New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson was named NBA Finals MVP following Saturday's title-clinching victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
Brunson scored 45 points on 14-of-27 shooting in Game 5 as the Knicks claimed their first championship since 1973. It was the most points scored by a Knicks player in a Finals game.
He's also the fourth player in NBA history to score 45 or more points in a title-clinching victory.
En route to Finals MVP, Jalen Brunson is the 4th player all-time to score 45 in a Finals-clinching win, joining:
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) June 14, 2026
Bob Pettit vs Celtics (1958 Game 6) - 50 Pts
Giannis Anteokounmpo vs Suns (2021 Game 6) - 50 Pts
Michael Jordan vs Jazz (1998 Game 6) - 45 Pts pic.twitter.com/i2VbwfhqjU
The 29-year-old averaged 32.6 points, 4.2 points, and 4.6 assists on 42.1% shooting in the five-game series.
Brunson joined the Knicks in July 2022 on a four-year, $104-million deal. He is currently under contract with New York until the end of the 2028-29 season. He's earned three All-Star nods and three All-NBA third-team selections in the past four campaigns.
Brunson is the second Knicks player to win Finals MVP after Willis Reed did so in 1970 and 1973.
