Could Knicks Star Repeat as Clutch Player of the Year?

Jalen Brunson's dominance in the fourth quarter and comfortability in the clutch weren't always his calling cards, taking time to show themselves during his first two seasons with the New York Knicks.

Captaining the team to back-to-back first round series wins started to speak for itself, as he near-seamlessly took over for Julius Randle as New York's go-to option by the end of his first season at his new destination. Two consecutive postseasons of adding his regular season scoring average by several buckets set the stage for his most recent act, when he won his first major award with a Clutch Player of the Year win.

His 6.4 fourth quarter points per game don't stand out as anything crazy, but his consistency in creating and draining the team's best shots to seal or steal numerous outcomes became one of the defining characteristics of an iconic Knicks season. He backed up that Clutch win with a postseason run that had no shortage of validating moments, ending the Detroit Pistons' season himself before stunning the Boston Celtics with multiple come-from-behind thefts in advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.

That time Jalen Brunson ended the Pistons on their home floor to advance to the 2nd round😭 pic.twitter.com/D0bWEC6Cbh
— champo (@CardiacChampo) September 18, 2025

According to FanDuel, Brunson's favored to repeat as the clutch master at +850 odds. There's certainly no reason to bet that he'll take a major step back as one of the league's premier closers, but a few factors would suggest that he may have less opportunity to continually close the door on nearly as many regular season matchups.

It's worth mentioning that new head coach Mike Brown has already begun indicating a preference for Brunson's taking a step back as the scoring focal point, a direct result of the offensive philosophies that got him the Knicks job. He's a big proponent of motion offense and ball-movement, while the Knicks churned out the majority of their wins last season without much creativity to speak of.

Dec 9, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) and forward OG Anunoby (8) react after a three point basket by center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) to clinch a win over the Toronto Raptors during the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

It would be ridiculous to assume that such a scheme would result in the Knicks suddenly taking the ball out of his hands in the clutch, too, where they'll likely do what every other team does in allowing their franchise player to break down a defense himself and give his team the best shot at winning that he can muster. But it is believable that the team, which looks to have only improved in the summer, simply won't find themselves in as many clutch situations.

Last year's quest to mix the newly-assorted pieces of the team resulted in some mild growing pains (something Randle himself experienced across conferences), as they looked a step below some of the other contenders in the conference. Some of those top-tier foils took steps back this offseason, and there's less competition for the Knicks to worry about directly below them in the projected standings.

Brunson remains one of the NBA's best one-on-one bets as an elite tough shot-taker and maker, but the changing eastern situation surrounding his team may rob him of as many chances to demonstrate his late-clock prowess.

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