NBA All-Stars: Luka Doncic Throws Subtle Shade After Jalen Brunson’s Snub for Damian Lillard

Published 02/02/2024, 2:04 PM EST

For years, fans of the New York Knicks yearned for a team capable of competing for the NBA title. Unfortunately, season after season, they were met with disappointment. However, the Knicks seemed to have turned a corner in recent seasons, as under the leadership of Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks have become perennial title challengers. This season, the Knicks have been one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, winning 32 of their 49 games.

The star headlining the Knicks’ resurgence is Jalen Brunson. The diminutive point guard has endeared himself to the Knicks’ faithful with his leadership qualities. Apart from his leadership qualities, Brunson is also performing at an All-NBA level. He has recorded 27.1 points, 6.4 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game this season. Furthermore, Brunson has been deadly from the three-point range, shooting 41.7% from beyond the arc.

Fans and analysts have acknowledged Brunson’s outstanding performances, leading to his inclusion in the All-Star roster. This marks Brunson’s first-ever selection as an All-Star. Former teammate Luka Doncic congratulated Brunson on his stellar achievement by posting a story on his Instagram handle, with the caption, “Congrats my brother!!! #starter.”

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Luka’s post could be interpreted as a slight dig towards Damian Lillard, as many fans believed that Brunson was more deserving of starting the All-Star game instead of Lillard. A statistical comparison between the two superstars further strengthens Brunson’s case. Brunson leads Lillard in categories such as points and assists per game. Moreover, Jalen Brunson has outperformed Dame at his own game, with Lillard (34.3%) posting a notably lower three-point percentage than Brunson.

Brunson’s stellar performances bode well for the future of the Knicks. However, with players like Brunson, Julius Randle and OG Anunoby, could the Knicks mount a surprising title challenge?

Dark Horse for the 2024 NBA title

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The Knicks are one of the most in-form teams of the league, winning nine consecutive games. Furthermore, the addition of OG Anunoby to an already staunch defense has made the Knicks a daunting opponent for any team in the league.

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The Knicks are just one of three teams to possess a top-10 defense and offense in the league. The other two teams sharing this distinction are the title-favorites Celtics and the OKC Thunder.

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Underlying stats show that the Knicks are legitimate title contenders, but their form and performances have gone under the radar, somewhat. Nevertheless, the Knicks will be a threat to the title aspirations of several teams this season as well as for seasons to come.

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Written by:

Dushyant Singh is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. His basketball script journey began in 2020 when he was captivated by the Los Angeles Lakers? triumphant NBA championship win. Before that he was merely dribbling and dunking as a boy next door.

Edited by:

Bilal Handoo

NBA All-Stars: Luka Doncic Throws Subtle Shade After Jalen Brunson’s Snub for Damian Lillard

Dark Horse for the 2024 NBA title

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