NJ’s Jalen Brunson Evokes Strong Memories of Willis Reed
When Jalen Brunson stepped onto the Madison Square Garden court for the start of the second half Wednesday night against the Indiana Pacers, he evoked strong memories of Willis Reed for Knicks fans.
Brunson had left the court earlier in the game with an injury, and you could have heard a pin drop. When he returned for the start of the second half, the Garden crowd erupted.
Willis Reed Comes Out of the Tunnel
54 years ago to the day Knicks captain Willis Reed came onto the floor for Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers in a slightly similar scenario.
Reed had missed Game 6 against the Lakers with a thigh injury and was considered highly doubtful for the decisive Game 7. So when he appeared in the tunnel coming out for the pregame warmup, the response from the Knicks fans was among the loudest ever heard at the Garden.
Reed scored the first two baskets of the game for New York, and the Knicks never looked back.
Listening to the game on WMTR on the way home from our Teachers Who Rock celebration, I tuned in just as the Knicks were coming onto the court for the second half of the game.
Trailing by 10 points to Indiana at the time, Brunson scored 24 of his team-high 29 points in the second half as the Knicks went on to a 130-121 win over the Pacers to take a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference Semifinal series.
Originally from New Brunswick here in New Jersey, Brunson’s dad (currently an assistant coach with the Knicks) played for New York twice in his nine-year NBA career.
Brunson signed a four-year, $104 million contract with the Knicks in July 2022 and quickly became a fan favorite, leading some (Chris Swendeman and me for sure) to consider him among the best free-agent signings in New York sports history.
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DANCE
You can take dance lessons at a local school. You can do a dance workout at home or much simpler…..turn up the tunes in your house and get wild. It will release endorphins and although you may look silly it has some great benefits.
COLOGNE, GERMANY – APRIL 12: Juror Jorge González and Malika Dzumaev perform during the 6th show of “Let’s Dance” on April 12, 2024 in Cologne, Germany. (Photo by Joshua Sammer/Getty Images)
BOOT CAMP
You can find a place offering a boot camp. They are high intensity workouts that can help you get in better shape! Call your local gym or search online for a spot!
RUATORIA, NEW ZEALAND – AUGUST 26: A pair of red band gumboots sit on the sideline in tribute to Sir Colin Meads before the round one Heartland Championship match between East Coast and Thames Valley on August 26, 2017 in Ruatoria, New Zealand. (Photo by Kerry Marshall/Getty Images)
WINDOW SHOP OR SHOP
You can take a stroll through the mall. Maybe head to your downtown area and walk a few blocks while browsing. Or park far away as you actually shop some stores!
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 11: People walk past an Old Navy store on Fulton Street on April 11, 2024 in Downtown Brooklyn in New York City. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
