Jalen Brunson Stats Tonight: How did Knicks star perform against Celtics in Game 5 of Eastern Conference semifinals? (May 14)

Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks entered Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals with a commanding 3-1 series lead against the Boston Celtics. All three wins had come after erasing large deficits.

Brunson was fantastic for the Knicks in the first four games, showing why he was named the 2025 NBA Clutch Player of the Year. He's averaging 28.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 7.8 assists in the Eastern Conference semis, while shooting 43.2% from the field, including 41.2% from beyond the arc.

Brunson was part of the starting five along with Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns in Game 5 on Wednesday. He finished with 22 points, one rebound and six assists, but fouled out as New York suffered a 127-102 loss.

Here are Jalen Brunson's stats for the game:

Players	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	MIN	FG	3PT	FT	+/-
Jalen Brunson	22	1	6	0	0	2	6	35:50	7-17	1-4	7-9	-18

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How did Jalen Brunson perform in Game 5?

Jalen Brunson had a slow start to the game, but his teammates kept the Knicks afloat against the short-handed Boston Celtics. Brunson came alive in the second quarter, helping New York enter halftime with the game tied at 59.

However, Brunson was careless in the third quarter, picking up five personal fouls in a disastrous period for the New York Knicks. The Celtics went on an incredible run to build their biggest lead in the series. Karl-Anthony Towns also landed in foul trouble, meaning the Knicks could not keep pace in the fourth quarter.

Brunson eventually fouled out and coach Tom Thibodeau threw in the towel at the midway point of the final period. The Celtics forced a Game 6 at Madison Square Garden on Friday.

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Jalen Brunson’s message to Jayson Tatum before Game 5

Before Game 5, Jalen Brunson acknowledged Jayson Tatum’s absence for the Boston Celtics. Tatum has been ruled out of the postseason and possibly the entirety of next season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in his right leg in Game 4. He underwent surgery on Tuesday and is expected to fully recover.

"I feel for him," Brunson said. "It's an unfortunate situation for a player like him. The league needs Jayson Tatum. What he's been able to do in his career has been remarkable. … What he's done is special. So when you see a player like that go down, it's not good for the game."

Boston’s championship window suddenly got a little tighter, especially if Tatum misses the entire 2025-26 NBA season. The Celtics have a high payroll and new ownership, so there’s no telling what they will do following such a huge blow.