The best guard in PO so far

[bledredwine]

So your sample size is 1 game and a highlight reel?

This playoffs PER
Brunson - 23.1
ANT - 25.9

Better sample size? And ANT has been facing defending champions.

Not to take anything away from Ant but your reductionist and frankly strange way of evaluating these players is just plain wrong.

It's not- that's an excuse.

PER in the same era among similar players in as accurate as you can get when it comes to efficiency and volume, which
happen to be the strengths of these two players (offensive output). It just so happens that ANT is also a much better defender.
So you're right, there's another side to this, but for offense between these two in particular, PER is an important metric.

ANT is more efficient when it comes to his volume and it makes sense because he has
a much better post game/versatility.

ANT has been given constant attention by Denver. I can't say the same by Brunson, though he has certainly been the hero on his squad.

[Quentin]

Ant is the only one being double teamed every time he touches the ball.

[Mamba Mentality]

Brunson is a pylon on defense practically so SGA.

Brunson isn't an amazing defender, but he's not a bad defender at all. He is elite at drawing charges, #1 in the league in fact - and this allows him to contribute. He's also very smart and rarely makes obvious mistakes. He's basically average.

He's actually second, the best distinction goes to Brandin Podziemski.

[taikibansei]

Brunson's been excellent, but he's playing against easier competition than the Western guards.

Brunson is also missing the 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 8th best players on his team due to injuries...and is injured himself.

I've been watching the Knicks for almost 60 years. This is my favorite Knicks squad ever. What Brunson is doing is amazing, not just his counting stats (points, assists, etc.) but the leadership. Hart, DiVincenzo, McBride, Burks, etc. would die for this guy.

[jbk1234]

Ant is the only one being double teamed every time he touches the ball.

That's inaccurate. Brunson is getting doubled plenty. The Pacers are throwing different bodies at him. He's even had his stats dragged down by playing a couple games on an injured foot.

[Woodsanity]

Brunson is doing it while injured with no 2nd option.

[taikibansei]

Brunson's been excellent, but he's playing against easier competition than the Western guards.

yeah brunson only had to beat the reigning former mvp in round 1. not the vaunted zionless pelicans or overrated suns build

So you think a hobbled Embiid and Maxey is tougher than KD and Booker?

What is this, 2018? KD is no longer the same player he was before the 2019 injury. He's still very good, but no longer great, not the best team leader...and tends to lose heart at the most inopportune times. Kind of like Embiid actually.

[hundreth]

Ant is the only one being double teamed every time he touches the ball.

That's inaccurate. Brunson is getting doubled plenty. The Pacers are throwing different bodies at him. He's even had his stats dragged down by playing a couple games on an injured foot.

I didn't even bother responding because the claims re: Brunson are getting so ridiculous. But yes, obviously Brunson is facing immense defensive attention the entire post season.

[iLLmatic860]

"Ant is playing the defending champs"

Is absolutely absurd to say. Brunson is playing the eastern conference in season tournament champions

[hippesthippo]

I dunno, I went with Brunson. He just looks dominant.

SGA has been way too passive at times. J Dub has been the guy bringing the ball up the court far too often while Shai just kind of floats around. Particularly in the 1st half of games.

Granted, when SGA kicks it into gear it's another story, but he's just been disappearing too much for me.

I'm not hopping on the ANT bandwagon just yet and I still have a really difficult time calling Doncic a guard with the way he throws his weight around inside.

[hippesthippo]

This playoffs PER
Brunson - 23.1
ANT - 25.9

Better sample size? And ANT has been facing defending champions.

Not to take anything away from Ant but your reductionist and frankly strange way of evaluating these players is just plain wrong.

It's not- that's an excuse.

PER in the same era among similar players in as accurate as you can get when it comes to efficiency and volume, which
happen to be the strengths of these two players (offensive output). It just so happens that ANT is also a much better defender.
So you're right, there's another side to this, but for offense between these two in particular, PER is an important metric.

ANT is more efficient when it comes to his volume and it makes sense because he has
a much better post game/versatility.

ANT has been given constant attention by Denver. I can't say the same by Brunson, though he has certainly been the hero on his squad.

