Mar 24, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) brings the ball up in the first quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Knicks' Jalen Brunson Earns High Praise From Pelicans HC

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Jayesh Pagar | Last updated Mar 25, 2026 5:00 PM ET

The New York Knicks fan just witnessed 'Captain Clutch's' perform against the New Orleans Pelicans at Madison Square Garden.

Jalen Brunson took over when it mattered most, scoring 32 points, dishing 7 assists, and sealing a 121-116 win that gave New York their seventh straight victory.

After‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ the loss, Pelicans head coach James Borrego was straightforward. His remarks about Brunson were not the typical excuse, but they were a confession from a person who has just seen something of an elite ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌nature.

"Brunson's phenomenal. He does this every night," Borrego said after the game. "You can't really speed them up. You can't foul them. He's got such great poise. Gets to his spots. He can draw fouls. He can make tough shots over length, over size."

It's‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ more than just a compliment; it's a scouting report without the solutions to it.

Borrego also compared Brunson to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, saying they both have "elite" footwork. A coach who is a rival and whose team has just assigned one of the best defenders in the league, Herb Jones, to cover Brunson throughout the game was unable to stop him.

Borrego went further: "That's why they're going to be contending for a title this year."

What This Means Against the Hornets

Charlotte has a not-so-good defensive rating (113.5). So, if Brunson manages to get his target spots against a very vulnerable team with the footwork - exactly what Borrego said - then one can definitely expect a 30-point night from him again.

On a long run of seven consecutive wins, the Knicks are aiming to make it eight. And Brunson is surely the main driving force behind that. At the moment, his rhythm, confidence, and step-back are working strongly together.

One Ring Away from Becoming a Knicks God

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

As we earlier covered, Brunson is one championship away from becoming the greatest Knick of all time, surpassing even Walt Frazier and Willis Reed.

Brunson himself, in a recent podcast appearance, said: "I don't care about the individual stuff at all. Like I truly don't."

It's‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ that mindset - humble, team-over-self, New York-first - mixed with shows of excellence like the one that is truly the reason why Madison Square Garden is so vibrant these days. If he wins a championship and brings it to New York, there's no point discussing it ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌anymore.

After the Hornets, the main challenge lies against the Thunder. It will be interesting to see how Brunson, with his playmaking skills and clutch performances, is able to drive a win at home. If they are able to win that game, it will set the tone, and everyone would take this team seriously. Definitely, it will be exciting to see how Stephen A. Smith reacts to this.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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