JalenBrunson

Preseason question: After a championship run for the ages that culminated in a Finals-clinching 45-point gem, what is there to ask besides “Can he do it again?” Brunson was sensational in the playoffs, where he commandeered an elite offense (New York’s offensive rating was 120.7 with Brunson on the floor) and carved opposing defenses to pieces whenever the game’s intensity really started to boil. It was the stuff of legend, instant classic after instant classic after instant classic. In fourth quarters, his shooting splits were 56.2/52.6/90.5. If he does anything remotely close to that again and the Knicks go back-to-back, Brunson’s statue outside Madison Square Garden should be carved from a block of ice that gets replaced every single day. Actually, going back-to-back isn’t impossible, but with beefed-up competition throughout the Eastern Conference, no one should expect New York to make the playoffs look as easy as they did a year ago.