Knicks Playoff Report Card: Grading Every Single Player Before Finals

May 25, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Knicks pose with the 2026 Eastern Conference trophy after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

The Knicks' postseason run has featured three entertaining, memorable and unpredictable series with a lot of different players contributing.

With the Finals right around the corner, let's take a look at every player on the roster and grade their postseason performance ahead of Wednesday's Game 1.

Jalen Brunson: A-

The fact that somebody can average 26.9 ppg, 6.6 apg, and still be expected to do more, speaks volumes to just how good Jalen Brunson is at his heights. For almost every player in the league, outside of maybe the top three to five guys, putting up those kinds of numbers would leave their respective fanbases in awe. But for Brunson, greatness is expected, this is arguably a down postseason year for the point guard.

Were the postseason to end today, it would be his lowest scoring average for a playoff run in a Knicks uniform, while also being his second-lowest assist average during that span. And while it seems like forever ago, we cannot overlook just how bad his defense against CJ McCollum was in the first round.

Why, then, isn't his grade lower? Well, averages aside, Brunson is playing some of his best basketball. He's shooting 48.6% from the field, which is the higher than any one of his postseason runs, including his time in Dallas.

His selflessness, and his unique ability to be just as good off the ball as he is on it, has also allowed the Knicks' offense to be more balanced than it ever has. Brunson is averaging less field goal and three-point attempts than his previous three playoff runs, and is playing less thanks in large part to the team's dominance. He's also been less of a defensive liability since the Hawks series.

While Brunson has to do less overall, he's still come up huge for the team by either bailing them out or just taking over games when needed. Just look at his 39 points in Game 5 of the first round, scoring 35 points and 33 points (both on 50% or higher shooting) in Games 1 and 3 of the second round, and scoring 38 points while leading the Knicks to their 22-point comeback victory over the Cavaliers.

Karl-Anthony Towns: A

Though Brunson is still the unquestioned best player on the Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns has been the most impressive.

KAT is thriving on both ends for the Knicks | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Many fans and pundits went into the postseason believing that it was the big man, not the team's point guard (and captain), that would ultimately decide just how far this team went. And so far, it's proving to be true. We all know by now just how good Brunson is in the postseason, but none of that matters if Towns isn't who we all know he can be.

Thankfully for the Knicks and their fans, he is in the midst of playing the best two-way basketball of his entire career. His scoring output of 16.9PPG may turn off box score watchers, but his impact has gone much further than sheer points.

He is shooting an absurd 57.2% from the field (7.1% higher than his regular season percentage) and 48.9% from three (over 12% higher thank his regular season mark). And he's doing both of those while acting as a newfound offensive hub, averaging 5.9 apg.

That's taken a lot of pressure off of Brunson, while also allowing players like OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges to thrive in what has become a much more balanced offense. That isn't possible if Towns doesn't sacrifice his own shooting opportunities, or lacks the actual passing ability to pull it off.

Yet none of those things have been the most surprising aspect of his postseason play; it's the work he's put in on the other end that has really won over fans. After spending much of his career being known as a subpar defender, Towns has statistically turned into one of the better defenders in the postseason. The big man is playing at an elite level, and is arguably the biggest reason the Knicks have gotten to this point.

OG Anunoby: A

The only thing hurting OG Anunoby's grade, no pun intended, is his hamstring injury. The forward missed the final two games of the 76ers series with that ailment, but other than that, he has been everything the Knicks have needed, and more. Not only is he playing his usual elite defense, he has become an almost unstoppable offensive player.

Anunoby enters the Finals averaging 19.7 ppg and 6.9 rpg while shooting an absurd 57.7% from the field and 48.3% from three, all of which would be the highest of any regular season or postseason run of his career.

He's playing so well that he's garnered prime Kawhi Leonard comparisons, which is incredible for someone operating as a third option. We just do not see versatile defensive anomalies like Anunoby, who can guard all five positions well while being a three-level scorer and an elite transition finisher.

Mikal Bridges: A-

I so badly wanted to give Bridges a higher grade, but still have a hard time washing the sour taste of his offensive performances to start the postseason out of my mouth.

Mikal Bridges' defense is making a difference for Knicks. | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

He started off the Knicks first round matchup against the Hawks scoring a measly 36 over the team's first five games, including a zero-point performance in Game 3. Those were some dark times for Bridges, who not only was missing shots, but also started to lose some of his trademark confidence and aggression.

That being said, since Game 5 of the first round, Bridges is averaging 18.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, and 3.1 apg while shooting 62.8% from the field and 37.9% from three. He's also hasn't missed any of the 15 free throws he's taken during that span. It's really been incredible to watch him regain his confidence, and serve as a much-needed safety valve for Brunson when he gets blitzed or trapped.

Just as important, though, has been his defense. He's now had three incredibly great defensive series where he has been tasked with being a main defender on Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tyrese Maxey and James Harden.

That's three completely different players who are very important to what their team wants to do offensively. And Bridges has limited, if not outright shutdown, every last one of them. He's been a playoff-riser for two seasons in a row now, and his performance this postseason has made the Knicks' trade for him worth it.

