the rebound from the mosh pit of bodies in front of the Boston basket.

A quick swipe from Payton Pritchard forced Hunter to fumble the ball, and Jordan Walsh pounced from the opposite side. Walsh’s goal, he later suggested, was to force a tie-up. Instead, he basically wrestled the ball away from Hunter and immediately got fouled trying to go up for a layup.

Coming off his first real dud since elevating to the starting lineup when he struggled to make a positive impact in Saturday’s loss in Minnesota, Walsh posted career highs on Sunday night while piling up 14 points and 11 rebounds.

But it’s Walsh’s defense that continues to distinguish him.

Before the Celtics selected Walsh with the 38th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Arkansas coach Eric Musselman routinely described his teenage forward as a “violent defender.”

Musselman later told NBC Sports Boston: “It’s about violently jumping in passing lanes, violently going after rebounds, and rebounding the ball outside of his area. He can crash into bodies, he’s not afraid of contact. And hence the phrase, ‘Violent defender.’”

With Walsh finally breaking down the door to consistent playing time this season, we’re starting to see the violence that was promised. Walsh has been an elite defender — we’re resisting the urge to start the All-Defense campaign that will eventually arrive if he maintains his on-ball impact — and he’s routinely embraced the challenges of defending the opposing team’s top offensive threat.

On Sunday, Walsh logged six minutes, 47 seconds of matchup time against Donovan Mitchell, defending the Cavs star for a game-high 43 total possessions. Mitchell scored four points on 2-of-8 shooting with two turnovers when Walsh was his primary defender, per NBA tracking data.

Walsh’s defensive metrics have been excellent, even as Joe Mazzulla dispatches him against some of the NBA’s elite. Among the 78 players 6-foot-7 and under who have defended at least nine shots per game with 10-plus games played, Walsh ranks second in the NBA while holding opponents to 7.2 percent below expected output.

Opponents are shooting just 40.2 percent against Walsh (47.4 percent expected). He sits one spot ahead of All-Defense stalwart Draymond Green (-7.1 percent), and only Derrick Jones Jr. (-10.8 percent) has a better mark from that group.

That 7.2 percent below expected field goal percentage number isn’t just good among high-volume players; it slots Walsh in the 96th percentile among all players. Yes, he needs to drive down his foul totals, but that might simply be a byproduct of his defensive tenacity.

Walsh is generating 3.8 Stocks (steals + blocks) per 100 possessions this season. Among all wings, he ranks in the 85th percentile in block percentage (1.2 percent) and 88th percentile for steals (2.4 percent), per Cleaning the Glass data.

Perhaps most importantly for a Celtics team thin on size, Walsh has been relentless chasing rebounds. He ranks in the 95th percentile while chasing down 15.3 percent of opponents’ misses when he’s on the floor, per Cleaning the Glass data.

On Sunday night, when the Celtics were playing without center Neemias Queta, Walsh was credited with a staggering 25 rebound chances (based on proximity to an available rebound). For context, Domantas Sabonis lead the NBA with 22.9 rebound chances per game, and Queta tops the Celtics at 16.7. Walsh is throwing himself into the fray at every chance lately.

Rebounding might have opened the door to Walsh gaining more playing time when he first came off the bench and got active on the glass against Washington in early November. Walsh shuffled up to the starting lineup a week later and has showed no signs of giving up that spot.

The Celtics are 6-2 in Walsh’s eight starts this season. Thin on size, the C’s have often utilized Walsh in small-ball lineups where either him or Josh Minott is basically the center on the floor.

Cleaning The Glass data suggest Walsh has logged 11 percent of his minutes at the power forward spot, and the Celtics have outscored opponents by a staggering 38.9 points per 100 possessions during that admittedly small sample. What’s more, opponents are shooting 13.9 percent below expected output at the rim when Walsh is the primary defender, which is a center-like number.

If developing younger talent and identifying players who can be key contributors long-term was a primary goal for the Celtics, then tapping into Walsh’s violent defensive tendencies this early was a huge win in the Jayson Tatum-less portion of the season.

Walsh needs to remain a willing shooter, especially when he gets open looks from the perimeter. He also needs to be more careful with the ball. He pickpocketed Mitchell at one point early in Sunday’s game but turned it right back over trying to push a pass ahead.

