Brunson has been performing well with the Knicks, becoming a qualified star player. After Randle was out last season, Brunson led the Knicks to remarkable achievements. They made it all the way to second place in the East and successfully advanced to the playoffs.
The playoff journey was full of excitement and thrills. In the first round against the 76ers led by Embiid, the Knicks eliminated them with their strong strength. In the second round against the Pacers, the situation was also promising, with consecutive victories in the first two games (G1, G2). However, fate began to play tricks, and injuries plagued the team like a shadow, with key players getting injured one after another. Under such circumstances, it became extremely difficult to maintain a winning streak. Ultimately, the Knicks lost to the Pacers with a score of 3-4, missing out on the Eastern Conference Finals. However, this could not overshadow Brunson's brilliance in the playoffs. In 13 games, he averaged 32.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 7.5 assists, with a shooting percentage of 44.4%, which is completely at the top level of the league.
Before the start of the new season, the Knicks made a blockbuster trade. They reached an agreement with the Timberwolves, sending Randle and DiVincenzo in exchange for Towns. At that time, many people thought that Towns would be a supporting role to Brunson in the Knicks, just like how he supported Edwards in the Timberwolves. However, things developed unexpectedly, and Towns shone brightly after joining the Knicks. His performance on the court was quite impressive, and as long as he was given enough ball possession, he could burst out with astonishing energy and put up a series of jaw-dropping stats. These stats made even Brunson feel inferior.
In modern basketball systems, each player has their own style of play and advantages. Brunson has excellent organizational skills and scoring stability, and his performance last season proved that he is an outstanding leader. However, Towns' addition brought new variables to the Knicks. Towns has extremely strong personal abilities, with comprehensive techniques. He has diverse offensive methods in the paint, whether it's post-up moves or mid-to-long-range shooting, he can handle them with ease. Moreover, he also has good defensive awareness and playmaking ability.
When a powerful new player joins the team, it often breaks the existing balance. This is like throwing a stone into calm lake water, creating ripples. On the one hand, it brings new vitality to the team and may create more tactical options. For example, increasing the combination of inside and outside play, using Towns' advantage in the paint to attract defense, then creating shooting opportunities for perimeter players, or in defensive counterattacks, utilizing Brunson's speed and passing to let Towns follow up for dunks. On the other hand, it may also bring some problems, such as the distribution of playing time among players. How to ensure Brunson's leadership while fully utilizing Towns' abilities requires careful consideration from the coaching staff to formulate a reasonable tactical system, allowing both excellent players to find their best positions on the court and improve the team's performance.
From the perspective of team development, this is also a process filled with opportunities and challenges. If handled well, the Knicks could become a strong force in the East and launch an assault on the championship; if not handled well, conflicts may arise among players, affecting the team's performance. This is a critical period testing the team's wisdom and coordination.
Towns has put up a series of amazing performances this season.
Let's look at his scoring feats against different opponents. In the match against the Heat, his shooting accuracy was extremely high, making 17 out of 25 attempts for an easy 44 points, while also grabbing 13 rebounds and dishing out 2 assists. The Bulls had to face Towns' firepower as well, in the November matchup where he made 18 out of 30 attempts for a comfortable 46 points, along with 10 rebounds and 3 assists, showing a very comprehensive performance. The Nuggets' defense also faced challenges from Towns, who scored 30 points with 12 out of 15 shots, adding 15 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. The Timberwolves faced even greater pressure from Towns, with a 10 out of 12 shooting rate that allowed him to score 32 points plus 20 rebounds, with 6 assists also shining. The Jazz couldn't limit him either in their game, where he made 10 out of 20 shots for 31 points and 21 rebounds, with 4 assists. There was also the game against the Bulls where he made 17 out of 29 attempts for 44 points, 16 rebounds, and 5 assists, once again demonstrating his prowess.
