Knicks Star Jalen Brunson Lands Major Award Nomination

There was a little something special in New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson's Easter basket.

Brunson was one of three men named as nominees for NBA's Clutch Player of the Year Award, as the Association unveiled a full list of major individual award nominees on Sunday.

The Knicks captain is joined by Anthony Edwards (Minnesota) and Nikola Jokic (Denver), with the winner receiving the Jerry West Award named after the Los Angeles Lakers legend renowned for his clutch antics. The award was introduced in 2023, with De'Aaron Fox and Stephen Curry winning the first two editions.

Brunson's nomination was announced less than 24 hours after one of his most memorable metropolitan performances to date: after temporarily leaving the Knicks' postseason opener against the Detroit Pistons with an ankle injury, Brunson returned to score 12 points in the final period, part of a final tally of 34 in a 123-112 victory.

For official purposes, "clutch" in the NBA is defined as any point of the game where there are less than five minute on the clock and the score is within five points. Brunson leads all NBA participants (min. 20 games played) with 5.6 clutch points per game and is one of eight shooting better than 50 percent in the same scenarios. Brunson ended the year, his third in New York, averaging 26 points and a career-best 7.3 assists.

The winners of the NBA awards will be announced throughout the course of the postseason. In a development that will no doubt irk Knicks fans, OG Anunoby did not get a nomination for the Defensive Player of the Year award, with such spots going to Dyson Daniels (Atlanta), Draymond Green (Golden State), and Evan Mobley (Cleveland).

Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City) are up for the famed Most Valuable Player title while Knicks playoff foe Cade Cunningham (Detroit) is facing Daniels and Ivica Zubac (LA Clippers) for the Most Improved Player title. Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff is also going for coach of the year against former Knicks assistant Kenny Atkinson (Cleveland) and Ime Udoka (Houston).