Walsh won’t turn 22 until March 3. The Celtics have him on the books for cheap money next season and can ponder a potential budget extension down the road.

Walsh’s energy and defensive grit has helped steady this team after a rocky start to the 2025-26 season. His ability to consistently impact the game like he did on Sunday might help the Celtics find even more consistency moving forward.

The Lakers cruised to their seventh consecutive win Sunday, taking down the overmatched New Orleans Pelicans 133-121 at Crypto.com Arena, but the play has not always been as impressive as the team's strong 15-4 record.

Against a team missing nearly all of its star players, including Zion Williamson, the Lakers let a 26-point second-quarter lead shrink to 11 by the third quarter. Instead of resting ahead of another game on Monday against the Phoenix Suns, Austin Reaves played 40 minutes, finishing with 33 points and eight assists. But with ice bags wrapped around both knees and both feet submerged in an ice bath, Reaves was still encouraged by the Lakers' rise to the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference.

“You're not always going to win in the prettiest way,” Reaves said. “Some games you're going to have to muck it up and win ugly games. And I feel like we've won in a variety of ways, which speaks to the character of everybody in this locker room and on the staff.”

Here are three takeaways from the win:

Lakers trying to become ‘process team’

JJ Redick had seen this story before. Riding high with a 7-2 record and playing against an undermanned and seemingly overwhelmed team, the Lakers got boat raced by Atlanta on Nov. 8.

With the Pelicans (3-18) missing nearly all their star players and the Lakers with seven wins in their previous nine games entering Sunday's matchup, Redick didn’t want to see another shocking upset.

So the coaching staff challenged the players before the game. Get off to a strong start, Redick implored. Players responded by piling on a season-high 46 points in the first quarter. Luka Doncic had 20 by himself.

But playing their seventh consecutive game against teams that are currently below .500, the Lakers let bad habits slip back in.

“I hate saying this, but teams can get a little bored,” Redick said of building such a commanding lead. “And that's what we're trying to get away from. [Our focus] is just continuing to be a process team and didn't think we were great with that tonight.”

The Pelicans shot 57.6% from the field in the final three quarters after the Lakers held them to eight of 25 shooting (32%) in the first quarter. Bryce McGowens led the Pelicans with 23 points while Saddiq Bey had 22 points and 11 rebounds.

Luka Doncic-Austin Reaves machine keeps churning 

Doncic is, by Redick’s estimation, “one of the greatest offensive engines to ever play basketball.” His running mate Reaves, in the midst of a career year, is “one of the greatest offensive engines in this year’s NBA.”

The Lakers’ star guards went into overdrive to power the Lakers without LeBron James on Sunday, combining for 67 points and 15 assists as James missed the game with a right foot injury.

Doncic entered the game as the NBA’s leading scorer, averaging 35.1 points per game, but was also ranked second in assists per game with 9.4 assists per game. He had his sixth consecutive 30-point game with 34 points Sunday, adding seven assists, 12 rebounds and just two turnovers despite being double-teamed nearly every time he had the ball. In fact, Doncic invited double teams, beckoning extra defenders toward him as he surveyed the court.

“The gravity that he has on the court, it's impossible to guard him any certain way because [of] his ability to pass the ball, his unselfishness and his shot-making ability,” Reaves said. “Then, once you blitz him, then you have advantage basketball and we like our chances.”

Doncic said after dishing 11 assists with 35 points against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday that if he gets blitzed by extra defenders, it’s a sign he did his job. Playing four-on-three is “the easiest basketball you can play,” he said proudly.

Doncic and Reaves are the fourth pair of teammates in 50 years to each record 30 or more points in three consecutive games, according to the NBA. Powered by the sudden return of his three-pointer, Reaves scored 31 points against the Clippers last Tuesday and 38 against the Mavericks on Friday. He has made 12 of 19 three-point attempts (63.1%) in the last three games after getting off to a 31.1% mark from beyond the arc this season.

Deandre Ayton roars to double-double

Deandre Ayton warmed up for Sunday’s game wearing a black T-shirt with a photo of half of his face printed next to half of a lion’s. Before games, the 7-foot center drinks a specially mixed energy drink that has the message “unleash the beast” written on the bottle in black ink.

