"Dragged an average team" - Mike Greenberg doesn't tolerate Jalen Brunson slander amid single-handed effort in Knicks success 

As the New York Knicks face elimination in the Eastern Conference finals, Jalen Brunson has received his fair share of criticism. With slander continuing to pour in about the All-Star guard, one analyst took the time to come to his defense in a fiery rant.

Over the past two years, Brunson has been the driving force of the Knicks' success. He's emerged as one of the league's top stars and is the focal point of everything they do on the offensive end. However, despite averaging 33.3 points and 5.5 assists in this series, Brunson is facing blame for New York's shortcomings.

With all the outside noise zeroing in on Brunson, Mike Greenberg set the record straight on "Get Up" Thursday morning. He feels the Knicks star shouldn't be under such scrutiny when he is the sole reason the team has made it thus far.

"Jalen Brunson has single-handedly dragged a very average team to the Eastern Conference finals," Greenberg said. "Now, when they've run into a team that is much deeper and much better and Brunson is somehow not able to carry them over the top of that, we have decided it's his fault. That drives me nuts."

Brunson will attempt to help keep the Knicks' season alive Thursday night in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden.

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Longtime analyst dubs Jalen Brunson a 'liability' for the New York Knicks

Among the many who have not been shy about their thoughts on Jalen Brunson is Dan Le Batard. Ahead of what could be New York's last game of the season, he feels the star guard is doing more harm than good.

The longtime analyst zeroed in on Brunson's biggest weakness, that being his size. He believes that no matter what kind of offensive production the Knicks' star puts up, it doesn't overcome the fact that opponents can constantly attack him on the other end.

"Brunson's the liability in this series," Le Batard said. "A player that size can't win, at least in part because he can't guard. The bigger guys aren't scared of him. So he becomes just an unbelieveable weakness."

The track record of smaller guards in the NBA doesn't bode well for Jalen Brunson. That said, the Knicks have done a fine job trying to cover up this weakness. They've surrounded him with an array of size and length in hopes of overcoming his size issues.

With their season on the line, Brunson is going to have to try and hold his own as best he can in hopes of forcing a Game 6 in Indiana.