Jalen Brunson may be an undersized point guard, but the New York Knicks’ lefthander keys NY in nearly every matchup. How he fares in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers may determine the series.
These Jalen Brunson picks expect him to start the Eastern Conference Finals aggressively, the last round putting plenty of material on film for him to study.
Jalen Brunson prop pick for Game 1
Jalen Brunson best bet: Over 6.5 assists (+110 at bet365)
Jalen Brunson and Cade Cunningham look like completely different players. The New York Knicks’ point guard is listed at 6-foot-2, charitably, while Cunningham is an athletic 6-foot-6.
But both their offenses rotate around them. Brunson’s usage rate of 30.3% this season barely trailed Cunningham’s 30.5%. Brunson shoots and scores more while Cunningham moves the ball a bit more often, but the ball is in their hands one way or another at rates that near the top of the league.
Cunningham regularly got inside the Cleveland Cavaliers’ defense last round. That is the defensive cost of a starting backcourt of James Harden and Donovan Mitchell. Cunningham then frequently moved the ball. That is the defensive perk of a starting frontcourt of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
Brunson should see similar assists opportunities in this series.
Jalen Brunson same-game parlay
Cunningham also chucked quite a bit against the Cavaliers. He averaged nine 3-point attempts per game in the final three games and seven attempts per game through the seven-game series.
Compared to his regular-season rate of 5.7 3-point attempts per game, those numbers stood out.
Now realize, Jalen Brunson attempted 7.1 threes per game this season and has hit 40.9% of his attempts in the playoffs.
This Cleveland defense should provide Brunson looks anywhere but the rim, and he will gladly take those.
He will stray from the rim on both ends of the court, though, given the Cavaliers’ quality post presences and, quite frankly, James Harden’s physical advantages on the glass compared to Brunson’s.
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