The New York Knicks are preparing for the NBA playoff opener against the Atlanta Hawks this weekend, and while the focus needs to remain on dealing with a team that was among the hottest in the Eastern Conference in the second half of the year, the Knicks also enter this postseason with a big-picture view. Owner James Dolan has said a trip to the NBA Finals will need to be on the docket and, what’s more, he said, “We should win the Finals.”
A quick reminder that the Knicks faithful surely do not need: This team has not won a championship since 1973.
Dolan, though indicated that the Knicks, “as currently constructed” should be a champion. Yet, they are the No. 3 seed in the East and not favored to get out of the conference finals. While they are loaded with talent–their starting five earns $175 million this season–there are many who feel they can only go as far as their best player takes them. And when the best player is an undersize guard, like Jalen Brunson, it could be that the team can only go so far.
Knicks Championship Road Tough With Undersize Leader
That was the sentiment from Hall of Famer and longtime Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce, who is not so sure that the Knicks can make a title run with Brunson leading the way. Brunson averages 26.0 points with 6.8 assists this season, but the fear is that once the playoffs come around, it becomes easier to limit Brunson and the Knicks offense.
Pierce said that’s a truism in the NBA–he named only the Pistons teams of the 1980s behind Isiah Thomas and the Warriors of 10 years ago with Stephen Curry as teams that won championships with star players at 6-foor-2 or shorter. Brunson is listed at 6-foot-2.
Paul Pierce: Knicks Can’t Win With Jalen Brunson
Said Pierce on the “No Fouls Given” podcast: “In order for the Knicks to make a run, they need to find a player that’s better than Jalen Brunson. Your best player can’t be 6-foot-2. On a championship team. Tell me what championship team’s best player was—just Steph. But all-time, though. We have to go all-time for these players. You have to go Isiah. You have to go Steph.
“If your best player is 6-2, it’s going to be tough for you to win a championship. It’s just, throughout history. You can only name two teams that their best player was 6-2.”
In Defense of Jalen Brunson …
Of course, Knicks fans don’t want to much hear that, particularly from a Celtics great like Pierce. It is true that Brunson has not led the Knicks to a championship, but in each case in which the Knicks have come up short, there have been other reasons for the failure besides Brunson’s height.
On Reddit, many users pointed out that the reason not many players shorter than 6-foot-2 have led their teams to titles is that there are not many players shorter than 6-foot-2 in the NBA.
One noted, “I mean too lazy. Most nba players are taller than 6’2, so it’s rare to begin with. Brunson is definitely skilled enough to lead a team to the title.”
Another added, “Such a lazy take man. We’ve seen Brunson be one of the most consistent playoff risers in the NBA year in year out yet we’re still having discussions about his ‘height.’”
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