Paul Pierce Stomps On Jalen Brunson’s Jersey After Game 7 Loss

Brunson exited Game 7 with a fractured hand, as the Knicks fell 109-130 to the Pacers in Game 7. It was a historic offensive performance by Indiana, shooting 67.1% from the field (53-79) in the win. The heavily injured Knicks saw OG Anunoby play for just five minutes, while an injured Josh Hart played for 36 minutes before fouling out. 

Ultimately, the Knicks simply didn't have enough to competently fight in this game. Their extremely injured roster was weighing them down throughout the postseason, and going seven games with the Pacers is an achievement on itself. The team ran out of steam after winning the first two games, enabling the Pacers to make a comeback as their surgical offense was too much for the Knicks' weary defenders to stop.

Brunson scored 17 points in 20 minutes during Game 7. He averaged 32.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 7.5 assists in an iconic playoff run which will be remembered as one of his greatest career performances.

Jalen Brunson Doesn't View This Season As A Success

Jalen Brunson gave his honest thoughts on the season after Game 7, with the Knicks recording consecutive second-round exits.

Reporter: "Do you think this season is a success given how much you guys had to go through to get here?"

Brunson: "No."

The Knicks were expected to be among the Playoff teams in the West, but their ascendancy to contender status wasn't anticipated by many. The team entered the season with a familiar core featuring young stars like RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. Both were moved to acquire OG Anunoby, a move that vaulted them to the top of the East overnight.

The Knicks went 20-3 with Anunoby in the lineup, transforming into one of the strong defensive teams in the NBA over that stretch. Unfortunately, Julius Randle would end up picking up a shoulder injury that ended his season in January. Despite that, the Knicks won 50 games and secured the No. 2 seed in the East. Brunson performing at an MVP level was among the key reasons for their rapid improvement. 

The Knicks will expect to run it back next season after their team is healthy. In the meantime, the team should take a deep look at the market and reinforce their roster by subtracting negative rotational players like Bojan Bogdanovic from the roster.