Few moments in the NBA playoffs resonate like a last-second dagger, especially when it comes off the hands of Jalen Brunson. But as Madison Square Garden erupted on May 4, 2025, one question loomed: Can that moment shift the balance against the Boston Celtics? On NightCap, five-time champ Robert Horry offered a blunt prognosis.

Brunson’s clutch pedigree has cemented his status as the New York Knicks‘ playoff closer. Shannon turned to Horry, who knows a thing or two about game-winners, to ask what goes through a player’s head in those defining seconds. That set the tone for what turned into a layered discussion. It was not just about Jalen Brunson’s brilliance, but about how that brilliance needs to be channeled when it comes time to face a juggernaut like Boston.

Horry didn’t mince words. ‘No, no, no,’ he snapped. Then he laid out the numbers: Boston has six players scoring in double figures, four elite defenders rotating fresh legs, and the depth to smother any hot hand in New York

He wasn’t trying to be harsh. In fact, he backed up his view with some cold-hard basketball logic. The Celtics simply have too much. From too many scorers, too many defenders, to the massive depth of the squad. Horry compared the Knicks to the early 2000s Sixers, which built around one guy doing most of the scoring while everyone else filled in the gaps.

So while Jalen Brunson’s brilliance can steal a game or two and ignite Madison Square Garden, it’s just not enough to tilt a full series against a team as complete as Boston. Horry delivered that hard truth — it’s not about one magical moment, it’s about sustainable execution over seven cruel games. And as we head into this next matchup, the real question isn’t whether Jalen Brunson can shine again – it’s whether the Knicks can survive the Celtics’ relentless depth and structure.

Celtics: Jalen Brunson’s not enough?

Boston doesn’t just boast depth—they’re a blueprint in balance. Five-time champ Robert Horry put it plainly on NightCap: “They got six guys that can score”—and it’s easy to see why. Jayson Tatum (31.3 PPG), Jaylen Brown (23.0 PPG), Derrick White (17.2 PPG), Jrue Holiday (10.0 PPG), and Kristaps Porziņģis (12.0 PPG), all clear double figures this season, forcing opponents into constant rotations

That defensive strength makes life a nightmare for stars like Jalen Brunson. Horry mentioned players like White, Holiday, and Brown, saying, “These guys are f—ing good defenders.” While the Knicks have Jalen Brunson carrying a heavy load, the Celtics can throw multiple elite bodies at him and keep rotating fresh legs.

Horry didn’t shy away from calling it how he sees it. “I think the Knicks might win one game because they play hard,” he admitted, “but overall… yeah, it’s going to be a gentleman sweep, man.” For all the courage the Knicks bring, he believes Boston’s combination of talent and structure is simply overwhelming.

Horry’s verdict boils down to one unassailable fact: a single shot can steal a game, but not a series. Against Boston’s six-man scoring punch and half-court stoppers, Brunson’s heroics risk becoming footnotes in a 4–0 sweep. If the Knicks hope to survive, they must transform bursts of brilliance into a balanced attack and lean on role players to neutralize Boston’s relentless rotations.