Jalen Brunson summed up the New York Knicks’ Eastern Conference Finals exit in three words: “Sucks, man.”
The guard’s immediate response in Saturday night’s postgame press conference came minutes after the Indiana Pacers eliminated New York with a 125-108 win in Game 6.
“It sucks,” Brunson repeated when asked about the nature of the loss, which included 18 Knicks turnovers that led to 34 Pacers points.
Brunson acknowledged his own role in the defeat, citing a turnover in Game 1 as part of a larger pattern throughout the series.
“I wasn’t able to give my teammates and team an opportunity to win more games,” he said. “That’s terrible on our part—terrible on my part.”
While the loss stung, Brunson expressed pride in the Knicks’ season, which saw them overcome early injuries, midseason trades, and outside skepticism to reach the Conference Finals.
“We just kind of put blinders on and went to work,” he said. “Just proud of how we stayed the course.”
When asked if this playoff run was a first step toward something greater, Brunson remained grounded.
“At this very moment, no,” he said. “But eventually, yeah, we can look at stuff and see the positives. But not right now.”
The 28-year-old voiced strong belief in the roster and the coaching staff, answering firmly when asked whether Tom Thibodeau is still the right coach to lead the team.
“Is that a real question right now? … Yes,” Brunson replied.
Brunson also praised his chemistry with teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, who joined the Knicks before the season and posted 22 points and 14 rebounds in Game 6.
“It’s a lot of fun playing with KAT,” Brunson said. “He’s one of the best teammates. … I got a lot of faith in him.”
Towns returned the sentiment, calling Brunson “one of the best in the league” and describing the opportunity to play with him as “a blessing and an honor.”
Despite the defeat, both players emphasized their commitment to improvement and faith in the team’s potential.
“We’re going to go in the summer, we’re going to work, and we’re going to get better,” Brunson said. “We can’t look ahead. But I got a lot of faith in this group.”
Indiana, led by Pascal Siakam’s 31 points and Tyrese Haliburton’s 21-point, 13-assist effort, will face Oklahoma City in the NBA Finals beginning Thursday.
