Ring Night Emotions
The Madison Square Garden crowd experienced heavy emotion before tipoff on Tuesday night. Jalen Brunson thanked fans for sticking around during Game 4 of the NBA Finals when New York trailed by 29 points in the third quarter. Franchise legends like Walt Frazier and former players handed out championship rings to the team, coaches, and front office members. The widow of Willis Reed gave the coaching staff ring to Mike Brown, which brought a loud ovation from the arena.
While the ceremony was special, the team had to shift focus to basketball. Mike Brown admitted before the match that handling the emotions of the evening would be tough for his players. The 76ers sat and watched the lengthy celebration before getting ready for the game.
A Slog on the Court
The actual match proved to be an ugly affair for the home side. Jalen Brunson struggled to find his rhythm, shooting just 6-of-19 from the field and missing four of his five shots in the fourth quarter. He still finished with 21 points, five rebounds, and three assists.
Karl-Anthony Towns dealt with foul trouble before scoring 10 of his 19 points in the final quarter. As a team, the Knicks shot only 37% overall and 33% from beyond the arc. The 76ers capitalized on the slow start and secured a 106-100 victory.
Looking Past the Defeat
Coach Mike Brown pointed out that relying on late heroics is a dangerous habit. He stated that if Brunson had hit shots down the stretch and stolen a win, it would have felt like playing with fire without a blanket.
Brunson agreed with the assessment of being humbled. He noted that the opening weeks of the season do not define who the squad really is, and expressed relief that the team can now move forward past the opening night distractions.
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