The NBA announced Wednesday that New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson has been named the 2023-24 Clutch Player of the Year. This marks the third time the award has been given, with Brunson joining previous winners De`Aaron Fox and Stephen Curry. He is the first player from the Knicks organization to receive a major individual NBA award since Julius Randle was recognized as the Most Improved Player following the 2020-21 season.
Brunson received a commanding 70 out of 100 first-place votes. Three-time MVP Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets finished as the runner-up with 26 first-place votes, while Anthony Edwards placed third with two. Stephen Curry and LeBron James were the only other players to garner first-place votes.
Brunson`s exceptional ability to perform in high-pressure late-game situations was a crucial factor in the Knicks securing the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, often single-handedly carrying the team in critical moments. He scored a total of 156 points in clutch scenarios throughout the season, ranking second league-wide, just one point behind Anthony Edwards` 157. A notable difference was the volume of games: Edwards played in 42 clutch contests, whereas Brunson achieved his total in just 28. In those games, Brunson demonstrated remarkable efficiency, shooting 51.5% from the field in clutch time. Interestingly, Brunson is the first winner of this award who did not lead the NBA in total clutch points during their winning season, a feat accomplished by both Fox and Curry.
The Knicks finished the season with an overall clutch record of 19-12, and a 17-11 record in games where Brunson was involved in clutch minutes. The team has achieved a winning record in all three of Brunson`s seasons in New York. Despite his significant impact and team success, Brunson faced formidable competition for the award, particularly from Jokić.
Jokić led his Denver Nuggets to a 21-16 record in clutch games. Although he accumulated fewer clutch points (140 total) than Brunson, he was more efficient, posting impressive shooting splits of 56% from the field, 43% from three-point range, and 72% from the free-throw line in these situations. As expected for a player of his caliber, Jokić also ranked second in clutch assists and third in clutch rebounds.
Ultimately, voters were most swayed by Brunson`s knack for hitting crucial shots when the game was on the line. His combination of skill, craftiness, and footwork consistently enabled him to generate scoring opportunities for the Knicks in the closing moments of games. Brunson`s win means the award, named in honor of legendary guard Jerry West, has now been won by a guard for three consecutive seasons.
Jasper Hawthorne