NBA Launches Investigation Into Alleged 'Profane' Comments Directed at Jalen Brunson During Game 1

With Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks opening the NBA Finals on the road, hostility from the San Antonio crowd was to be expected. Those in attendance at the Frost Bank Center certainly made themselves heard. Unfortunately, however, a couple of fans crossed a line they should not have.

According to reports, the NBA will look into two fans who directed profanity at Jalen Brunson late in the first game of the series.

The exact words, or even the exact nature of what those fans allegedly said to Brunson, have not been revealed. However, their comments seemed to center on calling the Knicks star a flopper.

Fans who stayed until the final buzzer might have noticed the interaction. Brunson immediately headed toward the sideline, where it appeared he was about to confront a courtside fan. At the same time, Scott Foster, the crew chief for the game, could be seen jogging over. Foster positioned himself between Brunson and the fan, preventing the situation from escalating any further.

Should the investigation find the fans at fault, the league could impose disciplinary measures, including banning them from attending future games.

Meanwhile, the Knicks will once again have to take the floor on the Spurs' home court as they prepare for Game 2 on Friday. After that, however, the ball will be in their court again, quite literally.

Games 3 and 4 will be held at Madison Square Garden in New York, where the Spurs will have to deal with the energy of one of the most passionate fanbases in world sports. With it being the first time the Knicks have hosted an NBA Finals game since 1999, the atmosphere is likely to be off the charts, hopefully without any fans crossing the line this time around.

Interestingly, those who accused Brunson of flopping may not have been paying particularly close attention to what was actually happening on the court.

Jalen Brunson Barely Shot Free Throws in Game 1

Jalen Brunson was up to his usual tricks to destabilize defenses in his NBA Finals debut. He was the primary ball-handler and scorer for the scorching-hot Knicks squad, and he did so in style. He is known for drawing fouls with his array of moves and convincing pump fakes. Opposing fans often claim that he is flopping and use that to heckle him.

However, in Game 1, the numbers told a different story.

The Knicks star scored 30 points on 31 shot attempts, nine of which came from beyond the arc. He converted just 12 of those shots, including two from deep. He attempted only four free throws.

Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby all had the same number of attempts from the line. These 4 players were all tied for the most free-throw attempts by a Knicks player in Game 1.

In total, the Knicks attempted only 18 free throws. The other two belonged to Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson, who attempted one each.

By comparison, the San Antonio Spurs went to the line 25 times on the night, with Victor Wembanyama alone shooting 12-for-13. Officiating, in general, did not seem to favor the Knicks, which only added to Brunson's frustrations. He endured a difficult night with Scott Foster's crew and was visibly upset when a foul was not called on Luke Kornet during a play that resulted in an ankle scare.

Thankfully, Brunson avoided a serious injury and is expected to be available for Game 2. He did not celebrate the win too much, however, knowing the Knicks still have a long way to go.

Knicks fans will be hoping there are just three more victories left to secure, as they chase a first NBA championship in over fifty years.