76ers vow adjustments against Knicks’ Jalen Brunson – and his ‘big head’ – in Game 2

Jalen Brunson excels with wit and ingenuity, but apparently that isn’t the Knicks star’s only advantage above the shoulders.

“I just know he has a big head,” Philadelphia 76ers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. deadpanned Tuesday after a film session in Midtown.

“He’s got the braids,” Oubre later added with a laugh. “He’s a very smart, tactical player, so he uses all that to his advantage. Hey, I’ll be there. He can whip me [with his braids] all he wants, but he’s not getting free like that.”

Now, it’s up to the Sixers to put their heads together and figure out how to slow Brunson down after he erupted for 35 points in the Knicks’ 137-98 win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Brunson shot 12-of-18 from the field, including 3-of-6 on 3-pointers, in his 31 minutes at Madison Square Garden. Oubre and rookie guard VJ Edgecombe were Brunson’s primary defenders, but the Knicks repeatedly created space and mismatches for Brunson using screens.

The pick-and-roll was particularly deadly against Sixers center Joel Embiid — a matchup the Knicks targeted.

“He’s a great player,” Oubre said of Brunson. “We’ve played against him plenty of times. We have to make the adjustments that we see on film, but kudos to him. He came out and started the series and did what they had to do at home. It’s up to us to respond.”

Brunson shot 4-of-7 on possessions in which Edgecombe was the closest defender, resulting in nine of his points, according to the NBA’s head-to-head tracking data.

The Knicks guard was 1-of-2 against Oubre and, mostly tellingly, 3-of-4 for eight points against Embiid.

“Most importantly, the ball was going in, and I got in a rhythm,” Brunson said after Monday night’s series-opening win. “My teammates did a good job with setting screens and getting me open.”

Two of Brunson’s baskets against the 7-foot Embiid were 3-pointers.