Jalen Brunson pushes back on idea that Eastern Conference is 'wide open'

Story byCharlie BaduiniTue, December 16, 2025 at 8:40 PM UTC·2 min readJalen Brunson pushes back on idea that Eastern Conference is 'wide open' originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Entering the 2025-26 NBA season, the Eastern Conference was considered weaker than it's been in years past. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThanks to Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers stars Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton tearing their Achilles tendons, the reigning Eastern Conference champions from 2024 and 2025 were expected to take a step back, paving the way for lesser teams to challenge for the top spot in the East. But New York Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson isn't interested in those conversations and pushed back on the notion that the Eastern Conference is weak compared to recent memory. Jalen Brunson says 'too many great teams, great players' to call East weakIn a press conference ahead of the Knicks' NBA Cup Final matchup against the San Antonio Spurs, Brunson was asked about how he views the East and West conferences. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"On any given night, someone can beat anybody, regardless of who you're playing. And so, the West, obviously, they have great teams.