Jalen Brunson, Jaylen Brown face off in Knicks, Celtics clash

Mon Dec 1 6:42pm ET
Field Level Media

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson said he likes the way his team has been playing lately, and he'll try to help New York extend its winning streak to five games when the Knicks visit the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night.

Brunson had 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists Sunday, when New York beat Toronto 116-94 for its fourth straight victory.

"We're holding each other more accountable," Brunson told The Athletic. "We're paying attention to detail a little more -- we can still do better at that. I think the little things matter more than people think.

"If we keep believing that and keep doing that, then we'll keep winning games. Playing in this league, there's so much talent around the league, the little things can make or break wins and losses. We have to continue to do all that little stuff."

Brunson is averaging 28.5 points per game this season. That ranks 10th in the NBA, one spot ahead of Boston's Jaylen Brown. Brunson tossed in a game-high 31 points when the Knicks beat the Celtics 105-95 in New York on Oct. 24. Brown led Boston with 23 points in the loss.

"The numbers he's putting up are pretty good (and) I don't see it all the time, but when I see people talking (about MVP candidates), or I see lists, I never see him, and I'm amazed at the lack of attention that he gets for what he's done in this league already -- and what he continues to do, night in and night out," said New York coach Mike Brown. "Especially when he's the guy on a team that's in a pretty good spot in their conference."

Boston beat Cleveland 117-115 Sunday without Derrick White (calf) and Neemias Queta (ankle). Multiple reports have said both are expected to be in the lineup Tuesday.

Queta returned from an ankle injury and tied his career-high by scoring 19 points and also had a career-high 18 rebounds when Boston lost to Minnesota 119-115 on Saturday, but was held out of Sunday's game for precautionary reasons.

Brown collected 19 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists -- the fourth triple-double of his career -- in Sunday's victory over Cleveland, but was more of a playmaker than scorer in that game as Payton Pritchard scored a season-high 42 points.

Pritchard shot 15 of 22 from the floor and made six 3-pointers. It was the second time Pritchard has scored at least 40 points in a game during his NBA career.

"(Brown is) our best player, so I think what he's capable of doing is he can affect the game in different ways on different nights," Pritchard said. "You've seen the night before, he had 41 (in the loss to Minnesota). He can put on a scoring display. And then he can have a night like (Sunday) and have a triple-double and affect the game, which is even more impressive because he really missed a lot of shots that he usually hits. ... So the growth and everything, it's impressive."

Boston is averaging 11.1 turnovers per game, which is the fewest of any NBA team. New York ranks second among NBA teams in rebounding (46.5). Both teams average 15.3 made 3-pointers per game.


NYK LogoNew York Knicks
BOS LogoBoston Celtics

Tue Dec 2 7:00pm CT


Derrick White, BOS18.5 Points18.5Points
4.5 Assists4.5Assists
3.5 Rebounds3.5Rebounds
27.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts27.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
23.5 Pts+Asts23.5Pts+Asts
22.5 Pts+Rebs22.5Pts+Rebs
8.5 Rebs+Asts8.5Rebs+Asts
Anfernee Simons, BOS10.5 Points10.5Points
15.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts15.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
13.5 Pts+Asts13.5Pts+Asts
Payton Pritchard, BOS17.5 Points17.5Points
3.5 Rebounds3.5Rebounds
25.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts25.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
21.5 Pts+Asts21.5Pts+Asts
20.5 Pts+Rebs20.5Pts+Rebs
7.5 Rebs+Asts7.5Rebs+Asts
Jaylen Brown, BOS27.5 Points27.5Points
38.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts38.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
32.5 Pts+Asts32.5Pts+Asts
33.5 Pts+Rebs33.5Pts+Rebs
11.5 Rebs+Asts11.5Rebs+Asts
Sam Hauser, BOS7.5 Points7.5Points
10.5 Pts+Rebs10.5Pts+Rebs
Jordan Walsh, BOS4.5 Rebounds4.5Rebounds
10.5 Pts+Rebs10.5Pts+Rebs
Neemias Queta, BOS8.5 Rebounds8.5Rebounds
18.5 Pts+Rebs18.5Pts+Rebs
Jordan Clarkson, NYK10.5 Points10.5Points
Jalen Brunson, NYK27.5 Points27.5Points
6.5 Assists6.5Assists
3.5 Rebounds3.5Rebounds
2.5 3-pt Made2.53-pt Made
37.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts37.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
33.5 Pts+Asts33.5Pts+Asts
30.5 Pts+Rebs30.5Pts+Rebs
9.5 Rebs+Asts9.5Rebs+Asts
Miles McBride, NYK12.5 Points12.5Points
17.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts17.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
15.5 Pts+Asts15.5Pts+Asts
15.5 Pts+Rebs15.5Pts+Rebs
Josh Hart, NYK12.5 Points12.5Points
5.5 Assists5.5Assists
9.5 Rebounds9.5Rebounds
28.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts28.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
18.5 Pts+Asts18.5Pts+Asts
22.5 Pts+Rebs22.5Pts+Rebs
14.5 Rebs+Asts14.5Rebs+Asts
Mikal Bridges, NYK14.5 Points14.5Points
3.5 Assists3.5Assists
3.5 Rebounds3.5Rebounds
22.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts22.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
18.5 Pts+Asts18.5Pts+Asts
18.5 Pts+Rebs18.5Pts+Rebs
7.5 Rebs+Asts7.5Rebs+Asts
Karl-Anthony Towns, NYK22.5 Points22.5Points
11.5 Rebounds11.5Rebounds
36.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts36.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
25.5 Pts+Asts25.5Pts+Asts
34.5 Pts+Rebs34.5Pts+Rebs
14.5 Rebs+Asts14.5Rebs+Asts
Mitchell Robinson, NYK7.5 Rebounds7.5Rebounds
12.5 Pts+Rebs12.5Pts+Rebs

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Tue Dec 2

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NBA: Knicks @ Celtics
Jalen Brunson, Jaylen Brown face off in Knicks, Celtics clash