Josh Hart On How Jalen Brunson Can Improve: “The Next Step Is Telling Thibs To Shut Up And He Calls More Of The Plays”

Josh Hart hilariously explains the next step that Jalen Brunson has to take to improve.

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Jalen Brunson has had an excellent 2023-24 season for the New York Knicks and his teammate Josh Hart has a hilarious idea of how he can be even better. When Hart was asked what the next step to improvement for Brunson is, he stated the All-Star needs to start telling head coach Tom Thibodeau to shut up at times. 

“I think the next step is telling Thibs to shut up, and he calls a little bit more of the plays,” Hart said. “That’ll be the next step, but he’s too nice of a guy to do that, so maybe I’ll have to tell Thibs.”

Hart certainly is one of the funnier players in the league. Brunson calling his own plays at times certainly isn’t a bad idea, but running the ones that Thibodeau wants him to has worked out just fine so far. The 27-year-old is averaging 27.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game this season.

Brunson had 35 points, 2 rebounds, 11 assists, and 3 steals on Thursday night against the Sacramento Kings to lead the Knicks to a 120-109 win. He was one of five Knicks players to score in double digits, with Hart recording 31 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals on the night as New York improved to 45-31 on the season.


Josh Hart Reacts To Julius Randle Needing Season-Ending Surgery

Prior to the game between the Knicks and the Kings, it emerged that Julius Randle would be undergoing season-ending right shoulder surgery. Randle, who had dislocated his shoulder back in January, had attempted to avoid surgery and make his return before the playoffs, but the Knicks will now head into the postseason without their star big man. Hart was asked about Randle needing surgery and had a typical answer.

“I feel for us because he just kept us in the wind for two months. Terrible teammate, terrible human being,” Hart jokingly said. “But nah for sure, as competitors, as hoopers, you never want your season to end on injury. So, we know that’s a tough and frustrating for him. Obviously, he wasn’t able to end last year fully healthy, and he was playing great and had a great rhythm. So, it definitely was just unfortunate. But now, for him, it’s just about hitting his rehab strong and getting better this offseason, and he’ll come back next year better than he was this year.”

You certainly hope Randle can come back stronger next season. It is a real shame for the Knicks that we’ll never quite know for sure just how good they could have been in the playoffs this season.

Randle had averaged 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game this season and was named an All-Star for the second time in his career. The Knicks were 12-2 with him and OG Anunoby in the lineup in 2023-24, and fortunately for New York, at least Anunoby, who has also been out since January, is expected to be back at some point.

The Knicks have done an admirable job of staying afloat in their absence, but I think that following this update regarding Randle, it is safe to say their ceiling is in the second round of the playoffs.

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Gautam Varier is a staff writer and columnist for Fadeaway World from Mumbai, India. He graduated from Symbiosis International University with a Master of Business specializing in Sports Management in 2020. This educational achievement enables Gautam to apply sophisticated analytical techniques to his incisive coverage of basketball, blending business acumen with sports knowledge.Before joining Fadeaway World in 2022, Gautam honed his journalistic skills at Sportskeeda and SportsKPI, where he covered a range of sports topics with an emphasis on basketball. His passion for the sport was ignited after witnessing the high-octane offense of the Steve Nash-led Phoenix Suns. Among the Suns, Shawn Marion stood out to Gautam as an all-time underrated NBA player. Marion’s versatility as a defender and his rebounding prowess, despite being just 6’7”, impressed Gautam immensely. He admired Marion’s finishing ability at the rim and his shooting, despite an unconventional jump shot, believing that Marion’s skill set would have been even more appreciated in today’s NBA.This transformative experience not only deepened his love for basketball but also shaped his approach to sports writing, enabling him to connect with readers through vivid storytelling and insightful analysis.
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