Looking at the average statistics, Towns can get 25.3 points, 14 rebounds, and 3.4 assists with an average of 16.5 shots per game, with a shooting percentage of 55%. In comparison, Brunson averages 25.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 7.7 assists with 18 shots per game, with a shooting percentage of 48.2%. Calculating the scoring efficiency per shot, Towns surpasses Brunson.
In today's era that emphasizes comprehensive data, a player like Towns, who is both versatile and efficient, is rare. For fans who are keen on analyzing player data and enjoy watching dominant performances by interior players, Towns' performance is undoubtedly a highlight. Such an interior sharpshooter can produce high-scoring outputs on offense while also contributing to rebounds, occasionally delivering unexpected assists, making him an all-around warrior at the center position. His style of play combines the strong attacking capabilities of classical centers with the modern basketball player's outside shooting and passing awareness. Looking at each game, he seems to be the axis of the team's offense, with his strong attacks in the paint putting immense pressure on the opponent's defense, forcing them to contract, thus creating open opportunities for his teammates on the perimeter; and his agile footwork allows him to easily receive the ball and shoot from different positions, whether it's close-range hook shots or mid-to-long-range jumpers, he can handle them with ease.
On the defensive end, Towns' presence is also significant for the team. Although we pay more attention to his offensive performance, his contributions in rebounding cannot be overlooked. Rebounding is an important guarantee for the team's secondary offense, as seen in the game against the Timberwolves where he grabbed 20 rebounds, meaning the team had more opportunities in secondary offense. Moreover, his height and wingspan give him a large coverage area on defense, effectively disrupting the opponent's shots.
Towns' performance has also aroused great expectations for his future. Will he continue to enhance his abilities and become an even more unstoppable interior superstar? This is undoubtedly an exciting suspense.
On the NBA court, the performances of two players have sparked much discussion, namely Towns and Brunson. According to the data provided by the NBA official website, in the game against the Knicks, Towns had a net efficiency impact of +5.9, while Brunson's net efficiency impact was 0, meaning the team's net efficiency did not change whether he was on the court or not.
Judging solely from this data, Towns clearly contributes more to the team's efficiency than Brunson. If we consider various factors such as scoring efficiency, rebounds, assists, and net efficiency impact, Towns' performance this season is indeed more outstanding.
In fact, it is reasonable to say that Towns' performance surpassing Brunson is somewhat expected. Towns is a number one draft pick, after all, and he has a huge advantage in terms of talent. Looking back, Towns has always had the potential to become a top-level player. His physical conditions, technical abilities, and talents in all aspects are quite outstanding. However, this is like a pearl covered in dust. In the past, due to a lack of sufficient fighting spirit or not being ambitious enough, he has never been able to fully unleash his talents.
We all know that last season was a turning point. Under Towns' leadership, the Timberwolves overcame obstacles and successfully advanced to the Western Conference Finals. The Western Conference Finals is one of the top stages in the NBA playoffs, where every player is boiling with passion, and every exciting moment is filled with excitement and hope. And Towns tasted the fruit of victory on such a stage, feeling the joy of success.
This experience of success is like an injection of a strong heart stimulant for him. Originally, he might have been somewhat lost and depressed, but his fighting spirit was completely ignited. He yearns for a more significant role in the team and longs to lead the Timberwolves to even greater heights. But fate played a big joke on him, as the Timberwolves actually traded him. For a player who has just tasted the joy of victory and is eager to continue to achieve great things, this is undoubtedly a heavy blow.
However, sometimes suffering can become the driving force forward. After being traded, Towns did not lose heart. Instead, he turned this anger into strength. He is like a wild beast that becomes even fiercer after being injured, desperately proving his worth on the court. Every statistic, every play, he spares no effort to fight. He wants to tell everyone that he is not a player who can be discarded at will.
In today's fiercely competitive NBA arena, a player like Towns is like a dazzling star suddenly lighting up in the night sky. For fans who love basketball, pay attention to technical growth, and enjoy watching players overcome adversity, Town