In just four years, Jalen Brunson has staked a claim as one of the greatest New York Knicks of all-time. 

A major part of Brunson’s legend revolves around the playoffs. Brunson has not always been perfect in the postseason, but he has shown an incredible ability to elevate his game in the biggest moments. He has shaken off slow starts to dominate fourth quarters and overcome suffocating defenses to take over series as they’ve gone on.

Over four years, Brunson has helped the Knicks win eight playoff series and now a championship. Throughout this run, Brunson has already cemented himself as one of the great clutch performers in NBA history, and he boasts a long resumé of classic big game performances.

Below, we’ve ranked Brunson’s 10 best Knicks playoff moments.

10. Game 5, second round vs. Miami Heat (2023)

Stat line: 38 points (12-22 FG, 4-10 3P, 10-12 FT), 9 rebounds, 7 assists

This is a somewhat forgotten series in recent Knicks history, as the Knicks blew home-court advantage to the lower-seeded Heat, then got trounced in Games 3 and 4. Going back home down 3-1, their season on the line, Brunson delivered his then-highest playoff scoring game as a Knick to keep the season alive. 

There was a glimmer of hope that if the Knicks could win Game 6 in Miami, they’d beat the Heat at home in Game 7. Brunson scored 41 in that Game 6, but had a costly turnover in the final minute that sealed the Knicks’ fate. 

Alas, Game 5 was a glimpse of how Brunson could carry a team in the postseason.

9. Game 2, second round vs. Indiana Pacers (2024)

Stat line: 29 points (11-16 FG, 3-6 3P), 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals

Up 1-0 in the series, the Knicks and Pacers were engaged in a wild back-and-forth contest when Brunson suddenly exited the game with a mysterious foot injury. At the time, it was a little unclear how Brunson hurt it, but he missed the rest of the first half as the Pacers built a 10-point lead.

Brunson returned for the second half (after testing the foot during halftime warmups) and put on a dazzling display while clearly hobbled. His legacy for clutch play was building at this time, as he scored 14 of his 29 in the fourth quarter to help the Knicks seal the win.

8. Game 4, first round vs. Philadelphia 76ers (2024)

Stat line: 47 points (18-34 FG), 4 rebounds, 10 assists

Brunson struggled badly in the first two games of this series, but the Knicks still pulled out two wins. After the Sixers won Game 3, the stage was set for a dramatic, combative showdown between two teams who were beginning to dislike each other and had higher hopes for their season than losing in the first round.

Game 4 was Brunson’s coming-out in the series, the first of three straight 40-point games to knock off the Sixers. Brunson was deep in his bag this game and torched every Sixer who defended him.

He also had a heated confrontation with Joel Embiid after the Sixers big man threw an elbow at Brunson. Brunson got the last laugh with a tough, running foul line jumper in isolation over Embiid as the shot clock expired in the fourth quarter.

7. Game 6, first round vs. Philadelphia 76ers (2024)

Stat line: 41 points (13-27 FG, 3-8 3P, 12-16 FT), 3 rebounds, 12 assists

This was another wild, back-and-forth battle in one of the best first-round series in NBA history (no exaggeration). The Knicks built a 20-point lead, but the Sixers roared back to take the lead in the second quarter. 

Once again, it was Brunson who led the charge as the Knicks stole the lead back. He scored 14 in the fourth quarter, but his biggest play was an assist, finding an open Josh Hart up top for the go-ahead, series-clinching three with 24 seconds left.

6. Game 6, first round vs. Detroit Pistons (2025)

Stat line: 40 points (15-33 FG), 4 rebounds, 7 assists

Does anyone recall that the Knicks blew a 12-point fourth-quarter lead in this one and actually went down by seven with 2:35 to play?

Not really. That’s because Brunson decided he was not going to let the Knicks lose. Brunson took over the Knicks offense and decided to do it all himself, scoring eight points over the final 2:30 of the game.

The biggest of those was a filthy crossover on Ausar Thompson and pull-up three with three seconds remaining to put the Knicks ahead by three. It wasn’t Brunson’s cleanest game, but one of the most gritty, with an all-time great shot to finish it off.

5. Game 1, NBA Finals vs. San Antonio Spurs (2026)

Stat line: 30 points (12-31 FG), 3 rebounds, 2 assists

Brunson was bodied throughout this game and struggled to find his shot. He left the game with a knee injury. He came back. Then he got his ankle stepped on. He played through it.

Most of this game was not memorable for Brunson — until the fourth quarter. As is often the case, Brunson saved his best for last, finishing the game with a flurry of baskets. Brunson hit a massive, go-ahead three-pointer off his own offensive rebound with 1:50 to play.

A minute later, with the Knicks up four, he sealed it with a jabbing, twirling midrange jumper with Devin Vassell draped all over him. The Knicks stole Game 1 of the Finals and Brunson logged another game in the New York sports history book.

4. Game 4, second round vs. Boston Celtics (2025)

Stat line: 39 points (12-25 FG, 4-8 3P, 7-9 FT), 5 rebounds, 12 assists

Going into this game, the narrative was that if the Knicks did not win, they would lose the series. After stealing two wins in Boston against a superior team, the Knicks could not afford to drop both in New York.

For three-and-a-half quarters, it was a duel between two great offenses, highlighted by Brunson and Jayson Tatum. Once again, Brunson had it all going, hitting threes, blowing by bigs on switches, and torching whoever tried to guard him in the midrange. 

Sadly, Tatum tore his Achilles in the fourth quarter, but the Knicks led by nine at that point with under four minutes remaining. Brunson had done enough to secure a must-win, setting the Knicks up to win the series and make the Eastern Conference Finals.

3. Game 1, Eastern Conference Finals vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (2026)

Stats: 38 points (15-27 FG), 5 rebounds, 6 assists

A lot of ghosts and plenty of trauma were threatening to revisit Knicks fans when the Knicks found themselves down 22 points with under eight minutes to play in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. That’s when Brunson decided the Knicks would not lose the game.

Brunson scored 13 of the next 18 points to cut the lead down to five. He repeatedly targeted James Harden and cooked him in isolation, despite pretty solid defense from Harden. Brunson entered another zone.

He got help along the way with Landry Shamet and Mikal Bridges hitting monster three-pointers, but it was Brunson who ignited the improbable comeback and hit the game-tying shot with 19 seconds left to force overtime.

2. Game 4, NBA Finals vs. San Antonio Spurs (2026)

Stats: 36 points (12-25 FG, 3-7 3P, 9-11 FT), 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals

Brunson had a heavy hand in helping the Knicks pull off the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history. The vibes were threatening to go to a dangerous place if the Knicks went back to San Antonio, 2-2.

In the second half alone, Brunson scored 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting, hitting some massive shots, from a pull-up three over Victor Wembanyama to cut the Spurs lead to one, to a go-ahead floater with 1:22 to play. 

Brunson got plenty of help, and OG Aunoby was the standout hero of the game, but the Knicks wouldn’t have gotten back into it without Brunson’s stewardship.

1. Game 5, NBA Finals vs. San Antonio Spurs (2026)

Stats: 45 points (14-27 FG, 4-7 3P, 13-15 FT), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals

Given the stakes, there can be no other choice for No. 1. On the brink of the franchise’s first championship in 53 years, Brunson delivered a Michael Jordan-esque performance, scoring 47% of the team’s points. It was a steady stream of buckets from Brunson, who once again, sensed the finish line in reach and carried the Knicks over it, scoring 17 of his points in the fourth quarter.

Amazingly, Brunson has had more explosive performances — but none were bigger or more critical than this one.