Maybe social media is filled with Dastardly Jalen theories, but they’re also filled with lunatic conspiracy hypotheses and incel manifestos, so it’s not a great straw man to hold up and whack.

That said, I also agree that Brunson needs to continue work on finding ways to make his teammates better, like the truly great players/leaders tend to do. Only 6 asts/game from its starting PG is just not enough for a team like this. I get that KAT’s stats are pretty constant when JB is on or off, but they should actually be significantly better when JB is on. Brunson has gravity, which theoretically should make it so that KAT has more space. That doesn’t seem to be happening.

Hopefully they are finding things and there will be improvement in this area. Tonight is a good test.

TS%
Brunson on: .610
Brunson off: .590

eFG%
Brunson on: .539
Brunson off: .524

3PT%
Brunson on: .378
Brunson off: .349

2PT%
Brunson on: .525
Brunson off: .525

At Rim FG%
Brunson on: .604
Brunson off: .609

I could go on and on, but you get the point. There is no empirical backing whatsoever for the Dastardly Jalen Brunson theory. The guy is missing shots he used to make, very much including last season, when he also played with the Dastardly Jalen Brunson.

Could Brunson do a better job of getting him looks? I mean, sure, no one’s perfect and it may well be something that needs to be specifically emphasized in light of KAT’s struggles. But to the extent we have to deviate from what would otherwise be optimal to “feed KAT” or whatever, that’s a fault of KAT’s, not Brunson’s.

Hopefully we can now retire this ridiculous theory and acknowledge that KAT needs to make the ol’ play better adjustment.

Mad scenes in Milan, can’t believe Inter just lost twice to a team that plays above the Arctic Circle.

Unreal!