Jalen Brunson: Playoff lessons fuel Knicks’ focus

Jalen Brunson, who recently returned to the court after missing time with an ankle injury, has played in four games since coming back, just in time to help the Knicks gear up for what they hope is a deep playoff run.

According to Peter Botte of the New York Post, Brunson believes the team’s collective postseason experience, along with the ups and downs of the regular season, will serve them well as they head into the playoffs.

Brunson, now one of the vocal leaders in the Knicks locker room, spoke about the importance of staying mentally resilient and learning from both victories and setbacks throughout the season.

“I think for us, it’s, like any other season, it’s a roller coaster every year, there’s gonna be ups and downs, and it’s all about how you manage it,” the player said.

“But now that the regular season’s over, it’s all about how we can move on and be better the next day. I know it’s a term that people don’t like to hear, but we learn from what we did in the past, good and bad, and move on and get better. That’s the name of the game at this stage of the season. … So we’re just focused. We still got a long way to go with preparation, still got a long way to go making sure we’re ready to go for Saturday. We’ll be ready.”

Brunson’s level-headed approach, along with his leadership and playoff pedigree, will be key for New York as the team prepares for its opening-round matchup.

With expectations rising and the pressure mounting, the Knicks will lean on players like Brunson to set the tone both on and off the floor.