For the second straight season, Jalen Brunson has played fantastic basketball, and thanks largely to him, the New York Knicks appear headed to their third playoff appearance in four seasons.
Fans across the Tri-state area were hoping that Brunson would get the recognition they feel he deserves and be chosen to be a starter in next month’s NBA All-Star Game.
However, when the starters for both conferences were announced on Thursday, Brunson’s name was left off the list.
Tim Bontemps said that although he got enough votes from the media, the fans didn’t give him enough love, despite playing in a market that has roughly 15-20 million people.
Jalen Brunson finished second in media voting for All-Star starters, but ultimately he didn’t get the starting spot because he was way behind in the fan voting — ironic, given the team Brunson plays for and how active its fan base is.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) January 26, 2024
Brunson, a native of New Brunswick, New Jersey, is having another career year by averaging 26.6 points and 6.5 assists a game while shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 42.3 percent from 3-point range.
He has had four games with at least 40 points this season, which included a 50-point effort in a win over the Phoenix Suns on December 15.
Last season, Brunson’s numbers were close to the numbers he’s putting up this year, yet he was snubbed by not being chosen to be either a starter or reserve on the All-Star team.
For decades, the Knicks and their fans have been starving for a real star, and Brunson is the closest one they have had since Carmelo Anthony, or perhaps even since Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing in the 1990s.
The team came into Thursday with a 27-17 record, which put them in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
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