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USA Today Sports Media Group
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HoopsHype

Pacers in the mix for Jalen Brunson?

Marc Stein on Jalen Brunson’s free agency: I recently reported that Indiana I’ve started to hear them as a team that might try to get into that mix with Rick Carlisle obviously knowing Jalen Brunson is game very well.
Source: Marc Stein @ marcstein.substack.com

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
List, via @ESPNStatsInfo, of players to have 40-5-5 playoff games with 0 turnovers (since 1977-78):
Kobe Bryant
Jamal Murray (2)
Shaquille O’Neal
Chris Paul
Hakeem Olajuwon
Dominique Wilkins
Jalen Brunson – 1:40 AM
Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
Per @Dallas Mavericks PR:
Jalen Brunson became the 5th Maverick to post 40+ points in a playoff game (Nowitzki [7], Dončić [5], Blackman [2], Van Exel) and joined Dončić and Blackman as the only Mavericks to record 40-8-5 in a postseason game. – 12:59 AM
Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
Per @Dallas Mavericks PR:
Jalen Brunson became the 1st player in Mavs history w/40 points & 0 TO in a playoff game after he recorded a career-best (reg. or post.) He’s the 4th player to record 40+ pts & 0 TO in a postseason game since he entered the league (Durant, J. Murray [2], Paul). – 12:58 AM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Jalen Brunson steps up without Luka Doncic, scores 41 to lead Mavericks over Jazz in Game 2 nba.nbcsports.com/2022/04/19/jal…12:56 AM
Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Jalen Brunson: “When Maxi’s hitting, he’s on fire. 8 for 11? Jesus. 25 [points]? Jesus! Yeah, that’s big time for him. I’m happy for him.” – 12:23 AM
Mark Followill @MFollowill
With 41 points tonight, Jalen Brunson set a career high for regular season or postseason. He joined Dirk (7 times), Luka (5 times), Ro Blackman (2 times) and Nick Van Exel (once) as Mavs with 40+ plus points in a playoff game. – 12:13 AM
CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
Mavericks vs. Jazz: Jalen Brunson pours in career-high 41 points to even series with Utah
https://t.co/lyviHVIih9 pic.twitter.com/vY7l0h3NoY11:45 PM
Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Jason Kidd said at start of season his No. 1 goal for Jalen Brunson was to get him paid.
How much did he make tonight?
“A lot. He’s going to make a lot of money. I don’t know if he needs an agent, but I’m willing to put my name in the hat. … I hope he pays me for saying that.” – 11:17 PM
Shaun Powell @Powell2daPeople
Knicks can’t wait to get Jalen Brunson this summer. – 11:09 PM
Dan Favale @danfavale
the mavs (and other nba teams) heading into free-agency meetings with jalen brunson pic.twitter.com/3x7czghRK111:05 PM
Tony Mejia @MejiaDinero
Embarrassing loss for the Jazz. Mike Conley had a brutal night, Maxi Kleber couldn’t miss and Jalen Brunson outplayed everyone, scoring 41. Buys Luka time to take another game off if he needs it. Utah is suspect. The Jazz are nowhere close to being the team they were last season. – 11:01 PM
James Boyd @RomeovilleKid
Jalen Brunson getting the BIGGEST big this summer!!! – 10:58 PM
Eli Savoie @Eli560
Jalen Brunson has basically printed money this season – 10:58 PM
Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Monster night for Jalen Brunson:
41 points (on 15-of-25 shooting)
8 rebounds
6 made three-pointers
5 assists (vs. zero turnovers)
1 win – 10:57 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Jalen Brunson put the Mavs on his back.
41 PTS
8 REB
5 AST
15-25 FG
6-10 3P
Series tied 1-1. pic.twitter.com/ZmzwSGzXkj10:56 PM
Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Mavs get Game 2 without Doncic, 110-104. In the end, the Jazz’s perimeter D let them down in a big way, especially in the 4Q.
Jalen Brunson: 21 points. Maxi Kleber 25 points.
Mitchell had 34, Bogdanovic 25.
Back to Utah with a 1-1 series tie, and Mavs have significant hope. – 10:56 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Jalen Brunson hit the Jazz with the Terance Mann 2nd round pick blowup special tribute – 10:56 PM
Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Mavs even the series with 110-104 win over the Jazz. Dallas picked apart Utah a lot like the Clippers did in the playoffs last year — 5-out, blow-by dribble penetration, force Rudy Gobert to help and kick it out for open 3s. Jalen Brunson (41 points) and Maxi Kleber (25) starred. – 10:56 PM
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
Just a brutal loss for Utah. Rudy got hung out to dry repeatedly in the fourth quarter. Jazz guards couldn’t stop anyone. Rudy came over to help, Utah gives up a three. 41 for Jalen Brunson. – 10:56 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
List of Mavs players with a 40-point playoff game:
— Luka Doncic
— Dirk Nowitzki
— Nick Van Exel
— Rolando Blackman
And now, Jalen Brunson. pic.twitter.com/YMaeZ6mwka10:55 PM
Michael C. Wright @mikecwright
Jalen Brunson bout to get paid$$ – 10:54 PM
Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Jalen Brunson gave the Jazz 40 – 10:53 PM
Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Jazz coaches were telling the Jazz NOT to foul… Bogdanovic couldn’t hear them. Jalen Brunson is getting MVP chants. – 10:53 PM
Sam Vecenie @Sam_Vecenie
So like…Maxi Kleber is 8-10 from 3, and Jalen Brunson has 38 points. Obviously, not going to be the norm.
But having said that, the WAY Dallas is getting offense feels entirely sustainable and particularly easy. Utah’s perimeter defense is a total disaster. – 10:52 PM
Jeff Goodman @GoodmanHoops
When Jalen Brunson was drafted 33rd, a lot of people thought it was a reach.
Brunson just impacts winning. – 10:49 PM
Mike Mazzeo @MazzNYC
If Leon Rose and William Wesley can’t close Jalen Brunson they may as well call it a day – 10:47 PM
Stefan Bondy @SBondyNYDN
Jalen Brunson won’t be cheap – 10:44 PM
Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
“Knicks brass went to Utah to see Donovan Mitchell…”
Jalen Brunson: pic.twitter.com/CTSFanL3DO10:42 PM
Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Jalen Brunson has 38 on 63 percent shooting. He’s OBLITERATING Utah – 10:41 PM
Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
The 38 points Jalen Brunson has with 5:39 remaining is the most he’s scored in a game since at least high school. Never had that many at Villanova or with Mavs. – 10:41 PM
The Ringer @ringernba
Jalen Brunson looking at the Utah defense tonight pic.twitter.com/PexSYEWs8u10:41 PM
Rob Perez @WorldWideWob
