When the Philadelphia 76ers hit the court for shootaround ahead of Game 1 against the New York Knicks, one name was on everyone’s mind: Jalen Brunson. The Knicks’ star guard has been a force all season, averaging 26.0 points and 6.8 assists while leading his team to the top of the conference. Standing at just 6-foot-1, Brunson might not tower over defenders, but his physical, bruising style of play has made him a nightmare for opponents in the playoffs.

For Sixers guard Quentin Grimes, defending Brunson is a familiar challenge. Grimes began his NBA career with the Knicks and spent time as Brunson’s teammate, giving him unique insight into what makes the guard so dangerous. "I played with him," Grimes said at shootaround. "He’s an elite-level scorer. He’s crafty, big body, likes to play physical, so we just gotta do our best to slow him down. Try to make it as hard as possible for him defensively, try to throw different bodies for him and stuff like that, but he’s gonna make tough shots. That’s what he does. We just gotta make it as tough as possible for him."

The Sixers are no strangers to tough defensive assignments. In the first round, they battled the Boston Celtics’ dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown—two lengthy, versatile scorers who can rise up over defenders. Now, they face a completely different kind of test in Brunson. "It’s a brand new challenge," Grimes explained. "Tatum and Brown, they’re bigger guys. They’re just bigger and hard to contest and stuff like that, but Jalen—like he’s a big body. He plays in the post as well. He can get downhill, probably finishes more than them a little bit. He gets in the paint with floaters and stuff like that."

While Tatum and Brown rely on size and shooting over defenders, Brunson uses his strength to attack the basket, drawing contact and finishing through traffic. For the Sixers, slowing him down will mean mixing up defensive looks, staying physical, and making every shot a battle. As Grimes knows all too well, Brunson will make tough shots—it’s what he does. The key is making sure nothing comes easy. Whether you’re a fan watching from the stands or a player on the court, this matchup is shaping up to be a must-watch battle of grit and strategy.