Jalen Brunson is playing a dangerous game

Well, this has been an absolutely rollicking Finals. The team that’s lost every first quarter (New York) is 2-1, and the team that’s held a lead with under two minutes left in all three contests (San Antonio) is 1-2. You’d need a quality socket wrench to make this thing any tighter.

There are plenty of reasons for fear and optimism on both sides, and I’ll explore some of those later this week more in-depth. But something that’s stuck out is how consistently the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson has struggled out of the gates.

Breaking news: It’s harder to score against the one-two punch of Steph Castle and Victor Wembanyama. But it’s not always harder for Brunson! In classic Captain Clutch fashion, he has lit the Spurs up in fourth quarters so far. Through three games, 32 of Brunson’s 82 total points have come in the final period, papering over his chelonian starts.

For the entire game, Brunson is averaging 27.3 points per 75 possessions in the Finals, right in line with his regular-season averages. However, his efficiency has plummeted to a ghastly 46.3% true shooting overall, and it’s flatlined at 33.1% in first quarters. With their best player using the first quarter as a warm-up, it’s no surprise the Knicks have been outscored by eight, nine, and 11 points to start these three games.

Then, Brunson transforms. Still per 75, Brunson is averaging a whopping 43.6 points on 57.0% true shooting in fourth quarters. He’s saving his best for last.

That’s a dangerous game to play.