Knicks coach Mike Brown called Jalen Brunson‘s lack of free throw attempts “alarming” after New York’s 115-107 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. Brunson played 34 minutes and did not attempt a free throw, a concern for Brown, whose team’s four-game winning streak ended at Madison Square Garden.
“I’m a little surprised,” Brown said. “I have to go back and watch the film, but Jalen plays 34 minutes and has zero free throw attempts. That’s pretty alarming.”
Brunson entered the night averaging a career-high 7.8 attempts from the line. Overall, the Cavaliers made 20 of 25 free throws, while the Knicks made 11 of 11.
Brown Wants Better Whistles
“I’m not sure how or why it’s that way,” Brown said. “I know [at] one time the free throw advantage was 18-3. That’s not why we lost the game, but you just hope to get a little bit better whistle when you’re playing a good team because it’s already hard enough to go win the game.”
Brunson, the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, scored 27 points on 12-of-23 shooting. The performance was a bounce-back effort after he went just 7-of-18 from the field against the Milwaukee Bucks a night earlier. Brown still wanted more, especially when compared with Cleveland guard James Harden, who went 9-of-11 from the line on his way to a season-high 32 points.
Brunson preferred not to dwell on the officiating after the loss.
“I’ll have to control what I can control, and I’ll leave it at that,” he said. “Sometimes you have to make adjustments, no matter how the game is being officiated or not. Being able to adjust in-game is part of not just playing basketball but playing sports.”
Bridges Sees Limited Minutes
Brunson’s offense was needed throughout the game. Josh Hart returned after a three-game absence due to a right ankle injury and illness, but he managed only six points. Mikal Bridges continued to struggle, playing just 17 minutes and sitting the entire final quarter. A night earlier, he played only four minutes in the second half of the blowout win over the Bucks.
Brown credited the play of Landry Shamet and Miles McBride, who combined to go 7-for-14 from three-point range, for limiting Bridges’ minutes against the Cavaliers. Bridges entered the night averaging 6.3 points on 32.9% shooting, including 26.5% from beyond the arc.
Brown said that pulling Bridges from the starting lineup would be a “panic decision.”
“It’s going to be hard to find minutes at times for Mikal and Josh because those two are playing at a high level,” he said. “He’s like a lot of players, had their good moments and not-so-good moments. Mikal has a track record of playing at a high level.”