Jalen Brunson, an MVP who closed the Finals on par with Michael Jordan
Impressive Game 7 from the New York Knicks' point guard that elevates him to a historic level in the Finals
Jalen Brunson closed out the NBA Finals with a performance that will be forever engraved in the history of the New York Knicks. The New York guard scored 45 points in the fifth game of the series against the San Antonio Spurs, leading his team to the long-awaited championship, also establishing himself as the undisputed MVP of the Finals.
Prior to the decisive game, his status as the most valuable player of the series still sparked debate. Karl-Anthony Towns had been instrumental in the first two victories for New York in San Antonio, while OG Anunoby had shone with an outstanding performance in the historic comeback of the fourth game.
However, any doubts quickly vanished in Game 5. Towns and Anunoby were hampered by personal fouls and only managed to score 13 points combined, shooting a poor 4 for 18 from the field. The Knicks faced significant offensive struggles during a large part of the game: in the first 16 minutes, they scored only five baskets, suffered five blocks from Victor Wembanyama, and committed nine turnovers.
Amid that scenario, Brunson emerged to keep the Knicks alive. The leading scorer of all playoffs, averaging 28.4 points per game, saved his best performance for the most critical moment of the season.
The guard finished with 45 points after converting 14 of his 27 field goals and 13 of his 15 free throws. When the Spurs obtained a ten-point lead at the beginning of the final quarter, Brunson took full control of the game. He strung together ten consecutive points to tie the score, added three more shortly after, and concluded his exhibition with a four-meter jump shot that put New York ahead with 1:06 left on the clock.
His impact was extraordinary. Brunson scored 47.9% of all Knicks' points in the game, the second-highest percentage ever recorded in a game that concluded an NBA Finals. Only Michael Jordan, with 51.7% of the Chicago Bulls' points in the 1998 Finals, achieved a higher proportion.
Best scoring performances in NBA Finals clinching games
Michael Jordan (1998) – 45 points, 51.7% of his team's points.
Jalen Brunson (2026) – 45 points, 47.9%.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (2021) – 50 points, 47.6%.
Bob Pettit (1958) – 50 points, 45.5%.
Michael Jordan (1997) – 39 points, 43.3%.
Brunson displayed his full offensive repertoire on a night when neither of the two teams found flow in their attack. He punished from the perimeter, dominated the mid-range, created space with his ball-handling, and drew fouls on three-point shots. Additionally, he constantly challenged the rim protection of Wembanyama, finding paths to the basket from both the left and right sides.
His performance grew as the series progressed. Game after game, he appeared increasingly comfortable against one of the league's most intimidating defenses, something other stars had failed to do in these playoffs. Neither Deni Avdija, nor Anthony Edwards hampered by injuries, nor even the two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander found such effective answers against the Spurs.
Brunson's progression was also reflected in his Game Score, a metric that evaluates individual performance in a game. His score increased in each game of the Finals, culminating in a historic performance in the deciding matchup.
With this display, Brunson added the NBA championship to a resume that already included a state title in high school and two NCAA college championships. Now, he permanently etches his name into the Knicks' history.
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