Knicks’ Jalen Brunson wins NBA’s Clutch Player of Year award

After arriving in New York three years in the past, Knicks star Jalen Brunson has develop into the face of the franchise.

On Wednesday, he grew to become the NBA’s Clutch Participant of the Yr.

“I think some people are born into it,” Brunson instructed TNT’s “Inside the NBA” on Wednesday evening about being clutch. “I think I had to learn back in high school, and I’ve gotten better and better at each stage, and here we are.”

Brunson has established himself as some of the constant clutch gamers within the league. New York was fifth within the league with a 61% win charge in clutch video games this season, whereas Brunson shot 51% in clutch time this season and led the league with 5.6 factors per sport that met the league’s standards for the “clutch” designation.

“Just finding a way to win,” Brunson mentioned. “That’s the most important thing. You can make clutch plays but they don’t mean anything if you don’t win. The winning part is most important to me.”

Brunson completed with 70 of 100 first-place votes, touchdown on 98 of 100 complete ballots. Denver Nuggets heart Nikola Jokic was a transparent second with 26 first-place votes, whereas Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was third in balloting.

Brunson’s prowess in late and shut video games was on show for all to see Saturday in Sport 1 of New York’s first-round collection towards the Detroit Pistons. Brunson led the Knicks on a 21-0 fourth-quarter run to say victory.

With the best-of-7 collection tied at 1, Brunson mentioned the hot button is “just starting fast” in Sport 3 on Thursday evening.

“I think they’ve gotten the better of us starting the game in Games 1 and 2, and we have had to climb back in both games,” Brunson mentioned. “We got to start off well. They are playing way too well for us to start off slow.”

The Clutch Participant of the Yr award, named after Jerry West, has been awarded thrice, with De’Aaron Fox (2023) and Stephen Curry (2024) additionally having received.

It’s the second of the league’s seven main particular person awards to be handed out, with Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard successful the Sixth Man of the Yr award Tuesday evening.

The Defensive Participant of the Yr award will likely be given out Thursday, adopted by the Hustle Award on Friday. The remainder of the key honors — Most Worthwhile Participant, Most Improved Participant, Coach of the Yr, Rookie of the Yr and the All-NBA, All-Protection and All-Rookie groups — will likely be introduced over the subsequent few weeks.