ANT has a better post game than Brunson?

Bruh, have you ever watched Brunson play? Do you even know what post play is?

[Fat]

Brunson it’s not even close.

[Jadoogar]

Brunson has been electrifying to watch. It's between him and Edwards, i would give the edge to Brunson just because i've seen more of his games (EST bias unfortunately)

[GilbertMD]

sga

[cgf]

Brunson by far. That sixers team the Knicks handled is vastly underrated and would have likely destroyed the Pelicans / Suns.

That maybe true, but that 6ers team wasn’t even as good as the Pacers team that we’re playing right now…much less the Nuggets or Mavericks.

[cgf]

Brunson it’s not even close.

Brunson’s having to carry a greater offensively load, night in & night out, but it’s definitely close…especially when we factor in that SGA & Ant are arguably the two best defenders amongst all star guards in the NBA.

But I’m taking Rick’s son as well. He’s pulling some AI s***

[cgf]

Not to take anything away from Ant but your reductionist and frankly strange way of evaluating these players is just plain wrong.

It's not- that's an excuse.

PER in the same era among similar players in as accurate as you can get when it comes to efficiency and volume, which
happen to be the strengths of these two players (offensive output). It just so happens that ANT is also a much better defender.
So you're right, there's another side to this, but for offense between these two in particular, PER is an important metric.

ANT is more efficient when it comes to his volume and it makes sense because he has
a much better post game/versatility.

ANT has been given constant attention by Denver. I can't say the same by Brunson, though he has certainly been the hero on his squad.

ANT has a better post game than Brunson?

Bruh, have you ever watched Brunson play? Do you even know what post play is?

I liked the “Ant gets constant attention, does Brunson?” quib

[cgf]

I dunno, I went with Brunson. He just looks dominant.

SGA has been way too passive at times. J Dub has been the guy bringing the ball up the court far too often while Shai just kind of floats around. Particularly in the 1st half of games.

Granted, when SGA kicks it into gear it's another story, but he's just been disappearing too much for me.

I'm not hopping on the ANT bandwagon just yet and I still have a really difficult time calling Doncic a guard with the way he throws his weight around inside.

Tbf to sga some of that difference is out of necessity. When we were healthy Jalen often didn’t start going off until the 2nd quarter or even 2nd half like SGA. He’d make some plays, but he’d mostly get us set up & let Randle go off…since Julius is usually a hot starter…until the ball would start flying around as the double teams headed towards Randle.

Now we don’t know that SGA could do what Jalen has had to do possession after possession, which is why I picked Brunson, but I dunno if calling SGA passive is right when he has other guys on his team that he needs to make sure get going so he can’t “be as selfish” as Brunson has to be. As we just don’t have anyone else who is better with the ball than without it right now.

[gavran]

Ant is the only one being double teamed every time he touches the ball.

That's inaccurate. Brunson is getting doubled plenty. The Pacers are throwing different bodies at him. He's even had his stats dragged down by playing a couple games on an injured foot.

Brunson? Doubled? Don't make me laugh.

[bledredwine]

Not to take anything away from Ant but your reductionist and frankly strange way of evaluating these players is just plain wrong.

It's not- that's an excuse.

PER in the same era among similar players in as accurate as you can get when it comes to efficiency and volume, which
happen to be the strengths of these two players (offensive output). It just so happens that ANT is also a much better defender.
So you're right, there's another side to this, but for offense between these two in particular, PER is an important metric.

ANT is more efficient when it comes to his volume and it makes sense because he has
a much better post game/versatility.

ANT has been given constant attention by Denver. I can't say the same by Brunson, though he has certainly been the hero on his squad.

ANT has a better post game than Brunson?

Bruh, have you ever watched Brunson play? Do you even know what post play is?

Rewatch both of their highlights from the games. Brunson is facing the basket the majority of the time.
Yes, ANT has a more developed and reliable post game than Brunson.

This is one of those situations like with James Harden where I see something that apparently no one else doesn't.
You'll see in the future, as he continues to face tough squads. And if I eat crow, I'll be glad. I want better
players in the league.

I just see a lot of space and not the same consistency as Edwards, and the stats reflect what I see.