New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson has been known for his on-court heroics, and he was rightfully recognized for that on Wednesday as the NBA announced him as the winner of this year’s Clutch Player of the Year award.
Knicks’ Jalen Brunson wins Clutch Player of the Year
Brunson beat out superstars Anthony Edwards and Nikola Jokic for the award, and it was well deserved for him. He led the NBA in clutch points per game with 5.6, shot 51.5% from the field in clutch situations, and helped the Knicks achieve a 17-11 record in clutch games.
Brunson nearly avoided being eligible for the award, as he missed 15 games with an ankle sprain in March and played exactly 65 games this season, which is the league minimum required to be eligible for awards. He was considered the heavy favorite to win Clutch Player of the Year throughout the second half of the season, and now he becomes the first Eastern Conference player to win it since its inception in 2023.
Brunson will likely be recognized for his regular season accomplishments with an All-NBA nod as well. The Knicks’ captain averaged 26.0 points and 7.3 assists while shooting 48.8% from the floor and 38.3% from three and was named an All-Star starter for the first time in his career.
Brunson and the Knicks look to continue their success into the playoffs
Despite the individual achievements for Brunson, he and the team have a lot of work to do right now in the postseason against the Detroit Pistons. They are currently in a 1-1 series tie after dropping Game 2 at home despite a valiant comeback effort.
The Knicks have been relying on Brunson to come through in the biggest moments, and they will lean on him again to help them make a deep playoff run. Game 3 against Detroit tips off on Thursday at 7 P.M. EST.