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Explained: The Real Story Behind Jalen Brunson’s Chris Paul Rejection At MSG

Published 03/01/2024, 11:48 PM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

NY Knicks star guard Jalen Brunson cleared the air with the real story. Following an on-court scuffle between Chris Paul and Brunson last night at MSG, many blew it out of proportion. As it often the case, fans came up with their own theories and analogies. Fortunately, the Knicks guard intervened before the hoops community scripted a new rivalry between CP3 and him.

The Big Apple side had a tough time, facing the in-form Warriors, as they dominated the home side right from the word get go. On top of it, Brunson also found it difficult to move through the Dubs’ traffic. He was constantly denied near the rim. And, Paul further added salt to the injury at the end of the third quarter.

With less than 1 second in third quarter, the Knicks had the possession of the ball. Brunson received the in bound pass and was looking for a buzzer beater. Before he could get a look at the bucket, Paul was on his face, and he fell on the floor without even attempting a shot. Following the act, CP3 extended his hand to lift him up, but the star guard refused to accept it, leaving the internet world in frenzy. Hours after the incident, Brunson cleared the air, saying, He came to pick me up. ‘I can’t right now’, that’s all I said.” 

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Featuring in an interview alongside Bleacher Report‘s Chris Haynes after the game, Brunson shed light on the incident. Haynes addressed the elephant in the room, claiming that the social media spun different stories. The 27-year-old started off registering his respect for the veteran point guard.

He added, I got the utmost respect for Chris. I have known him since high school… It’s all love before the game… like it is after the game but during the game, if I get knocked down, I prefer my teammates to help me no matter what the situation is.” 

Read More – 6’2 Jalen Brunson Reveals “Biggest Asset” Having Overcome Adversity in Big Man’s League

On the other hand, it was the first time when the two cross paths. Let’s take a look at the moment when CP3 praised Brunson.

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CP3 lauded the rising superstar Brunson

In a league dominated by the big men, it has been always a hard task for the smaller guards make their mark. Chris Paul is one among the few small guards who made it big in the league. Speaking of Brunson’s potential, Paul said, “I think it’s just funny … what everybody’s seeing now, we’ve done known for a long time,” reported Sports Illustrated

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Nevertheless, the hoops community has still a lot left to witness in the season, as power-packed franchises barge into the post-season for exciting drama.

What do you make of Jalen Brunson’s response to the on-court scuffle? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Shahul Hameed

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Shahul Hameed is a Senior NBA Writer at EssentiallySports. Armed with a Master's Degree in journalism from a distinguished institute, his journey into sports writing began during his college days, and since then, Shahul has been captivated not only by the remarkable consistency of Stephen Curry but also by the enduring legacy of LeBron James. He specializes in covering the live basketball action.
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Edited by:

Jayant Chhabra