What Jalen Brunson respects most about Donovan Mitchell before ECF showdown

The New York Knicks are set to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, with Game 1 scheduled for 8 p.m. EST on Tuesday. It should be a fantastic showdown between Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell, as they are two of the league’s best guards.

On Monday, Brunson opened up about what he thinks about Mitchell before their playoff matchup. The eight-year veteran shared nothing but kind words about the Cavs star and revealed the one aspect of Mitchell’s game he respects the most.

“[I have] the utmost respect for [Mitchell],” said Brunson. “[I’ve] gotten to know him since maybe my first year. We had mutual friends. Getting to know him, the dude works really hard. He loves the game, and he approaches it the right way. Just got a lot of respect for him.”

Jalen Brunson has the utmost respect for Donovan Mitchell:

"He loves the game and he approaches it the right way" pic.twitter.com/FKwi4Cj5Eq

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 18, 2026

Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell play relatively similar styles. The Knicks star might be a better passer, but Mitchell has a slight edge in scoring and rebounding. Brunson ended the regular season averaging 26.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game while shooting 46.7% from the field and 36.9% from beyond the three-point line.

As for Mitchell, the 29-year-old shooting guard averaged 27.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per contest. He reached those numbers with a 48.3% shooting percentage while hitting 36.4% of his three-point attempts.

We should see plenty of Brunson and Mitchell matchups throughout the Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks will have the advantage, as they own home-court advantage. Additionally, the club has had over a week’s worth of rest waiting to see who would be their opponent in the ECF.

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