Jalen Brunson expressed deep frustration following the Knicks’ 127-102 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. When asked what disappointed him most about the team’s performance, he said, “A lot. A lot. Just—I’m not even going to explain it. Just a lot.”
The Knicks’ transition defense and communication problems have been a recurring issue throughout the series. Brunson admitted uncertainty about why these problems fluctuate but emphasized the need for better focus. “It’s just that paying attention to details when it comes to preparing for games, making sure our minds, our heads are right, and we’re locked in on a similar goal,” he said.
The Celtics outscored New York 32-17 in the third quarter, a turning point Brunson acknowledged bluntly. “Not that good, obviously,” he said about the team’s start to the second half, noting Boston came out “with a sense of urgency that we need.”
Brunson also faced criticism for fouling out with five fouls in one quarter. When asked about it, he declined to elaborate, saying only, “How much you want me to say that? I guess I’m not even going to say anything. I’m sorry.”
Addressing the team’s struggles, especially among the starters, Brunson pointed to the strength of the Celtics as a major factor. “We’re playing a really good team,” he said. “Obviously, we don’t want to be minus 22 coming into tonight, but we got to understand who we’re facing, and we need to be better. Flat out.”
Regarding Karl-Anthony Towns’ limited three-point attempts in the series, Brunson highlighted the need for trust and strategic adjustments. “If they’re going to put a smaller guy on him, we need to feed him in the post. They haven’t put a bigger guy on him. So we need to attack accordingly, and him being aggressive gives us a great advantage.”
Brunson also dismissed any idea that the Celtics’ missing Jayson Tatum lessened their threat. “They’re a well-oiled machine that has been in situations where they’ve played without him. They’ve played well, and we need to understand that,” he said.
With the series now 3-2 in favor of the Knicks, Game 6 will take place Friday at Madison Square Garden. The Celtics aim to force a decisive Game 7 back in Boston.
