Boston – The play call was spot on. Karl Anthony delivered a precise pass, and Jalen Brunson was in a position he’s practiced countless times before.
But would he, the NBA’s clutch player of the year, nail the game winner after a stunning fourth quarter?
Not this time.
His off-balance bank shot was off the mark, and though the Celtics missed their buzzer-beater attempt, the Knicks found themselves heading into overtime.
“It wasn’t clutch enough,” Brunson commented.
Yet, his teammates rose to the occasion.
OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges stepped up in a hard-fought 108-105 Game 1 victory against the Celtics on Monday night at TD Garden.
Of course, they wouldn’t have been in that position without Brunson’s remarkable performance in the fourth quarter.
He finished the game with 29 points, scoring 11 of those during a crucial stretch of the fourth, which saw the Knicks rally back.
Brunson also joined an exclusive list—he’s now one of three players in NBA history to score over 75 points in the fourth quarter during the first seven games of a postseason run, alongside Kobe Bryant and Stephen Curry.
After his explosive fourth-quarter efforts, Brunson failed to convert in overtime, missing all four attempts he took. Thankfully, his teammates were ready to step in when it mattered most.
“It’s not just about me carrying the team,” Brunson explained. “The trust we’ve built is huge. We all compete to figure out the best way to approach each possession. Sure, I might get the recognition, but it’s really a team effort.”
