New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson transformed into an almost entirely new player during the final months of the 2025-26 regular season. With New York's back against the wall, Brunson suddenly evolved into one of the most productive playmakers the NBA had to offer.
Much as it saved the Knicks from disaster around the midway point of the 2025-26 regular season, Brunson's same adjustment ultimately won Game 1 against the Atlanta Hawks in the playoffs.
Brunson dominated the first half of Game 1 as a scorer, recording 22 points as the Hawks struggled to find even a mere semblance of an answer. In many ways, it looked like the latest in an already long line of dominant scoring performances from the Knicks' resident superstar.
When the second half rolled around and Atlanta adjusted its defensive scheme to limit Brunson's scoring, however, he made his mark as a playmaker.
Brunson dished out four of his seven assists during the second half. He continued to be aggressive in creating scoring opportunities for himself, but the unpredictability of his eventual decision in said scenarios made the Knicks' offense almost impossible to stop.
Much as he managed to save the Knicks from disaster during the regular season, Brunson delivered Game 1 on a silver platter as Atlanta's late offensive surge proved insufficient.
Jalen Brunson's evolution as a playmaker delivers yet another Knicks win
The Knicks lost nine of their 11 games between Dec. 31 and Jan. 19. It was a stretch that nearly cost them their home-court advantage, as teams began to close the distance and New York's status as a true contender was called into question.
In the 39 games that followed, however, New York went 28-11—fueled in no small part by Brunson's evolution as a playmaker.
Brunson posted eight of his 14 games with at least 10 assists in the 36 appearances he made after the Knicks' 2-9 stretch. He averaged 7.5 assists per game during that period, which was a rather significant jump from the 6.1 assists he averaged during his previous 38 games played.
As fate would have it, that very skill proved to be the difference between surviving the Hawks' fourth quarter surge and falling short of victory.
As the series progresses, Brunson's ability to balance explosive scoring performances with skillful displays as a playmaker could prove essential. The Hawks will undoubtedly be aware of the threat Brunson poses as a scorer, which means passing opportunities will quickly present themselves.
A long series may yet await Brunson and the Knicks, but one can't help but celebrate how his regular season evolution has already translated to the playoffs.
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