Brunson Knicks Jared Schwartz · NY Post Sports Wed, November 4, 2026 at 2:20 AM UTC · 4 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The numbers are all down.
Jalen Brunson's field goal percentage (39.3 percent), 3-point percentage (33.3 percent) and free-throw percentage (73.2 percent) are all significantly down from last year. In fact, the field goal and 3-point percentage would represent the worst of his career, while the free-throw percentage would be second worst.
The Knicks captain has uncharacteristically been misfiring .
There isn't some deep-lying issue or explanation, though. Brunson believes it's actually quite simple.
"Missing shots," Brunson said after practice Tuesday, "I normally make."
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson reacts after making a 3-point shot against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Madison Square Garden in New York. JASON SZENES FOR NEW YORK POST
Brunson's shooting was always a worry after he underwent surgery to fix a tendon issue in his left wrist during the offseason. He spoke before the season about how it disrupted his normal offseason workouts and caused him to take way fewer shots than he normally does.
It is certainly understandable that there is early-season rust. But, true to his character, he refused to use that excuse.
"Not at all," Brunson said when asked how much the surgery has affected his early-season form.
His shot diet, in terms of the percentage of pullups vs. catch-and-shoot and shot distance, is similar to last season's. As are the percentages of open shots vs. tightly covered shots. This is not a case of worse shot quality leading to worse results.
There is one area in which there has been a big drop, though. He is struggling in what is usually his specialty.
Brunson's efficiency at the end of the shot clock is way down. He is shooting just 26.7 percent with between 7 and 4 seconds left on the shot clock and 35.7 percent with under four seconds left. Last year, he was at 48.8 percent with between 7 and 4 seconds left on the shot clock and 46.6 percent under four seconds left. Brunson bailing the Knicks out with tough shots late in possessions is usually a staple of their offense and something that demoralizes opposing defenses.
It's been part of a larger trend with the Knicks and their sluggish offense to start the year. As a team, they are shooting 30.4 percent from 7-to-4 seconds left in the shot clock and 26.5 percent under four seconds left. Those are the second-worst and worst marks in the NBA, respectively.
So often, as Brunson goes, the Knicks go. This is a clear example.
"He's taking the same shots as in the past," coach Mike Brown said Tuesday. "In my opinion, he's just missing shots. He's taking the right shots. I think all our guys are, for the most part, taking the right shots. Right now, they're not going in. And that can be for this reason, that reason, I don't know, and I'm not going to try to overanalyze it. As long as they keep taking the right shots, keep working on the shots, I think eventually they're gonna fall sooner than later."
Brown has coached some of the league's best-ever scorers, including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Stephen Curry. He has seen this before.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) shoots a three-pointer against the Brooklyn Nets at Madison Square Garden in New York, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. Jason Szenes for NY Post
And he knows that usually, these ruts don't last too long.
"It happens," Brown said. "It happens to the best of them because everybody is definitely human and every human has their ups and their downs when it comes to shooting. That's why we have to keep embracing the little things, because they're not gonna always fall."
It's rare to see Brunson struggling the way he has to start this year.
But if he's taking the same shots as normal, it should be expected that the results will soon return to normal.
Source: Sports
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