Overview
- Brunson hit a side-step three with 4.4 seconds left to seal a 114-113 win over the Pacers after a rough shooting night that still ended with 25 points.
- On the final possession, he overrode the drawn-up play and told Mike Brown, “I’m getting this win,” according to the coach’s postgame account.
- Brown praised Brunson as “our MVP” and “the league’s MVP,” later likening the confidence to rare moments he’s seen from Steph Curry, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.
- The Knicks were without Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson, prompting Brown to start second-round rookie Mohamed Diawara, who logged 19 active minutes.
- Despite last season’s Clutch Player of the Year award, early-season data shows New York in fewer clutch games with lower clutch scoring, making a repeat unlikely.