On Sunday, the Lakers’ lion roared to 22 points and 12 rebounds with a season-high four blocks. He continued his efficient shooting by making seven for nine shots from the field and going eight for eight from the free throw line.

Ayton, averaging 16 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, is shooting a career-best 71% from the field. Unlike the team’s leader in field-goal percentage Jaxson Hayes (75%), Ayton is not doing the majority of his scoring on sure-fire dunks. He is shooting 61% on shots between five and 14 feet from the rim, tied with Nikola Jokic for best among centers who have taken 20 or more such shots.

“I'm really impressed just with his touch,” Redick said. “When he gets the ball in that pocket, or he collects a loose ball or rebound, or he gets a post up in that sort of, like, nine- to 12-foot area, just got a great touch. And it's another weapon we have, him scoring the basketball at a high efficiency in that area.”

Ayton left the game with 7:25 remaining after tweaking his right knee while contesting a shot from Pelicans rookie Derik Queen. He immediately signaled toward the bench for a sub and walked gingerly back to the sideline while grabbing toward his right knee. Ayton missed one game because of a right knee contusion suffered in the first half against Utah on Nov. 23, but said it felt fine after cooling down.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Sharks star Macklin Celebrini responds to ‘great' Steph Curry's heartfelt advice originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Up-and-coming Sharks superstar Macklin Celebrini is grateful for the advice he received from Warriors legend Steph Curry about being patient while maintaining joy.

San Jose’s prized 19-year-old responded to Curry’s heartfelt intel in a sit-down with NBC Sports California’s Alan Hoshida.

“Something to take to heart for sure,” Celebrini said. “Something to listen to. I mean, he’s one of the all-time greats.”

Curry extended a long message to Celebrini, the son of Golden State’s beloved director of sports medicine and performance, about the trials and tribulations of being an up-and-coming, local icon with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole and Bonta Hill on the latest edition of “Dubs Talk.”

“Patience is the hard thing for a young guy coming into a tough situation, where your team hasn’t won in a long time, [and it’s] trying to figure out the right identity, the right combination of guys that could get to that next level, become a playoff team and take the necessary steps,” Curry said.

“But don’t lose your joy though it all, because it’s tough in the beginning when all you want to do is win,” Curry added. “It’s kind of out of your control, but if you can keep getting better through it.”

Celebrini, whom the Sharks selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, is the key piece in San Jose’s rebuilding phase. And while the Sharks definitely are one of the NHL’s more fun teams, the franchise still has a way to go before it can bring home the coveted Stanley Cup.

The second-year NHL star explained why Curry’s advice means so much to him.

“I think it’s the way he is as a person,” Celebrini said. “You ask anyone how well he treats people. For him being who he is and accomplishing all that he’s done and just being a great person through it all, I think that’s the most important thing.

“And as an athlete, just his work ethic and his drive, even now, when he’s done all you can do in the game of basketball and he wants to just keep winning and keep driving the team.”

When Curry speaks, Celebrini listens, as the NBA sharpshooter knows what it takes to be part of both a rebuilding team and a dynasty. 

Curry’s emphasis on maintaining a love for playing also stuck with Celebrini.

“Like anyone, you get frustrated,” Celebrini said. “The game’s not perfect, and you go through hard times and there’s ups and downs. But whenever I’m having fun and enjoying myself, that’s usually when I’m playing my best.”

The Sharks, led by Celebrini, are on a promising trajectory. And Curry, earlier in his 17-year NBA career, was in a similar position, which is why the pair of Bay Area stars greatly respect and admire each other.

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Steph Curry reveals heartfelt advice for young Sharks star Macklin Celebrini originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Superstar NHL center Macklin Celebrini is looking like the next big thing in Bay Area sports for the up-and-coming Sharks.

So, it’s only right that Warriors legend Steph Curry — one of the region’s greatest faces in sports history — passes down some nuggets about embracing local greatness to San Jose’s cornerstone.

Curry shared his advice for Celebrini in an exclusive interview with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole and Bonta Hill for the latest edition of “Dubs Talk.”

“Patience is the hard thing for a young guy coming into a tough situation, where your team hasn’t won in a long time, [and it’s] trying to figure out the right identity, the right combination of guys that could get to that next level, become a playoff team and take the necessary steps,” Curry told Poole and Hill. 

