Knicks Need to Create More Scoring Opportunities for Jalen Brunson

The New York Knicks have hit a slump recently, with several things contributing to their inability to consistently perform on the court.

Arguably, the biggest culprit has been their health. The Knicks haven’t had their entire rotation available for a full game in over two months. That has created a lot of inconsistency with their performance on the court, with constantly changing lineups.

Most recently, the team had been without its All-Star point guard, Jalen Brunson. He injured his ankle in the early going against the Sacramento Kings and was unable to get back on the court, which led to some pointed comments by head coach Mike Brown, who was unhappy with the performance of his teammates.

There were some reports that he sat out the remainder of the contest against the Kings so that he could improve his odds of suiting up against the Golden State Warriors. Alas, that didn’t come to fruition, as Brunson missed that game and the one against the Phoenix Suns, though he did return on Martin Luther King Jr. Day against his former squad, the Dallas Mavericks.

Knicks faltered without Jalen Brunson in lineup

Jan 11, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts after scoring a three-point shot against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half at Moda Center. | Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

Getting Brunson easier looks on the offensive side should always be a clear focus from the coaching staff. He has shown an incredible ability to get to his spots on the court despite not having elite athleticism or size. His footwork and fundamentals are truly remarkable, and he stuffs the stat sheet each time he is on the court.

In the Knicks' 114-97 loss to Dallas, Brunson appeared to have a tough time getting good looks. He finished the day shooting 37.5 percent from the field on 24 attempts, which was his lowest single-game percentage since Dec. 19 against the Philadelphia 76ers (31.8%).

It's clear that Brunson has to work incredibly hard for so much of his offense. Through Jan. 13, before Brunson was injured, he had 346 tight field goal attempts, which was tied with Kevin Durant of the Houston Rockets for the most in the NBA.

Jalen Brunson working too hard for offense

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan, forward Toumani Camara — Jan 11, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives to the basket past Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) and forward Toumani Camara (33) during the second half at Moda Center. | Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

Brunson’s effective field goal percentage of 52.5% is incredibly impressive on those shot attempts, especially when considering the size disadvantage he is at most nights with teams assigning taller, longer players to defend him.

66 of those tight field goal attempts have been 3-pointers, which is the eighth most in the NBA. He is making 34.8% of those attempts thus far this season.

As a star, go-to player, it isn’t too much of a surprise that defenses are paying so much attention to Brunson. In some situations, they are focusing on him primarily, sending help defenders at him and daring his teammates to beat them.

Leaders in “Tight” (Closest Defender 2-4 FT) Field Goal Attempts…

What stands out? pic.twitter.com/5BeCdV2ZLx
— Basketball University (@UofBasketball) January 13, 2026

It is a strategy that has seemingly worked, especially with New York going 2-8 in their last 10 games. Brunson has to continue trusting that his teammates will make the right plays when the ball is out of his hands.

However, some of this is also on the coaching staff. Brown and his assistants have to figure out ways to make life easier for Brunson.

Whether that be deploying him in more lineups that have four capable shooters around him or playing him off the ball, something has to be done. He is excellent in isolation opportunities when getting to his spots, but he is working way too hard and carrying too much of a burden currently, with opposing defenses hounding him so often on his shot attempts.

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