BOSTON — The New York Knicks are staring at an early wake-up call after dropping their first two games, including a fourth-quarter collapse in Boston. While panicking after two games is foolish, watching the offense turn into a sludgy iso fest when games get tight down the stretch is a legitimate concern. Jalen Brunson clutch shooting struggles have quickly emerged as the most notable talking point among fans watching the captain fight uphill to carry the scoring load by himself late in games.
Even though Jalen Brunson proved to be real-life Superman when he guided the franchise to its first championship in 53 years, that does not mean head coach Mike Brown has to depend on Superman every single night down the stretch.
Jalen Brunson clutch shooting struggles show heavy isolation in the paint
Looking at the raw numbers from the opening week, Brunson is carrying an absurd load entirely on his own when the game is on the line. In the final five minutes of close games, a staggering 100 percent of his made two-pointers have come completely unassisted. Even worse, 83.3 percent of those shot attempts are tough, contested drives straight into a crowded paint. Because opposing defenses know he is forcing his way toward the rim without ball movement, he is shooting just 33.3 percent in crunch time. Forcing tough hero shots against stacked defenses is wearing him down and stalling the entire rhythm of the offense.
His overall shooting touch has looked a bit off through two games as well, connecting on just 36.1 percent of his field goals while averaging 20.0 points. That efficiency is well below the elite standard he has set for himself, but with only two games on the board, there is zero reason for fans to hit the panic button yet. However, forcing tough hero shots against stacked defenses is clearly wearing him down and stalling the entire rhythm of the offense.
Running the late-game offense through Karl Anthony Towns unlocks the captain
The easiest way for Mike Brown to fix this late-game mud is to finally hand the keys over to Karl-Anthony Towns down the stretch. Brown made his philosophy clear when discussing offensive tweaks, emphasizing the need to “find ways to make the game easier while putting [the players] in their strengths.” Yet, the tracking data reveals Towns’ overall usage rate has actually dipped to 23.8 percent—his lowest mark in three years.
Instead of making Brunson initiate from a dead stop against three defenders, Mike Brown can unlock him through steady dribble handoffs and high ball screens with Towns. Towns’ deep shooting threat pulls opposing big men out of the paint, creating instant mismatches for Brunson, who is already a master manipulator in two-man actions. When defenses panic and double-team the ball, Towns’ passing vision can instantly punish them by finding sharp cuts to the rim from OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, or Josh Hart for easy layups in the restricted area. Letting Towns steer the boat takes the burden off Brunson and gives New York clean, high-percentage looks when it matters most.
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