The Knicks’ Jalen Brunson can already do what the Spurs are still figuring out

When the New York Knicks needed a big basket against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, they turned to Jalen Brunson. He delivered.

One of the most common refrains used to describe the NBA playoffs is that the game slows down.

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Not necessarily that the basketball becomes easier, but each minute is so tense, both teams are so focused and each possession is so tight that the winner is often decided by which team — or player — can execute when the game halts to a grind.

In Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday, the New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson was that player, scoring 13 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Knicks to a 105-95 victory over the San Antonio Spurs and a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs, meanwhile, scored only 19 points over the final period as a team and looked discombobulated as they struggled to put the ball in the hoop.