Jalen Brunson became the perfect villain the Knicks needed in Game 3
DETROIT — Jalen Brunson isn’t accustomed to being the villain. At least not in the NBA. Since the start of his pro career, Brunson has been the underdog, the second-round pick who exceeded expectations and squeezed the most out of his limited athleticism.
But that’s definitely not Brunson here, where he’s the bad guy, the foul baiter, the subject of taunts and profanity.
In a hostile Little Caesars Arena on Thursday, Brunson was booed incessantly and greeted with negative energy as loud as I’ve heard this season — yes, louder than anything at the Garden for Games 1 and 2.
The jacked-up Pistons crowd, eager for its most important playoff game in years, chanted, “F–k you, Brunson” at every opportunity. The fans were nasty, and Knicks supporters can’t complain after giving the same treatment to Hawks star Trae Young.
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