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Jalen Brunson scored 41 points for the Mavericks, who played without Luka Doncic but still defeated the Jazz. It was but another feather in his cap.
Now in his fourth professional season, Brunson enjoyed career-best figures in points and rebounds, assists, and steals. Among those with the highest rate of their offense derived as the ball handler in pick and roll sets, none were more efficient than Brunson.
He is a three-level scorer of the rare breed that shoots better off the bounce than the catch, making him fit into the coveted shot-creator archetype. Every team in the league would benefit from his offensive presence.
Whereas other big-name free agents (e.g., James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Bradley Beal) may simply opt into their player options, Brunson has an entirely different situation as an unrestricted free agent.
Unlike Chicago’s Zach LaVine, an unrestricted free agent who will likely remain with the Bulls, there are rumblings Brunson could find a new home this offseason. He is seen as a flight risk, and he is expected to earn north of $20 million per season.
However, with performances like what we saw against the Jazz, perhaps there is a bidding war. The Pacers, Pistons, and Knicks all have reported interest. He is playing so well that he might just price himself out of Dallas’ range to re-sign him.
The Tip-Off
For The Win’s Prince Grimes isn’t sure who he thinks deserves the NBA’s Most Valuable Player. Maybe it’s Jokic. Maybe it’s Embiid. Who knows?
We’ve talked about the candidacies ad nauseam, but per Grimes, one thing we’re not going to discuss is the role the postseason has in the MVP debate. It’s a regular-season award, he argues, which means folks on Twitter need to let go of the “narrative” when the Nuggets take on the mighty Warriors.
“This notion that what the Warriors are doing to the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs somehow robs Jokic of MVP credibility is asinine. And I’ve seen plenty of people making that argument on social media. If anything, the way this series is going further solidifies his case.”
You can read more from Grimes on this topic, and others, by clicking here.
One to Watch
Grizzlies (-6.5, -300) vs. Timberwolves (+230), O/U 240.5, 8:30 PM ET
(All odds via Tipico.)
With all due respect to the other playoff games broadcasting tonight, are you kidding me? When the Timberwolves play the Grizzlies. We get to watch two of the game’s brightest young stars, Anthony Edwards and Ja Morant, duel it out.
Minnesota has the advantage thus far, but I’m not betting against Memphis. While there are some lingering health concerns, the Grizzlies were by far my favorite team to watch all season.
Who’s in and out?
— Heat: Bam Adebayo (quad) is probable, PJ Tucker (calf) and Markieff Morris (hip) are questionable
— Hawks: Lou Williams (back) is out, Bogdan Bogdanovic (ankle) is probable
— Timberwolves: Taurean Prince (knee) is probable
Shootaround
— Woj worries in-arena gambling will lead to unruly fans during games
— A possible complication for the Lakers in trading Russell Westbrook
— Biggest takeaways from Thunder GM Sam Presti’s exit interview
— HoopsHype’s free agency option tracker: Who’s entering the market?
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