Knicks' March to May: Jalen Brunson's MVP Case Strengthens
The New York Knicks are rolling. Five straight wins, 10 of their last 11. They're sitting pretty at third in the Eastern Conference with a 46-25 record, a far cry from the lottery team many pegged them to be just a few years back. Now, they get the Washington Wizards, a team limping to the finish line at 16-54, 14th in the East. This should be a walk in the park, right?
Not so fast. While the Knicks dispatched the Wizards 100-99 on December 8th, and then again 121-105 on January 18th, Washington has a way of playing spoiler when you least expect it. Remember that wild 139-120 loss to the Wizards back in December of 2022? Yeah, that happened. New York can’t afford to just show up. They're chasing the Milwaukee Bucks for second place, only a game and a half back, and every win matters for home-court advantage.
Jalen Brunson's MVP Argument
Look, Nikola Jokic is having another ridiculous year. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a legitimate superstar. But let’s be real about what Brunson is doing for the Knicks. He’s averaging 27.9 points and 6.5 assists per game, career highs across the board. Since the calendar flipped to February, Brunson has gone absolutely supernova, dropping 30 or more points in 13 of his last 20 games. He hung 45 points on the Sacramento Kings on March 16th. He torched the Portland Trail Blazers for 40 on March 14th. This isn't just good scoring; this is carrying an offense that, frankly, lost Julius Randle and OG Anunoby for significant stretches.
And that’s the real story here. When Randle went down with a dislocated shoulder in January, everyone wrote the Knicks off. Then Anunoby, their defensive stopper, had elbow surgery. Yet, the Knicks kept winning. They went 10-2 in February, with Brunson averaging over 32 points. That’s MVP-caliber leadership, plain and simple. He elevates everyone around him. Isaiah Hartenstein has stepped up huge, grabbing 12 rebounds and dishing out 5 assists against the Pistons on Monday. Donte DiVincenzo is hitting 3-pointers at a career clip, knocking down 4.1 per game in March. Brunson makes it all work.
The Grind for Playoff Seeding
The Knicks aren't just playing for pride; they're playing for position. A six-game winning streak heading into April would be huge for momentum. They’ve locked up a playoff spot, but getting home court for the first round, maybe even two rounds, makes a massive difference. Madison Square Garden is a different animal in the postseason. They’re 26-11 at home this season, compared to 20-14 on the road. Facing a team like the Wizards, who have lost their last two games by an average of 18 points, is an opportunity to fine-tune things, to get Miles McBride more reps, to solidify rotations.
Thing is, the Wizards still have some guys who can get buckets. Kyle Kuzma is averaging 22.4 points and 6.6 rebounds. Jordan Poole can still go off for 30 on any given night, even if he's been wildly inconsistent. The Knicks can't afford to get complacent, not with the Miami Heat (40-33) and Indiana Pacers (41-33) breathing down their necks for those crucial 4-6 spots. Tom Thibodeau will have them ready.
The Knicks will win this one comfortably, by at least 15 points. But here’s my hot take: Jalen Brunson will finish top-3 in MVP voting, and it won't even be close.