The beauty of Jalen Brunson: Finishing what he starts
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson drives against Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard in the first half of an NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
It was about the time that the first quarter was coming to a close Wednesday night, with Jalen Brunson finishing off a 15-point outburst, when a tweet appeared from a long-distance observer.
Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, putting aside the might-have-beens of what could have been an intriguing backcourt pairing, tweeted, “Jalen Brunson has been going crazy!!”
And it was true, but also early, because while Brunson started out on fire, hitting 6 of 7 shots from all angles to help the Knicks build an early lead over the Indiana Pacers, it was in the game’s final moments that Brunson again proved just how valuable he has been for the Knicks.
Brunson scored seven points in a 76-second span that began with 2:50 remaining after a 25-point lead had been whittled to two points. First came a drive through three Indiana defenders, then an open three-pointer in front of the Pacers' bench and finally another crafty shot in the lane among bigger defenders. The Knicks (23-19) escaped with the 119-113 win and will visit Washington on Friday night.
“He’s our finisher, our closer, a big-time shot-maker,” said Quentin Grimes, who delivered his own big shot in the final minute — a three-point field goal that essentially slammed the door on the Pacers' comeback. “You saw it in the playoffs all of last year. Just him coming to the team really gives us a boost that we really need from a leadership standpoint, a shot-making standpoint, so he kind of brings it all. Especially late in the game, we can rely on him to go get a bucket for us.”
Brunson has piled up huge scoring numbers since returning from a three-game absence because of a sore hip, the first games he missed this season, averaging 33.2 points in five games and twice setting a new career high — first with 38 points against San Antonio and then 44 against Milwaukee. But more than just the totals, he has ranked among the NBA leaders in crunch-time clutch output (last five minutes in a game with a five-point-or-less margin) with 92 points in 86 minutes, shooting 55.2% from the field and 55.6% from three-pointrange.
“You’re hitting it spot on,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “When you look at clutch points, I think he’s third in the league. He plays with poise. He’s going to make big shots. He’s going to make big plays. He shoots a high percentage from the floor, over 50%, same thing from three, same thing from the line. I think there’s a whole other level he can go.”
On that last point, Brunson agrees.
“I think my job is to be a great teammate, be the best version of myself, help my team win games and just be a part of something special,” Brunson said after scoring 34 points and shooting 11-for-20. "I love the guys that we’re here with. They’ve welcomed me with open arms. I think that’s my job first and foremost. Any way I can help the team win, that’s my job.
“I feel like I strive to be the best player every time I step on the court first and foremost, but honestly, I kid you not, everything feels the same for me. Have to continue to have that mindset and continue to be that way.”
Notes & quotes: Kristaps Porzingis sat out Washington’s win over Chicago on Wednesday with sore ribs.
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