Josh Hart: B+

Josh Hart continues to be one of the most difficult players in the league to accurately evaluate. There are times where he looks like the quintessential role player every dreams of. And then there nights where his hustle and rebounding cannot make up for his boneheaded turnovers or lack of shooting.

While we've seen glimpses of the latter, Hart's postseason run has been more of the former.

He has been great defensively, exposing All-NBA selection Jalen Johnson in the first round and taking it upon himself to ultimately stop CJ McCollum when he was red-hot. He then followed that up by spending time defending well against VJ Edgecombe, Paul George, Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.

While he was ultimately benched down the stretch of Game 1 against the Cavaliers, who were ghosting him, he followed it up with a postseason career-high 26 points, knocking down five threes in what must've felt like the ultimate gut punch for the Cavaliers.

Deuce McBride: B+

McBride's postseason run has been somewhat unassuming. He had the explosive 25-point performance against the 76ers in the Knicks' closeout game, but is averaging just 6.9 ppg on 37.3% shooting, and has scored double-digits in just three other games.

That being said, McBride still has the second-highest net rating among the rotation players. He's a great defender, has a tendency to make the connective plays, and is shooting 42.9% from three, which continues to help space the floor for Brunson, and Towns.

He may not have as many explosive games, or the eye-popping counting stats, but McBride remains one of the most positive impact players on a team that is in the Finals, and that has to count for something.

Mitchell Robinson: B-

Like McBride, Mitchell Robinson's impact cannot be measured strictly by counting stats. A player averaging just 5.3 PPG and 5.5 RPG sounds replaceable, but nothing about what Robinson does, at least when he is playing at his best, is close to replaceable.

Mitchell Robinson is impacting games even in limited minutes. | David Richard-Imagn Images

He continues to be one of the most impactful bench players in the league due to him being a lob threat, one of the best offensive rebounders ever, and an elite rim protector who also has the ability to switch on to perimeter players when needed.

But Robinson's postseason hasn't necessarily been as dominant, or as smooth as Knicks fans hoped. Due to his own play, matchup issues, hack-a-Mitch, and potential some off-court issues he has alluded to, Robinson has had an inconsistent playoffs.

There were times during every series in which his free throw shooting led to him getting benched, and even when he was on the court, he just didn't always look quite like himself. Robinson spent parts of the 76ers and Cavaliers series committing uncharacteristically silly fouls, and he was unable to impact the game with his rebounding like he's done so often in the past.

The reserve big man did finish the Cavaliers series on a strong note, grabbing 10 rebounds in 18 minutes, but broke his right pinky soon after. His status heading into the most important series for New York since 1999 is in question.

Landry Shamet: A-

Had Landry Shamet been more of a factor in the first round, he could've been bumped up to A or A+ territory. But after averaging just 1.8 ppg in 54 minutes against the Hawks, and being a non-factor offensively early in the 76ers series, it's hard to call his postseason run perfect.

Fortunately, ever since then, he's been close to it. Not only is he averaging 11.0 pgg in the last six games, he's had more influential moments than any other non-starter. He scored 15 points in 26 minutes in Game 3 of the 76ers series, then chipped in 12 more in Game 4.

Shamet went on to play a pivotal role in the Knicks' 22-point comeback win, scoring nine points, and going 3-of-3 from three. He then scored 14 and 16 points in Games 3 and 4, going 11-12 from three in the series, while playing incredible defense on Donovan Mitchell. He gets extra kudos for stepping up in the big moments and being the reliable shooter the Knicks needed to allow them to play five out.

Jose Alvarado: B

The New York native may not have the flashy numbers or big moments that Shamet has had, but he is the only rotation player that has a higher net rating than McBride this postseason at a ridiculous +30.1 in 8.4 mpg.

The reserve guard's minutes are sparing, but leaves it all on the court defensively, picks up the pace, and continues to get guys involved when in the game. He doesn't have the hardest job on the team, but he's done everything the team has asked of him, and I'm not sure Mike Brown or the front office expected much more when they traded for him. Simply put, Jose Alvarado has been very solid at his specific job.

Jordan Clarkson: B-

The veteran guard's minutes have been almost entirely eaten by Shamet, and rightfully so. Shamet provides the Knicks with better defense and shooting. But Jordan Clarkson had his moments earlier in the postseason.

He was instrumental in a few of the Knicks' first round win over the Hawks with 7.7 pgg in 14.5 mpg, and continued make a difference with his embrace of working hard on the boards.

His minutes have gone down since that series, but he's maintained a selfless attitude and remains ready whenever his number is called. If anything, his playing time says more about Shamet than it does about him, so I won't punish him too much there. I wouldn't be surprised though if the microwave reserve had one more key stretch left up his sleeve this season, though.

Ariel Hukporti/Mohamed Diawara/Tyler Kolek/Pacome Dadiet/Jeremy Sochan: B

The five remaining guys who have played in less than 10 games, and average less than 10 mpg are hard to evaluate given their limited playing time. They've actually probably gotten more postseason court time than most end of the bench options given the amount of blowouts the Knicks have had.

They've all had fun moments against other garbage time crews, but it's been neither great, nor bad.