Jalen Brunson continued his postseason control as the New York Knicks pulled away from the Atlanta Hawks in Game 5, and the guard pointed to execution, adjustments, and mentality after scoring 39 points in the 126-97 win at Madison Square Garden.
Brunson said the Knicks’ recent surge has been driven by collective improvement rather than individual scoring bursts. “It’s been a multitude of things,” he said when asked about the shift from tight finishes earlier in the series.
The Knicks had lost two one-point games earlier, but have now produced back-to-back double-digit wins. “I think we have picked it up as a unit,” Brunson said, while noting Atlanta’s missed opportunities also shaped the margins.
The All-Star guard emphasized connectivity on both ends as a deciding factor. “Just us being on the same page on both sides of the ball has been a factor,” he said, adding, “anything can happen in this series. So we just got to be locked and ready for game six.”
Brunson also broke down the tactical nature of the matchup, describing constant in-game adjustments. “It’s like a chess match. Someone makes a move and you got to make another move,” he said.
He added that preparation remains central regardless of opponent changes. “We got to be ready for anything,” Brunson said, while stressing, “most importantly, we have to be good at what we’re good at.”
The Knicks guard also highlighted Karl-Anthony Towns’ playmaking impact, which has added a new layer to New York’s offense. “KAT’s making great decisions,” Brunson said. “It’s another dimension that we’ve been able to do.”
He credited spacing, screening, and pace for enabling that development. “We’ve been able to do a lot off ball, the screens that we’re setting, the pace that we’re cutting,” Brunson said, describing the team’s offensive structure.
Defensively, New York controlled the glass and transition game, finishing with a 48-27 rebounding edge and a 13-4 fast-break advantage. Brunson linked that balance to overall execution.
“It was just important for us to come out the way we did,” he said. “I think just us being on the string on both sides of the ball really helped us.”
The Knicks led wire to wire after building early separation, with Brunson noting the importance of setting tone early in postseason games. “We were locked in mentally and the way we were playing was how we wanted to play,” he said.
He also praised the team’s response after earlier lapses in the series. “We can’t allow moments like that to happen, especially in the playoffs,” Brunson said, referencing blown leads in previous games.
OG Anunoby’s two-way impact drew strong praise as well. “He’s been playing great,” Brunson said. “He’s been locked in.”
As New York moves to a 3-2 series lead, Brunson kept the focus on consistency rather than momentum. The Knicks now travel to Atlanta with a chance to close out the series in Game 6.
“Confident,” Brunson said when asked about the team’s mindset heading into the next game.
