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Knicks' Jalen Brunson Proving Why He Won Award

Jalen Brunson has meant everything to the Knicks in the clutch this season, and he's had no issue translating those heroics into postseason wins.

Henry Brown

May 5, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts after his three point basket against the Boston Celtics in the second quarter during game one of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
May 5, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts after his three point basket against the Boston Celtics in the second quarter during game one of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images
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The New York Knicks have earned a position of dominance midway through these playoffs, translating their nerve-wracking crunch-time style into the postseason about as smoothly as anyone could have anticipated.

They rode Jalen Brunson to countless wins over the regular season, relying on their All-Star point guard to take the team home in any close game situation. His combination of fundamentals and poise as a shooter and creator enabled him to go head-to-head with any rival scorer, leveraging his size and fearlessness to give his team the best possible shot when all eyes turned to him.

The team has certainly needed him through the first round and a half, with his Knicks holding a stunning 2-0 lead over the reigning champion Boston Celtics. They've been as much of a victim of the Knicks' fourth quarter comfortability as anyone, losing Game 1 by three points and Game 2 by one.

That's been the story of this Knicks playoff run. They're 5-1 in their last six playoff games dating back to Game 3 of their first round bout against Detroit, offering just a +7 point differential. It's been several weeks since they participated in a game that ended with a final score of multiple-possessions, and Brunson looks as deserving of his brand new Clutch Player of the Year trophy as he ever has.

He's scored 86 fourth quarter points so far in these playoffs, a postseason that's been generally defined by its disproportionate amount of close games and wild comebacks. The next closest such scorer is Denver's Jamal Murray, with 46.

More has been foisted onto his plate than nearly any other player as April's turned to May, a staple of Tom Thibodeau's tendency to ride his starts and starters. Still, he's yet to shy away from the moment, contributing huge buckets down the close of every one of these wins.

Game 2 wasn't his finest showing, with Brunson shooting 6/19 in a game that'll be remembered more for its misses than anything, but even that couldn't shake him.

He saved half of his makes for the final five minutes of the fourth, dropping in some huge buckets from behind the arc and finding space out of thin air on the move. He converted the Knicks' final six points, giving his team the final score of 91-90 with two final free throws entering the final seconds.

Game 3 in Boston now looks like the Knicks' chance to squeeze whatever life remains in the Celtics, the chance for an upset of the ages. If there's one player capable of delivering that blow where and when it hurts, it's been this season's Mr. Clutch.

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Henry Brown
HENRY BROWN

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