Watching Luka Doncic's old teammate ball out in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals should have served as a calming reminder about why the Los Angeles Lakers are not miles off title contention with their elite superstar point guard. They just need to put in the work to support him.
Jalen Brunson had a dazzling performance for the New York Knicks, leading their unbelievable 115-104 comeback win against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1. Brunson scored 17 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter and overtime combined, galvanizing a 22-point comeback for New York.
NBA stats expert Keerthika Uthayakumar noted: "NBA teams were 3-747 when down by 20 or more in the 4th quarter of a playoff game over the last 30 years. They are now 4-747. ... [It was the] second-largest 4th quarter comeback in the playoffs in the play-by-play era (since 1997)."
Brunson showcased just how much having an elite offensive guard can do for a team in a playoff setting. With all due respect to him, the Knicks floor general is nowhere near the level of talent that Doncic is on that end too. For the Lakers, they should have plenty of hope about where they could be after giving Luka the type of support that his old Dallas Mavericks running mate has in New York.
If the Knicks can contend around Jalen Brunson, the Lakers can do it with Luka Doncic
Before the Lakers surged in March and had their season (ultimately) undone by injuries in April, there was a lot of talk in their struggling stretches about all the things wrong with Doncic's game. The flaws were being put under a magnified microscope, with many arguing they are too much to overcome in the long run. Those conversation were always a little silly.
One of the main selling points of those arguments was fixated around how bad Doncic was on defense. Supposedly, you could not win when your franchise player was that much of a liability.
Firstly, the discussions around defense were considerably blown out of proportion. That much should have been reasonably dispelled when Doncic was a Defensive Player of the Month candidate in March amid the Lakers' rise.
Even beyond that, those talking points always felt willfully ignorant of the textbook proof that has come before and continues to come now. Building championship teams has always been about ramping up your superstar's strengths and mitigating their flaws.
If someone is willing to sit there with a straight face and say Doncic is a significantly greater defensive liability than Stephen Curry was during his championship days, I would be just as willing to sit on the other end and call them a liar. The Golden State Warriors worked around Curry's limitations.
The same goes for Nikola Jokic's Denver Nuggets. It can be said of Dirk Nowitzki's Mavericks too. There are countless examples.
The Knicks have similarly done their best to mask what holds Brunson back. Despite the clear shortcomings in size and defensive ability, they have done an admirable job supporting their franchise guard. Even with his flaws, the Knicks still boast the second-best defensive rating in the 2026 NBA Playoffs at 103.9, only trailing the San Antonio Spurs (102.2).
Brunson, meanwhile, has been allowed to lean on what he does best. The Knicks star is playing his brand of high-usage basketball and leading his team to wins in the process.
Granted, the type of support that Brunson has in Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby on the wings does not simply fall out of the sky. Those are two tremendous players in their respective roles.
However, it goes to show the Lakers what value there is in filling out a roster with exactly the type of support that is needed to help their franchise superstar. That should be a welcomed reminder ahead of a crucial offseason in Los Angeles.
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