Jalen Brunson going to be very rich very soon. – 10:41 PM
Ben Rohrbach @brohrbach
Jalen Brunson earning himself an extra $20M tonight. – 10:40 PM
Quinton Mayo @RealQuintonMayo
I’m naming my first son Jalen Brunson. – 10:39 PM
Sam Vecenie @Sam_Vecenie
Jalen Brunson after this performance preparing for his impending free agency pic.twitter.com/vTuYT31CkX10:38 PM
Bobby Marks @BobbyMarks42
Jalen Brunson has outperformed his $1.8M contract this season by $29.7M. @profitxai pic.twitter.com/vMZbmWxy0k10:38 PM
Ben Anderson @BensHoops
If Conley is going to be on the floor but isn’t going to risk picking up his fifth foul then you have to put Danuel House Jr. in the game and onto Jalen Brunson.
Have to get stops now. – 10:35 PM
Eric Walden @tribjazz
Jazz are still heated about that offensive foul call on Bogey. NAW just came onto the court during the timeout to explain to Courtney Kirkland how Jalen Brunson gamed him. It’s 93-91 Jazz after that latest Brunson bucket. 7:22 to play. – 10:34 PM
Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
Jalen Brunson is going nuts. 36 and counting. Mavs down 2 with seven minutes left. Would be huge for them to win one of these at home without Doncic. – 10:34 PM
Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Jalen Brunson is probably going to get 45 tonight. And Dallas has found something that works because Kleber is on fire. Utah up 93-91 but the mavericks have a GREAT chance to win this game. 7:22 remaining – 10:34 PM
Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
Jalen Brunson, No. 33 overall pick in the same draft that Luka Doncic went No. 3 overall, is up to 36 points for Dallas in this must-win Game 2.
Utah clings to a 93-91 lead with 7:22 to go.
More NBA from me: marcstein.Substack.com
And via @BallySportsSW … – 10:33 PM
Ryan McDonough @McDNBA
Jalen Brunson is a master of using ballfakes, pivots and step throughs to create space
Every young guard should study what he does with the 🏀 – 10:33 PM
Brad Townsend @townbrad
Mike Conley can’t stay in front of Jalen Brunson. A sentence I never fathomed typing before this series. – 10:33 PM
Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Jalen Brunson (32 points) has surpassed his season-high scoring with 9 mins left in the game. – 10:30 PM
Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Jalen Brunson came over especially heated about refs reviewing Dwight Powell’s foul.
Jason Kidd patted him on the chest and started to calm him down 1-on-1.
These two, always talking. pic.twitter.com/KBpdnTcsDf10:06 PM
Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Jalen Brunson is really lighting the Jazz up – 10:05 PM
Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Jalen Brunson might be making Luka Doncic jealous over on the bench. He’s up to 31 points midway through the third quarter. He’s hit 6-of-8 from 3-point range. – 10:04 PM
Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Mavs are on a 8-0 run over the last 1:47 to cut the Jazz lead to 60-58.
Two buckets apiece from Jalen Brunson and Spencer Dinwiddie. – 9:59 PM
Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell with dueling 21 point first halves. Mitchell had a bit more help. Mavericks giving themselves a chance, again, but the Jazz are playing better than they did in Game 1. And both teams irritated with the whistles. – 9:45 PM
Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
The Knicks came to Dallas one game too early. The two guys they wanted to see — Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell — have 21 points each at halftime.
Jazz up 55-48 at the half and worryingly so for the Luka-less hosts: 28-13 on the boards and 1-0 already in the series. – 9:42 PM
Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Mavs trail Jazz 55-48 at half.
Jalen Brunson is up to 21 points on 8 of 14 shooting. Rest of the Mavs are a combined 10 of 30. – 9:40 PM
Ryan Miller @millerjryan
Halftime: Jazz lead Mavs 55-48.
Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson duel to 21 points apiece.
Mavericks are 11 of 26 from deep and has outscored Utah by 15 from the 3-point line; the Jazz are still up 7. – 9:39 PM
Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
The Jazz lead Dallas 55-48 at halftime. 7-0 run to end the half for Utah. Mitchell was sensational. He has 21. Gobert has been great defensively. Jalen Brunson has 21. He has also been sensational – 9:38 PM
Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Non-Jalen Brunson Mavs are 3-19 from the field. – 9:17 PM
Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Somebody needs to pay Jalen Brunson a lot of money. He’s close to a top end NBA starting level point guard at this point – 9:09 PM
Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
The Jazz are still giving up wide open threes but Dallas has missed a few. Utah has started scoring tho. The Jazz trail 21-18 with 2:12 remaining in the quarter. If jalen Brunson scores 64 points, might be hard for Utah to pull this one out – 8:57 PM
Chuck Swirsky @ctsbulls
I admit I was dead wrong about Jalen Brunson..I thought he was going to be a rotation player- a good player–but he has proven to be a top tier guard in the NBA who has all the skills and intangibles you’re looking for in a leader and playmaker. Good on him. – 8:53 PM
Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Jalen Brunson finally missed a shot after making his first five, three from distance. Mavs up 16-11. – 8:53 PM
Sam Vecenie @Sam_Vecenie
Dallas is playing like a team in an elimination game to start this game. Jalen Brunson is on fire, and the defense is as aggressive as I’ve seen. – 8:52 PM
Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Observations from Mavs’ 14-6 lead in the first 5 mins:
— Jalen Brunson is *feeling it*
— Every Mavs reserve is standing and shouting and making the Jazz bench look like a library in comparison – 8:48 PM
Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Jalen Brunson has 11…..Utah didn’t concede those kinds of looks in game 1….let’s see what the jazz do to adjust – 8:48 PM
David Locke @DLocke09
Mavericks didn’t have an off the bounce 3 in game 1, Jalen Brunson has 3 in the last 3 possessions.
Mavericks 14 Jazz 6 – 8:47 PM
Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
JALEN BRUNSON – 8:47 PM
Ryan Miller @millerjryan
Jalen Brunson up to 11 points and is 3-for-3 from deep. Utah probably should stop going under the screens. – 8:47 PM
Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Jalen Brunson on a sizzle in the early going with 11 points in under 5 minutes as Mavericks go up 14-6 to get AAC rockin. – 8:47 PM

