Jalen Brunson Says Knicks Don't See ECF Berth as 'Accomplishment' amid NBA Title Chase

After leading the New York Knicks to their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2000, star point guard Jalen Brunson isn't getting too far ahead of himself.

Brunson told reporters on Monday that he and his teammates "don't really look at it as an accomplishment" to make the conference finals as they continue to chase their ultimate goal of winning an NBA championship:

The Knicks defeated the defending champion Boston Celtics in six games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. They will face the rival Indiana Pacers with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line. New York last played in the NBA Finals in 1999, and its last NBA championship came in 1973.

Brunson has embraced his role as the face of the franchise and upped his game during the postseason. The team captain is averaging 28.8 points and 7.7 assists, and his clutch-time performances in the fourth quarter have given the Knicks confidence that they can go all the way this year.

New York won the regular-season series against Indiana 2-1, but things won't be easy in the playoffs. The Pacers are performing at an incredibly high level after their dominant five-game series win over the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. Their average of 117.7 points per game is the highest of any of the four remaining teams in the postseason.

The Knicks will be hoping to get some revenge after last year's playoff loss to the Pacers in the conference semifinals. Brunson and company will surely be motivated to bring more positivity to New York by continuing to achieve postseason success.