“It’s really hard in the moment, when he works as hard as he does and you approach the game like he does.”

Curry believes the 19-year-old needs to have a big-picture vision, as the Sharks, despite their fun start to the 2025-26 NHL season, still have a way to go before they reach their peak of the Celebrini Era.

The sharpshooter would know. 

Curry has won four NBA Finals throughout his 17-year career in the Bay. But at the start, the Warriors weren’t contenders, as it took three seasons for Curry to reach the playoffs for the first time and three more campaigns before Golden State hoisted the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.

Fortunately for Curry, he has had the chance to talk to Macklin, in addition to routinely speaking with his father, Rick, who is the Warriors’ director of sports medicine and performance.

“I got to talk to [Macklin] a couple times,” Curry said. “I talk to Rick every day; when I’m on the table, I’m like, ‘How’s Mack doing?’ So, I’m getting all that intel. But it’s just hard to keep that tunnel vision on, continue to get better, continue to keep your joy for the game through all the ups and downs of a tough team situation early in your career. 

“That’s one thing we both have in common, in the sense of what my first three years looked like with the Warriors. Good comes with good, and if he stays the course … hopefully he’s a lifer in San Jose, and they’re able to figure out the right roster that he can help elevate and get to that next level, and continue to adapt from there.”

It appears that Celebrini and the Sharks will be running the NHL sooner rather than later.

But before then, Curry hopes Celebrini understands that consistent winning will come with time — even if that’s a hard pill to swallow.

“But don’t lose your joy though it all, because it’s tough in the beginning when all you want to do is win,” Curry said. “It’s kind of out of your control, but if you can keep getting better through it …”

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Jalen Johnson scored a career-high 41 points as the Atlanta Hawks clinched a dramatic 142-134 double-overtime victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

The teams were tied at 115-115 at the end of the fourth quarter and 126-126 following the first five-minute period of overtime.

But, after Tyrese Maxey's driving lay-up brought the 76ers level at 132-132, Johnson responded with a pair of three-pointers to help Atlanta move clear.

Maxey led with 44 points for the 76ers, who welcomed back key man Joel Embiid from knee soreness following a nine-game absence.

Embiid scored 18 points in 30 minutes on his return to action.

Elsewhere, LeBron James missed the Los Angeles Lakers' 133-121 win over the New Orleans Pelicans in order to rest a lingering problem with his left foot.

"It is an injury he's had in the past," Lakers coach JJ Redick told ESPN.

"It's something we've had to manage in the past. [We're] just being cautious."

Luka Doncic scored 20 of his 34 points in the first quarter to help the Lakers on their way to a seventh straight victory, with Austin Reaves adding 33 points.

Defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder extended their winning streak to 12 matches with victory at the Portland Trail Blazers.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 26 points in a 123-115 win for the Western Conference leaders, who have won 20 of their 21 games this season.

Warriors' Steph Curry explains why he still struggles to accept his NBA stardom originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry still has an awkward relationship with his stardom.

Even as an 11-time NBA All-Star, 11-time All-NBA member, two-time scoring champ, four-time NBA champion, and two-time league MVP, the Warriors superstar still struggles to wrap his head around the fame.

In an exclusive interview with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole and Bonta Hill on “Dubs Talk,” Curry explained why he hasn’t allowed himself to settle into the fame just yet.

“It’s kind of interesting from my perspective because, and this sounds cheesy as hell, but it’s still surreal,” Curry said. “It doesn’t necessarily make sense what this journey has been like. And to your point, I can go back to different moments where you knew you were crossing a different threshold, but you didn’t really give yourself enough time to really settle into whatever was happening, because that just raised the expectations of like now what’re you going to do? From a fan perspective, fans showed up at road arenas, or wearing your All-Star jersey. Just the idea that we were raising the profile of the franchise in terms of individual success on top of team success.

