Little Happier: Are You a Clutch Player or a Fast Starter?

0:09From my embrace of basketball, I've learned the term clutch.

0:14In basketball, clutch means performing well in the times of highest pressure, usually at the end of a close game.

0:20Players are judged about whether they are good during clutch time, which means the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or in overtime when the score is within five points.

0:30Clutch players are those who perform well when the pressure is on and the game is on the line.

0:36I love this term and have started throwing it around constantly.

0:40But it seemed to me that we should also have a similar vocabulary and focus to shine a spotlight on the players and teams who start well, who bring the hustle right at the beginning.

0:51While the Knicks are known for being good at the clutch, and of course they just won the 2026 NBA championships during the playoffs, they didn't start strong in all four of their winning playoff games.