Knicks looking to push NBA-best clutch success to its limit in playoffs
In a way, it shaped the tenor of the series last year.When the Knicks erupted for 40 points in the fourth quarter of their Game 1 win against the Pistons, it allowed them to erase an eight-point deficit — anchored by a 21-0 run — and avoid an early setback.
It made a statement early in the first round.It avoided the catastrophic scenario of dropping the opener at home and losing home-court advantage.It was also a bit unexpected, going against the numbers and trends from the 2024-25 regular season.
The Knicks finished with the sixth-worst net rating in the fourth quarter that year (minus-4.2), and their minus-1.6 in clutch situations (the final five minutes when the lead or deficit is five points or less) during those frames ranked No.17 in the NBA.
But when the Knicks open their series against the Hawks one year later Saturday — with most of the same rotation intact and the only major difference a new head coach — fourth quarters, and specifically clutch situations down the stretch, have become an undeniable strength.Their plus-11.7 net rating in the fourth quarter was the best in the league during the regular season and the best since NBA.com began tracking stats during the 1996-97 campaign.Their plus-20.5 net rating in clutch situations in fourth quarters is second in the league behind the Lakers (25.4), too.
The Knicks already have Captain Clutch, with Jalen Brunson named Clutch Player of the Year last season and once again delivering when it matters most in games, and now, that has seemingly become part of their overarching DNA.“I think it shows the ability that we have to lock in and focus and have a good attention to detail,” Josh Hart said Thursday in Tarrytown.“Now we gotta make sure, seeing that, you know you have the capability of doing it, and now you have to make sure you do it for all 48 and not 12 minutes.”That’s the catch-22 of all this, at least in the eyes of the Knicks.
For as well as they’ve played in the fourth quarter, i...