More on this storyline

Just look at it: Outside of Doncic, the Dallas roster is absent of stars. It just carries really good role players. Jalen Brunson is a tremendous secondary ballhandler who can create his own shot, is a terrific spot-up shooter and possesses great basketball instincts. He’s also a free agent this summer, and the Pistons have real interest in him, per sources. Brunson next to Cunningham would be one difficult backcourt to deal with offensively and would look nearly identical to how Doncic and Brunson play together. After that, the Mavs’ main players are the kind who can hit open shots and have the length defensively to switch across the board. Guys like Reggie Bullock aren’t hard to find. Dorian Finney-Smith is a good player but not a star. However, both are great in their roles and act as Doncic’s safety valves on the perimeter. They’re low-maintenance players who take advantage of the opportunities provided by playing alongside a star. -via The Athletic / April 7, 2022
Michael Scotto: I’ve heard some people in that front office that have an eye for Jalen Brunson. I’ve also heard there are people in the front office that could see Mitchell Robinson, who’s an unrestricted Knicks free agent, as a guy that they’d also look at. Deandre Ayton’s name has been floated out there too. My observation on this is guys like Brunson and Robinson are targets for Detroit because they’ll command less money (than Ayton). With Ayton, you’d have to give him a full max to try to get him there and out of Phoenix going into his (restricted) free agency. I think that would be tough. Whereas, with Brunson, Dallas knows there’s going to be a market for him. One of the reasons they got Spencer Dinwiddie was a hedge to cover themselves depending on what the market bears for Brunson. The Knicks have Robinson entering free agency and also have an eye for Brunson with the relationship with Leon Rose. They do need a point guard looking ahead. Immanuel Quickley is there, but it seems like he’s viewed as a microwave scorer off the bench, and Tom Thibodeau likes him off the bench in that role. -via HoopsHype / March 24, 2022

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