Jalen Brunson helps Knicks’ ball movement come alive in encouraging Game 3 sign

DETROIT — Jalen Brunson didn’t need to put on his cape and be the Knicks superhero this time around.

He finally trusted his supporting cast, and the difference was stark. 

After struggling with a stagnant offense through much of the first two games, the Knicks enjoyed by far their best ball movement of the series in their 118-116 Game 3 win over the Pistons on Thursday night at Little Caesars Arena. 

They turned in their most well-rounded game on offense as a result.

This is exactly what Leon Rose and Tom Thibodeau envisioned when they spent so much capital this past offseason acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges and giving OG Anunoby the biggest contract in franchise history. 

“It helped a lot,” Brunson said of the team’s ball movement. “We were able to stay in rhythm as a team. Even when they went on runs, we were all in sync, we were all on the same page. Found a way to win.” 

The Knicks finished with 22 assists after recording a season-low 15 in their Game 2 loss on Monday.

They had 15 in just the first half Thursday night before the game tightened up down the stretch. 

Through the first two games of the series, Brunson’s usage rate skyrocketed, he was holding the ball longer and the Knicks were passing less.

Follow The Post’s coverage of the Knicks in the 2025 NBA Playoffs

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But after saying Thursday morning that he would, he clearly made it a point of emphasis to get his teammates involved and act as more of a true point guard.

He finished with nine assists, the most he has had in the series, along with 30 points.

And three other Knicks finished with 20 or more points, as Towns had 31, Anunoby had 22 and Bridges had 20. 

Brunson’s ball dominance in the first two games particularly hurt Towns, who had just 10 points in Game 2 and did not take a shot in the fourth quarter of that game.

Thursday, Towns shot a stellar 10-for-18 from the field.

He was also 4-for-8 from 3-point range after taking just five total in the first two games. 

A lot of those 3-pointers came as a trailer in transition.

The Knicks played noticeably faster Thursday. 

“We thought that [Game 1], we played faster and it was good for us. Really, that’s the way we like to play,” Thibodeau said. “Then we got bogged down in Game 2. And each game is different, so you have to understand what goes into it and learn from each one, get ready for the next one. There’s obviously a lot of things we need to do better and correct for Sunday’s game.”