“It’s kind of like a blur to me when I think about it. But when you brought up the question, I could vividly go back to that moment for sure. And I can go back to coming back to the hotel after the 54-piece at MSG. The TV was on SportsCenter and I got wrapped up in the vortex of watching the 60-minute loop, and it came back on and they were still talking about it. And we had lost that game. All those moments, you get a little taste of it. Like, alright, now what’re you going to do next? So for any competitor, it’s kind of hard to, until you’re really done, it’s hard to reminisce if you will because you’re never really comfortable in the success.”

But just because Curry hasn’t quite accepted the fame 100 percent, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t adjusted to how his life has looked for more than the last decade compared to how it was before.

Hill asked Curry when the last time was that he was able to go out to the grocery store or a local coffee shop without being noticed.

“That part’s a little different,” Curry said. “I remember telling the story of me and my wife going to eat in Walnut Creek. I can’t remember the restaurant but I got carded trying to get a beer. That’s one of the times I remember being incognito, if you will, and just going under the radar; nobody knew who I was. The ID part is just funny because I looked like I was 18 at the time, generously.

“It’s a different life now. Obviously, you’re blessed with everything you’ve been given, the platform, the notoriety, because so much good has come out in terms of things you want to do on and off the court. It is different, for sure. But I grew up in the league watching my dad in Charlotte, so I kind of knew what stardom and, I hate using the word, fame, is. But you never let it change who you are, but you got to appreciate the appreciation of others.”

The appreciation certainly is a two-way street for Curry and Dub Nation.

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As long as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are playing, the Lakers always stand a good chance of winning — even if LeBron James is out.

That proved to be the case yet again Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena as the Lakers rolled over the injury-depleted New Orleans Pelicans 133-121 with James out managing a left foot injury.

The Lakers (15-4) won their seventh straight game behind Doncic’s 34 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists and Reaves’ 33 points and eight assists.

Read more:Former Lakers star Anthony Davis makes long-awaited return to L.A. after trade

The Lakers have a game Monday against the visiting Phoenix Suns, but it's unclear if James will play.

James missed the first 14 games of this season with sciatica and has played in just four games. Left foot injury management also kept him out of some games last season.

"It's something we've had to manage,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “Given the back-to-back and the fact that he's basically just coming off his training camp — this has been his training camp over the last 10 days or so — [we're] just being cautious."

With James in his 23rd NBA campaign at age 40, it remains to be seen how many back-to-back games he will play this season. The Lakers have 10 sets left after Monday.

"No, we're going to build him up, hopefully, to be able to play in back-to-backs,” Redick said. “That's the goal. But you are correct. Every back-to-back is a case-by-case. That's just the reality of the NBA right now. But we want him to be able to play in back-to-backs. So does he. So, we're going to work toward that.”

The 15-4 Lakers have 63 regular-season games left, meaning that James can miss only two more if he wants to reach the NBA minimum of 65 games that players need to appear in to earn postseason awards. James has made a league-record 21 straight All-NBA teams.

Redick said individual postseason awards have “never come up as something that’s important" in his discussions with James.

“I want all my guys to get whatever award they deserve,” Redick said. “Of course, I want, you know, Austin, Luka, LeBron, like whoever, I want them to get awards. That's great for them, but ... the list of things that you have to worry about and think about as a player and coach, it's so far down the list.”

The Lakers scored 77 points in the first half against New Orleans, tying the most points they have scored in any half this season, and they scored 46 points in the first quarter, the most they have scored in any frame this season.

It figured to be an easy night for the Lakers, who also got 22 points and 12 rebounds from Deandre Ayton, with the Pelicans (3-18) missing starters and key role players, including Zion Williamson, who was managing a left hamstring injury.

Lakers guard Marcus Smart missed his second straight game with back spasms.

Read more:Austin Reaves helps Lakers and Luka Doncic notch win over Mavericks

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

If OG Anunoby’s rehab continues to progress well, it sounds like he’ll be back on the court before the end of the calendar year. 

Anunoby will obviously return to the starting lineup whenever he’s ready to play. 

Who will be the fifth starter when Anunoby comes back? That’s less clear. But Josh Hart continues to make a strong case to start. 

He had 20 points on 12 shots, pulled down 12 rebounds (five offensive) and tallied seven assists in New York’s win over Toronto on Sunday. He’s shooting 65 percent on threes in his four games as a starter (20 attempts); he’s averaging of 11.8 rebounds and seven assists per game in that span. 

