MEMPHIS, Tenn. — At this point, describing Jalen Brunson in the clutch is like explaining to a friend why you watch “Law and Order.” You know how it’s going to end. You’re just along for the ride to the conclusion.
When a basketball game is tight, the New York Knicks’ star guard sends crowds home happy or sad, depending on the venue. It’s clockwork. He’s been really toying with emotions as of late, putting daggers through the hearts of NBA franchises across the country.
It started before the All-Star break, when a go-ahead jumper with 11 seconds left in overtime saved New York from having egg on its face against the Atlanta Hawks. It happened again right after the All-Star break, when yet another go-ahead jumper, this time with 29 seconds left in regulation, allowed the Knicks to force overtime against an underwhelming Chicago Bulls team and, eventually, pull out a win. Let’s keep going. Three games later, Brunson scored 10 points in the final 2:31 against the Philadelphia 76ers to allow the Knicks to avoid yet another disaster.
Let’s do one more.
The latest heroics came Friday night in Memphis, in a game the Knicks were down most of the night. Brunson hit a go-ahead 3 with 24.1 seconds left to give New York a 1-point lead. The Memphis Grizzlies retaliated with an and-1 basket, giving them a 2-point lead. On New York’s next possession, with all eyes on Brunson, he collapsed the defense and found OG Anunoby on the wing for a wide-open 3. Knicks win 114-113.
Brunson, in the clutch, is a procedural drama in human form.
“He’s a big-time shot-maker, but it’s also his teammates,” coach Tom Thibodeau said after the Memphis game. “They understand what you have to do. It takes five guys to execute in order to create the shots for him. And then he’s got to make them, which is another element. Then he’s also got to make the right reads. He didn’t force it. That was the right play, and it was a great play. OG was ready. It was great shot preparation. He let it fly.
“It was beautiful.”
never hung our heads.
Jalen 23 PTS | 7 REB | 6 AST | 3 STL | 1 BLKOG 19 PTS | 3 REB | 3 AST | 2 BLK | 1 STLDeuce 17 PTS | 4 REB | 3 AST | 2 STLMikal 15 PTS | 2 REB | 3 AST | 2 BLKJosh 12 PTS | 4 REB | 6 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLKKAT 11 PTS | 7 REB | 2 AST | 1 BLK pic.twitter.com/rPjMbfoDJA
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) March 1, 2025
Last month, Brunson talked about the moment in high school that created this monster. His success in anxiety-riddled moments stems from the fear of not being prepared for them. And with that, Brunson might be the front-runner for the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year award. He averages 5.5 points per clutch game (minimum 10 played), which leads the NBA. He’s shooting over 50 percent from the field in those situations.
It’s as if whatever happened before the game is hanging in the balance didn’t happen. Like it never mattered. It always feels like a setup just for Brunson to step into a phone booth and come back out as Captain Clutch.
“Knowing that situation, the attention that (Brunson) gets, I might be open, some might be open,” Anunoby said. “You have to be ready.”
On the back of Brunson, the Knicks are 15-7 this season in clutch situations. The NBA defines “clutch time” as “the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime when the score is within 5 points.” New York and the Cleveland Cavaliers are the only two teams in the NBA to have played at least 20 clutch games and have single digits in the loss column.
There’s a lot to unpack with this version of the Knicks, who, despite being 39-20 this season, can leave you feeling empty more often than other good teams. There’s been talk all season about the Knicks’ struggles against the top three teams in the NBA, and rightfully so. The goal is a championship, and how they stand up against the likes of Cleveland and the Boston Celtics is the only measuring stick we have to determine whether New York can make it to the finish line. And, sure, maybe it shouldn’t be in dogfights with Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia or the Brooklyn Nets. That’s part of where the hollow feeling and questions about how serious the Knicks are come from, too.
When they are discussed, though, it has to be said that New York is one of the NBA’s most clutch teams. That’s part of its DNA. If you’re wondering what the identity of this Knicks team is, you might have your answer. When things get tough, it finds a way. That’s not nothing.
At the end of the day — pretty, ugly or indifferent — the goal is to win. New York is doing that more often than not.
Having Brunson doesn’t hurt, either.
“It’s the mindset,” said Josh Hart, whose screen opened up the 3 for Brunson late in the game. “Obviously, (Brunson’s) shot-making, but his playmaking is the biggest thing. He made a big 3 and then very next possession he drew two, got in the lane and found OG wide-open. It’s (Brunson’s) playmaking that gives us confidence. We know, in a close game, we have one of the few guys in the league where you make sure it’s close, and then we have a chance to go out there and win.”
(Photo: Petre Thomas / Imagn Images)
