SI:AM | Jalen Brunson Wasn’t the Only Knicks Hero

DAN GARTLAND 

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I still can’t believe the Knicks—the Knicks—won an NBA Finals game.  

In today’s SI:AM:

🗽 Knicks take Game 1

💰 Biggest threat to college sports

🏈 Best NFL trios 

The Knicks’ other heroes

Scott Wachter/Imagn Images

The Knicks just flipped the script in the NBA Finals. 

New York is considered the underdog in the series against the Spurs, who had a better regular-season record while playing in the superior Western Conference. But the Knicks just went into San Antonio and won Game 1, 105–95, to steal home court advantage. 

The man of the hour was Jalen Brunson, of course. Brunson has been his team’s most important player ever since his 2022 arrival in New York sparked a Knicks renaissance. So when he went to the locker room with an apparent knee injury in the first quarter of Game 1, Knicks fans held their breath. When he had his ankle stepped on by San Antonio’s Luke Kornet in the second quarter, their hearts skipped a beat again. 

But Brunson shook off the injury scares and led his team to victory with a 30-point performance. He wasn’t perfect, going 12-for-31 from the floor (38.7%), but he was at his best when it mattered most. He scored 13 points in the fourth quarter (on 5-for-9 shooting) and sealed the game with a tough jumper in the final minute. 

While Brunson made the highlight reel plays, he had a lot of help from his supporting cast. Here are four more players who made the Knicks’ win possible. CONTINUE DAN’S COLUMN ON SI 

Daniel Dunn/Imagn Images

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👀 The top five …

… things I saw yesterday: 

5. Karl-Anthony Towns’s introspective interview on Inside the NBA after the Knicks’ win. 

4. A truly bizarre choice by Red Sox interim third base coach Chad Epperson. On a ball down the left field line, Epperson ran out into the field of play to try to see the ball before waving the runner home. I get why he’d want to do it, but he’s still nowhere near the coach’s box!

3. Jalen Brunson’s go-ahead three in the final two minutes. 

2. Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle’s funny reaction to a ball hit back toward him. 

1. The ovation Phillies fans gave Cristopher Sánchez after his 50 ⅔ innings scoreless streak was snapped.  

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Published by RJ Hamster

I was born on 6 August 1956 in San Francisco, California to Janet and (the late) Richard Hovis. I grew up in Santa Monica, California where I attended elementary, junior high school, and high school (graduating in 1974), in addition to involvement in sports and recreation (Little League +, the Boy’s Club ++). Further, it was in elementary school – St. Augustine’s By-the -Sea Parish School that I found, and made the choice to truly journey with God. I attended Arizona State University from 1974 to 1977 – seeking to become an architect, however, I was not accepted, and, as such, I graduated with a Liberal Arts degree. Upon graduation from Arizona State University, I attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and studied City and Regional Planning at the Master’s level. I successfully completed one (1) year in a two (2) year program – I did not complete the Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning – due to personal reasons. I returned to Santa Monica where I started (October 1979) my career as graphic designer with Exxon Company, USA. I spent five years with Exxon Company, USA. While working with Exxon Company, USA I was accepted into architectural school – Sci-Arc in Southern California, however, I did not attend preferring to stay with Exxon.. In 1982 I married Laura Flosi and in April 1983 we had our one and only child – Lauren Alain Hovis – a gift from God. We moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1984 from Los Angeles, where I went to work as a graphic designer with Kitchell CEM (from 1985 -1987). From 1987 – 1995 I was an independent contractor, and a registered representative in mortgage finance, financial management, graphic design, and drafting. Further, I attended the University of Phoenix and successfully obtained a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in 1982. I was also a member of the Scottsdale Jaycees, where I became very involved in community events and projects. In 1994, I accepted a cartography position with the Defense Mapping Agency in Reston, Virginia. As such, I relocated from Phoenix to Reston. In 1998, I was accepted and worked as a Visual Information Officer with the Central Intelligence Agency. In 2002, I worked as a Support Officer until my retirement (due to a need for shoulder surgery) in September 2018. Away from my Federal Government service, I have been involved in various organizations and activities in Northern Virginia. In November of 2011, I married Rebecca Ouellette in Santa Monica, California. I reside in San Tan Valley, AZ with my two hamster - Jess and Timothy, our fish, our lizard - RJ Lizard., and our cats - Pearl and Grey. As to hobbies, I enjoy playing sports, attending sporting events, mentoring individuals from financial management to hamsters, building models, photography, travel, multimedia design, managing partner for RJ Hamster, and jazz – smooth jazz to a samba or a bossa nova. Love and God Bless, Peter – aka RJ Hamster Jo hi

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