“Shut the Hell Up”: Jalen Brunson’s Father Had Blunt Words for Mike Brown During Game 1 of NBA Finals

The New York Knicks are just three wins away from their first NBA Championship in over five decades. They held ground away at San Antonio, winning Game 1, thanks to an inspiring performance from the Brunsons. Both Jalen and Rick.

Jalen Brunson was on fire in the clutch, scoring 13 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter to help the Knicks secure a 105-95 victory. But behind the scoreline, it was a difficult night for him and his teammates. The game was highly physical, with Jalen in particular taking the brunt of the Spurs' defensive pressure throughout the contest.

That's where Rick, Jalen's dad, came in.

The Knicks assistant coach received a shoutout from head coach Mike Brown for helping the squad stay locked in. According to Brown, Rick bluntly reminded the team to quit complaining to the referees. In doing so, the players were able to keep their energy focused solely on playing the game and securing the victory.

"Rick Brunson was great," Brown said. "He told me to shut the hell up."

The Knicks started the game with a narrow advantage, but their lead never reached double digits. Midway through the first quarter, the momentum swung in the other direction, and the Spurs took control.

San Antonio remained on top for most of the second and third quarters. In fact, their lead ballooned to as many as 14 points in the third. But despite the deficit, the Knicks remained unfazed and used their frustrations as fuel, storming back to overcome the Spurs.

Before the buzzer sounded on the third, the score was knotted up at 76. For most of the fourth quarter, both teams were exchanging body blows. However, in crunch time, the Knicks came alive on both ends of the floor. With 2:16 left on the clock, they were down 94-95. In those final two minutes, they held the Spurs scoreless while scoring 11 points to come away with a 105-95 victory.

Focusing on playing rather than complaining to the referees certainly helped the Knicks in their comeback. There were a few hard fouls on Jalen Brunson early in the game that led to an injury scare and even sparked an altercation between the star guard and official Scott Foster.

But Rick, who has been in situations like this before, reminded the Knicks of what mattered most in the grand scheme of things: staying focused, playing their game, and finding a way to win.

Rick Brunson Has Faced the Spurs in the Finals Before

For Rick Brunson, this series is a case of deja vu. He was part of the Knicks roster that last reached the NBA Finals in 1999, only to lose to Greg Popovich's San Antonio Spurs.

The Twin Towers duo of Tim Duncan and David Robinson proved too much to handle as the Knicks fell 4-1. The only game New York won in that series was also the only one in which Rick appeared. He played 10 seconds in Game 3.

This year, Rick has a chance to finally help the Knicks win a title as an assistant coach. All while his son, Jalen Brunson, leads the team as their number one star.

They're off to a fine start, yes. A road win in San Antonio was crucial, and the Knicks would love to make it 2-0 on Friday before heading back to Madison Square Garden for Games 3 and 4. But they also do not want to get too far ahead of themselves.

"We can't just be satisfied with that," Jalen Brunson said in the post-game press conference. "We have a long way to go. We have a lot of things we can do to be better."