For the most part, the Knicks have been able to minimize Jalen Brunson’s weaknesses on defense by having him camp out Detroit’s least dynamic players. So far, that’s meant matching up with Tim Hardaway Jr. and, to a lesser extent, Malik Beasley
. But at the end of Game 5, Brunson rolled his ankle. I’ll be watching Game 6 to see if Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff targets Brunson by ramping up Hardaway’s role as a screener or by replacing him with someone who will make Brunson move his feet on defense. A lineup of Cade Cunningham, Dennis Schroder, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, and Jalen Duren lacks shooting, but it would force Brunson to either guard the ball (Schroder) or box out someone much bigger than him (Thompson). Either way, it could work in Detroit’s favor.
by Hoops Hype