Jalen Brunson - The art of scoring

From being drafted in the second round to the centerpiece of a franchise. Very few expected Jalen Brunson to evolve into one of the league's premier isolation scorers as we know today.  

Whether it is a surgical touch around the rim or an automatic mid range pull up, Brunson's scoring repertoire is undeniably multifaceted. To really understand how Jalen Brunson scores at such a high level, we must delve deep into the three constituent aspects of his game. 1) Crafty finishing 2) Preeminent Mid-range scoring 3) Elite footwork & post-work.  

To begin with the breakdown of Jalen Brunson's scoring ability, we will analyse his ability to deceive defenders and score around the rim with ease. As an undersized player, who isn't as fast or swift as other guards like De'aaron Fox or Tyrese Maxey. Instead of relying on his speed, Jalen functions based on his wit and change of pace. One of JB's go to move from his arsenal is the floater. Whether if it is an off-balanced 2 foot floater or a teardrop through the contact. Brunson's ability to finish around the rim using a variety of floaters or runners is what makes him such a threat inside the paint even as a 6'2 guard.

However, brunson's finishing ability expands way beyond floaters as another pivotal part of his inside game are his deceptive pickups. One particular pickup which he prefers to use in a lot of situations is the low pickup swing. But besides just the move, what makes this pickup truly unstoppable is the setup. Ideally used in transition, jalen tends to use this move in all sorts of situations and sets it up using an in & out dribble to fake the defender and he follows that by swinging the ball towards the other side while keeping his body and the ball low. Therefore, using a range of finishes from contact floaters to quick inside hand glide, Jalen brunson has established himself as one of the most effective finishers in the league. 

Moving onto the next aspect of Brunson's scoring game, we have his mid-range game. In a league where players rely on the three point shot for most of their scoring, Brunson's ability to operate inside the arc is what separates him from 90% of the league. This season he ranks in at number 5 in two pointers attempted (13.7) Which he is converting at a relatively high rate of 53.4%. However, what makes Brunson truly special from the mid-range is his change of pace. This allows Brunson to seamlessly transition from a 20-30% speed to 70-80%, often catching defenders off-guard and blow past them. 

Lastly, it could be argued that Brunson's footwork and post game is truly amongst the best especially when it comes to guards. His ability to play of two feet enables him to stay balanced and create scoring opportunities whether by drawing fouls or using through steps. Furthermore, Jalen's surreal footwork and low center of gravity allows him to take much larger defenders in the post and score using an array of moves such as one foot fadeaways or floaters. When it comes to scoring in the post, another way Brunson is able to assert his presence as a threat is through physicality. This is seen through constant bumps into the defender, usage of his off-arm to draw fouls and opportunities for free throws. It is also commendable how over time Jalen has mastered the timing of his bumps which leads him to always disrupt the balance of his defenders and get them out of defensive position. 

To conclude, averaging 30 points in the NBA is not a feat easy to achieve whatsoever. However, doing so as a 6'1 guard is truly unparalleled. Through a blend of the 90's toughness and grit alongside current day 3 point shooting and crafty finishing, Brunson's scoring calibre is amongst some of the best.