Not all superheroes put on capes — at Madison Sq. Backyard, the Knicks’ captain doesn’t want one.
Jalen Brunson delivered yet one more late-game masterpiece in Wednesday’s 110-105 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, scoring 12 of his workforce’s ultimate 15 factors at hand the Sixers their ninth loss in a row.
It wasn’t simply one other game-winning efficiency, even when it’s grow to be the norm at The Backyard. In actual fact, Brunson wrote one other chapter in what must be the definitive case for his candidacy as NBA’s Clutch Participant of the Yr.
The award, named after Corridor of Famer Jerry West, honors the participant who delivers within the greatest moments — outlined by the NBA as the ultimate 5 minutes of a recreation inside 5 factors. Nobody has completed it higher this season than Brunson.
“It’s what he does all the time. He’s capable of scoring like that in the fourth,” mentioned teammate Mikal Bridges. “It helped us win the game.”
It’s exhausting to make a case stronger than one for Brunson, who has logged 115 factors within the clutch this season. His mark ranks third in all of basketball behind solely Atlanta’s Trae Younger and Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey.
Younger’s Hawks, nonetheless, are 15-15 in video games that come right down to the wire, and Maxey’s dumpster-fire 76ers — marred by damage all season lengthy — are 11-12 of their clutch video games.
The Knicks are 14-7 in crunch-time this season, boasting a 66.7% win proportion in video games that come right down to the ultimate moments of regulation. That ranks second solely behind the league-best Cleveland Cavaliers (17-6) and a hair higher than the defending champion Boston Celtics (16-9).
CREAM OF THE CLUTCH CROP
Brunson is one in all solely 4 gamers to log 100 or extra factors within the clutch as of Thursday morning.
Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards is the fourth, however his Timberwolves are 15-20 in clutch video games. Plus his inefficiency in late-game moments disqualifies him from critical consideration: Edwards is taking pictures simply 39.8% from the sector and 29.8% from three in crunch time whereas posting 9 assists to 11 turnovers with a minus-48 internet ranking.
Denver’s three-time MVP Nikola Jokić has a compelling case and could possibly be thought of for Clutch Participant of the Yr as a comfort prize ought to he lose the MVP race this time round to Oklahoma Metropolis’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Jokić, a three-time MVP, is a dark-horse contender with 99 clutch factors on elite 56.7/54.5 taking pictures splits with a constructive late-game assist-to-turnover ratio. His Nuggets are 13-9 in shut video games, however his numbers don’t stack up in opposition to Brunson’s.
Plus, he has assist.
THE BURDEN OF BEING THE GO-TO GUY
Discovering a contender worthy of difficult Brunson for the award is an train in futility. The Knicks’ captain shoulders the NBA’s heaviest load in crunch time.
The Celtics are 15-8 within the clutch, however Jayson Tatum shares late-game obligations along with his teammates: Jaylen Brown and Derrick White have scored 50-plus clutch factors, and Jrue Vacation, Al Horford and Payton Pritchard have every scored 20-plus crunch-time factors this season
The Rockets are 21-14 in video games that come right down to the wire, however their most clutch performer, Jalen Inexperienced, trails Brunson by nearly 40 factors. Plus his teammate, All-Star huge man Alperen Sengun, has scored 72 factors in crunch time, 5 fewer than Inexperienced (77).
Darius Garland leads the league-best Cavaliers in clutch scoring, not celebrity guard Donovan Mitchell, portray an image of shared obligations in Cleveland. The Cavs additionally traded for De’Andre Hunter, who thrived in crunch-time minutes in Atlanta previous to his commerce
And Jokic, too, has assist, with Jamal Murray additionally logging 47 clutch factors by 20 video games which have gone the space in Denver.
But for the Knicks, Josh Hart ranks 67th in crunch time scoring, Karl-Anthony Cities ranks seventy fifth, and no different participant carrying orange and blue has cracked the top-100 in clutch scoring.
Brunson’s 115 crunch-time factors accounts for 46.7% of the Knicks’ complete clutch offense. No participant within the league owns the next share of his workforce’s crunch-time scoring.
The legends don’t have a lot of a foot to face on, both: LeBron James’ crunch time numbers are spectacular for anybody, not to mention a 40-year-old, however there’s a close to 50-point hole separating him from New York’s captain.
Kevin Durant is 17-9 within the clutch this season however ranks exterior of the top-10 in factors scored in profitable time. Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors are two video games below-.500 in crunch time.
HISTORY SUGGESTS MIXED RESULTS
Final season, Curry received Clutch Participant of the Yr, edging out DeMar DeRozan and Gilgeous-Alexander regardless of DeRozan proudly owning a considerably higher win-loss document within the clutch. He trailed Curry by simply seven clutch factors regardless of three fewer video games performed. Many felt he was snubbed.
The 12 months earlier than, De’Aaron Fox received the award in its inaugural season, scoring extra clutch factors than DeRozan and Jimmy Butler.
The precedent? Profitable helps, however quantity is king.
Brunson has each — and his case was on full show in opposition to the 76ers.
The Knicks blew a 19-point lead, and Philadelphia stormed again to take a 97-96 benefit with 3:59 left within the fourth quarter.
Then, the swap flipped. Brunson slowed the sport down and obtained to the road to get factors on the board. He obtained to the rack for a layup then sized-up Maxey for a go-ahead three with franchise legend Carmelo Anthony sitting baseline, calling for Hart to filter out.
Brunson isn’t simply placing up clutch numbers — he owns the second.
He’s the heartbeat of a Knicks workforce thriving in shut video games, essentially the most priceless late-game scorer within the NBA.
And when the ballots are solid, there must be no debate.
Captain is brief for Captain Clutch, and he saved the day as soon as once more.
No cape required.
Initially Revealed: February 27, 2025 at 3:50 PM EST