Knicks coach Mike Brown seems very happy with Hart’s impact as a starter. He criticized himself for his usage of Hart early in the season – and credited the veteran with how he handled it. 

“Especially our first three losses, I'll take the hit on that,” Brown said of Hart’s early-season role. “…The tough part was even backing up further, [Hart] didn't really play in the preseason, he didn't even really practice in the preseason. So, for me, I was behind the eight ball and was really trying to figure out how to incorporate him with what we're trying to do. It just took time and he was extremely patient with the process. 

“We have a standard and that's that contract that everybody signed (that hangs in the Knick locker room) and it's about sacrifice, connectivity, competitive spirit, but then a belief in each other, but just as much as that, have a belief in the process. Josh was huge on two of those things. His sacrifice was unbelievable because when I took him out, he just sat. When I called his number, he went out and played, but more importantly, his belief in the process, even if he thought I was wrong, was awesome. 

"When you're a leader, you have to show that or embrace those types of things more than everybody else cause you got to set the example and if somebody steps out of the realm of what our standard is because you did it as a leader, now you can tell them, ‘Hey, come back over here because we all got to do this. I had to go through it, you may have to go through it, this guy may have to go through it.’ So, he's a special player, but he's also a great human being to be around.”

Hart’s play in the third quarter on Sunday was key; he had 13 points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal in the quarter. He hit three threes – two of which came after Toronto cut New York’s lead to six midway through the quarter.  

“He did a really good job of playmaking, rebounding and he was, in my opinion the best player on the court,” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said. So, it will be really interesting for us to watch the film and, like I said, get ready for the next game.”

The Knicks play the Raptors in Toronto on Dec. 9 in the NBA Cup quarterfinals. The winner goes to Las Vegas for the NBA Cup semifinals. 

BRUNSON IMPRESSES OPPOSITION

Jalen Brunson didn’t have a strong shooting night on Sunday but he contributed in other ways (seven assists, six rebounds - two offensive). He also continues to get off the ball when teams throw two defenders at him. 

Rajakovic tried to send two Raptors at Brunson on Sunday during different stretches of the game. 

Before the game, Rajakovic shared some detailed thoughts on Brunson’s impact. 

“He is the type of player that I can put in the category of Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic – different position, obviously. But guys who are just playing at their own pace. You cannot speed them up. Their awareness is amazing.,” Rajakovic said early Sunday. “At any point of time they know where the hand of the defensive player is. What is the footwork, how can they get by somebody, how can they get to their sweet spot from the floor. How can they score from there, how can they playmake from there. 

"And he’s elite at doing it. He’s not the strongest, not the fastest, but his skill level and shooting ability is amazing and that makes him one of the biggest offensive weapons in the league.”

Brown said on Friday that Brunson isn’t getting enough attention as an early-season MVP candidate. 

The Knick coach shared more thoughts on the topic before Sunday’s game. 

“It’s not necessarily about (height); it’s about what you bring to the table,” Brown said in response to a question about MVPs at Brunson’s height. “It’s still early and we’re in the top part of the eastern conference. And the numbers he’s putting up are pretty good. I don’t know exactly how they compare to others across the board that are in the top 3, 4 spots in the East and West. (And) I don’t see it all the time but when I see people talking (about MVP candidates), or I see lists, I never see him. 

"And I’m amazed at the lack of attention that he gets for what he’s done in this league already. And what he continues to do, night in and night out. Especially when he’s the guy on a team that’s in a pretty good spot in their conference."

If you’ve been watching the Knicks over the past four years, you know how Brunson’s footwork around the basket is a huge part of his offensive success. 

Brown was asked about Brunson’s footwork and he put the Knick All-Star in elite company. 

“I’ve been fortunate, blessed, lucky to be around a bunch of great players and Jalen’s footwork around the basket - especially for his size - is probably second to none. His footwork is really good,” Brown said. “I’ll probably get killed for saying this but Kobe’s footwork was really good, and I’m not saying Jalen’s Kobe or vice versa, their patience, their footwork in that painted area is at an extremely high level and not many guys have that.”

The Knicks built an early 24-point lead, and after a rough second quarter, bounced back to pull away for a 116-94 win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night.

Here are some takeaways...

