Knicks’ Jalen Brunson on why he waved to Celtics fans in Game 5 (2025)

No, Jalen Brunson was not waving goodbye to Celtics fans at the end of Game 5.

After fouling out in the fourth quarter of Boston’s victory, Brunson was shown on the big screen and gave the crowd a wave.

It was not his way of saying the Knicks wouldn’t be back for a potential Game 7 in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.

“You would think that, but no. People were like, ‘Oh, Jalen’s waving because he knew he wasn’t going back,’ ” Brunson said on Tuesday on his podcast “The Roommates Show” with Josh Hart. “No, I just fouled out in a playoff game and we were down 20 or whatever, and I just see myself on the screen. I was just trying to make a positive out of a terrible, negative situation. I see myself, [gave a] quick little wave. I didn’t think anything of it, and obviously it’s all over everywhere when I get off the court after the game.

“Fortunately it aged well. … You’ve got to be levelheaded. You can’t be too low, you can’t be too high. I don’t know, it wasn’t like I was [thinking], ‘I’m going to do this if the camera is on me.’ It just happened. Oh, well.”

During his podcast with Brunson, Hart had some fun with the Nets.

The two were talking about the recently completed Subway Series, when Hart said he believes there are two teams that run the city in baseball and basketball, the Yankees and Knicks.

Brunson told Hart that there are two teams in basketball within the five boroughs.

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Hart feigned ignorance.

“What?” Hart said jokingly. “The New Jersey Nets?”

He laughed and added: “I was going to say something crazy.”

Brunson chimed in: “Just stop.”

Karl-Anthony Towns attended Sunday night’s Yankees victory over the Mets in The Bronx, and received a huge ovation from the sellout crowd.

“It was special. Grew up a Yankees fan, die-hard Yankees fan, to be respected by New York that way, it means everything,” he said. “Respect is everything to me. It just makes you want to work harder.”

The only player listed on the injury report for either team was Pacers forward Isaiah Jackson, who has been out since November with a torn Achilles tendon.

The Knicks will host a watch party at Radio City Music Hall on Wednesday night for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Tickets are $10 each, with proceeds benefiting the Garden of Dreams Foundation.