What happened: Jaylen Brown stayed in front of Jalen Brunson in the closing possessions and forced a miss. The exchange settled a star-on-star matchup at the deciding point.

Why it matters: Early clutch stops set the standard for primary assignments in the 2026-27 season. Brunson enters as a named New York starter alongside Towns, Anunoby, Bridges and Hart, raising the value of late-game defense.

What to watch: Watch how often Brown draws the lead-guard matchup late. The next meeting will show whether Brunson changes his creation angle.