-- Making his seventh start of the season, Miles McBride hit four three-pointers in the first five minutes of the game to put the Knicks up on the Raptors. Following his fourth three, McBride had made 14 of his last 17 attempts from beyond the arc (h/t Fred Katz). The hot hand started to spread as Jalen Brunson hit his first three-pointer of the night, scored inside, and hit a baseline jump shot. 

Josh Hart was then left unguarded at the three-point line and took it in for an easy two-hand slam as New York took a 32-17 lead and Toronto called a timeout with just under three minutes left in the first quarter. Clarkson hit two straight three-pointers and forced another timeout, but it didn't help, as Guerschon Yabusele buried the Knicks' ninth three of the first quarter. They led 41-22 thanks to shooting 64 percent from deep (9-for-14) compared to the Raptors' 13 percent (1-for-8).

-- Tyler Kolek was all over the place to start the second quarter, grabbing an offensive rebound, scoring inside, and getting a steal. Hart kept the impressive shooting going with the team's tenth three of the game, but Scottie Barnes made three straight three-pointers of his own, causing Mike Brown to talk things over with his group. The Raptors continued on a 14-0 run to cut the lead to 10 points before McBride hit a jumper.

After Sandro Mamukelashvili and Toronto made it a five-point game, the Knicks grabbed three consecutive offensive rebounds and finally capitalized with Mikal Bridges hitting his second three-pointer of the game. Brunson shook off a cold quarter with an and-one jumper and then got a steal, leading to a Hart bucket inside to push the lead back to double digits.

-- Barnes dunked it with a second left as the Raptors won the second quarter, 30-18, and trailed by just seven points, 59-52, at halftime. The Knicks' hot three-point shooting disappeared in the second quarter, going 2-for-14 from deep. McBride still led the team with 14 points, while Brunson had 10 and Barnes paced Toronto with 16 points, including a perfect 4-for-4 from three.

-- Former Knick Immanuel Quickly scored five straight for the Raptors in the third quarter before Brunson countered with a scoop, and-one layup. Quickly then started chirping at Brunson and hit two more three-pointers to cut New York's lead to five points. He finished with 19 points for the game.

-- Hart stepped up in the third and scored eight straight points, including back-to-back threes. Bridges dunked it on the fastbreak to ignite the team and go up 84-68 with four minutes left in the quarter as New York continued on a 16-1 run to grow their lead back. Hart made another three-pointer with under a minute remaining to give him 20 points and the Knicks led 93-77 after three quarters.

-- Kolek connected with Clarkson and Karl-Anthony Towns for big dunks early on in the fourth quarter, while Brandon Ingram made back-to-back threes to keep the Raptors close. Mitchell Robinson showed hustle and grabbed multiple offensive rebounds, but missed his foul shot and Towns recorded an O-board of his own and scored inside. KAT then made his first three-pointer of the game to push the NY lead to 23 points, 106-83, with seven minutes left in the contest.

The Knicks were able to empty the bench for the final 3:37 and held on to win, 116-94. Towns shook off early shooting struggles to lead the team in scoring with 22 points, while Brunson finished with 18 points on 6-for-19 shooting. New York dominated the rebounding battle, 61-40, including 25 offensive rebounds (seven from Robinson) -- their most in a game since 2019.

Game MVP: Josh Hart

Hart was all over the place against the Raptors, giving the Knicks much-needed energy in the third quarter after a bad end to the first half. He finished with 20 points, including four three-pointers, 12 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals.

Highlights

Deuce pulls up and nails the three 🎯

(via @nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/31CIkfOlWQ

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) November 30, 2025

KAT gets the contested bucket to go 😤

(via @nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/PPWsDnHcmL

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) November 30, 2025

Jordan Clarkson for three! 👌

(via @nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/mfYabub5aD

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) November 30, 2025

Defense 🤝 Offense

(via @nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/dn3gdG404J

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) November 30, 2025

KAT 😤😤😤

(via @nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/XhejNsBe1l

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 1, 2025

MIKAL STEAL AND SLAM 💥

(via @nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/9HDE4BtrLZ

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 1, 2025

Kolek ➡️ KAT

(via @nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/jvlOivroeH

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 1, 2025

What's next

The Knicks travel up to Boston to face the Celtics on Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m.