Daniel Dunn- Images

Jalen Brunson Keeps Proving Basketball IQ Still Matters

After another playoff performance from Jalen Brunson, the biggest takeaway wasn’t the points.

It was control.

For years, the NBA has prioritized size, length, and athletic upside when evaluating guards. Yet Brunson continues to remind everyone that basketball is still a game of decisions.

At 6-foot-1, Brunson isn’t the biggest, fastest, or most explosive player on the floor. What he does possess is elite pace, footwork, timing, and the ability to read defenses in real time.

That’s what stood out again.

When the defense sped up, Brunson slowed down.

When help defenders rotated, he made the correct read.

When the game became chaotic, he remained under control.

Takeaways From The Game Gm 1

1. Pace is a superpower.
Brunson doesn’t beat defenders with speed. He beats them with changes of speed. Young guards should study how he controls tempo rather than simply trying to play faster.

2. Footwork creates separation.
Many players look for athletic solutions. Brunson consistently creates space with balance, pivots, and positioning.

3. Decision-making wins playoff games.
The deeper teams go in the playoffs, the more every possession matters. Brunson’s ability to make the right read repeatedly may be his greatest skill.

4. Small guards still matter.
The league may love size, but Brunson continues to prove that elite basketball IQ can overcome physical limitations.

The Bigger Picture

Brunson’s success isn’t just a win for the Knicks.

It’s a reminder to scouts, coaches, and young players everywhere that basketball value isn’t always measured by wingspan or vertical leap.

Sometimes the most important skill on the floor is simply knowing how to play.

And few players in today’s NBA do that better than Jalen Brunson.