Jalen Brunson’s 2025 postseason run was, once again, special.
Just like pretty much every other playoff appearance he’s made as a Knick, he made history, joining lists filled with names like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, and Steph Curry. Statistically, it was his second-best one, inferior only to the year prior’s, as he averaged 29.4 PPG, 7 APG, and 3.4 RPG while shooting 46.1% from the field. Pretty insane stuff. But somehow, Brunson, as he’s made a habit of doing, has one-upped himself.
While his scoring average is down nearly two whole points at “just” 27.4PPG, Brunson’s game has taken a turn for the better. In years prior, whether by choice or by necessity, Brunson had not just been the focal point of the offense, but at times, the only offense. When Julius Randle and RJ Barrett turned into shells of themselves in the postseason, nobody could blame them. When Randle was hurt, he didn’t really have a choice. But last year, a combination of Brunson’s playstyle and Tom Thibodeau’s heliocentric offense led to a stagnant offense that resembled more of a slog than the well-oiled machine that the Knicks’ offense resembles today.
The good news for Brunson, the Knicks, and their fans is that not only is this a more fun product to watch, but it’s also a better brand of basketball, and a much more sustainable version of it. And that may be why this current postseason run has been more impressive. Brunson has reached the pinnacle of scoring, where he has maximized his on-ball isolation ability, while also mixing in his deadly off-ball game. It is a beautiful combination that requires immense skill and a high level of basketball IQ, balanced with sacrifice and commitment to his head coach.
Heading into the Eastern Conference Finals, Brunson is actually averaging more points per 36 minutes (28.4 points) due to the fact that he’s playing over three full minutes less per game these playoffs. Not only that, his willingness to allow the Knicks to play through Karl-Anthony Towns and utilize his gravity for the betterment of the team has led to a very significant rise in the percentage of Brunson’s field goals that have come assisted. Last postseason, only 19.3% of Brunson’s makes came off of assists. While incredibly impressive, that often meant a lot of tough, if not downright bad shots, made by the captain. This season, though, that number has risen all the way 35.7%. That’s nearly double what it was last year, and over a third of his shots made.
Brunson is also displaying such an extremely high level of shot-making right now that only 18.6% of his points have come at the free-throw line, which is lower than the 22.6% he was at last postseason. Not that the foul-baiting narrative ever made much sense, but he’s proved that nonsense as a farce. For reference, Kevin Durant (34.8%), Shai-Gilgeous Alexander (30.4%), James Harden (29.4%), Joel Embiid (29.3%), Jamal Murray (27.5%), Paolo Banchero (27.2%), Cade Cunningham (26.1%), Nikola Jokic (25.9%), and Jalen Johnson (23.9%) are all noticeably higher. In fact, Brunson ranks 81st out of the 230 qualified players this postseason.
That doesn’t mean Brunson’s ability with the ball has declined at all, though. He’s become even better in isolation situations. Last playoffs, Brunson scored 1.11 points per possession on 4.8 isolation plays per game. This year, though, he’s scored 1.16 points per possession on 3.8 isolations per game. As we’ve seen these playoffs, when the Knicks need a basket, they, rightfully so, feel very confident in giving Brunson the ball and asking him to get them a bucket. It may not be the smartest or easiest shot, but there’s a luxury in having a player you can trust to almost always get off a shot, and one that often has a chance of going in. But unlike in the years prior, the “clear everyone, and let Brunson make something out of nothing” offense is no longer the go-to default; it’s now just the “only break in case of emergency” button.
Brunson’s selflessness, growth, and skills have allowed the team overall to flourish, while still giving them the safety blanket that Mike Brown mentioned last week. That’s led to Brunson being fresher and more efficient than ever, while also squeezing out as much from the rest of the team as possible. And for maybe the first time during Brunson’s tenure in New York, the offense looks to be significantly better than the sum of its parts. Obviously, Brown, as well as the collective buy-in and the play of Brunson’s teammates, deserve significant praise as well.
The Knicks head coach has done a great job of blending his patented motion offense with the strengths of his players. And the collective group of OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, Deuce McBride, Landry Shamet, and the aforementioned Towns have risen to the occasion and have played incredible basketball over the last seven games. But there’s no denying that Brunson remains the engine of this team, especially when the going gets tough, and the game comes down to the final moments.
Brunson is on another magical run, which has been a welcome sight after so many around the league, including an odd number of Knicks fans, claimed that he was on the decline due to an up-and-down end to the regular season. He’s once again saved his best for the playoffs, and if the Knicks want to lift their first Larry O’Brien trophy in over 50 years, chances are, he’ll have a little bit more saved up his sleeve.
Alex Newhook
Josh Doan
