Jalen Brunson leads Knicks to first championship in 53 years
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 14, 2026, 5:21 PM
Last updated Jun 14, 2026
Jalen Brunson closed out the 2026 NBA Finals on June 14 by scoring 45 points in a 94-90 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. This performance secured the Knicks their first NBA championship in 53 years. Brunson's record-setting game marked him as the first player since Michael Jordan in 1998 to score 45 or more points in a Finals-clinching game on the road. He also earned the Finals Most Valuable Player award with a unanimous vote. His scoring average of 32.6 in the Finals is the highest by a point guard in history, and he set franchise records for most 30-point games and most points in a Finals game.
- •Brunson scores 45 points in clinching Game 5 of the Finals.
- •Knicks win their first NBA title since 1973.
- •Brunson becomes Finals MVP with a unanimous vote.
- •He sets franchise records for points in a Finals game.
- •Brunson has highest scoring average for a point guard in Finals history.
- 7:22 PMYahoo Sports — Jalen Brunson enters Michael Jordan territory with insane fourth-quarter stat in Game 5
- 5:21 PMCBS NBA — Knicks' Jalen Brunson joins Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar among few to achieve remarkable career feat
"Brunson's accomplishments have him entering another echelon of legendary players after leading the Knicks to their first NBA championship in 53 years
"Jalen Brunson did not just lead the New York Knicks to a championship. He became the face of a title run that ended a 53-year wait.
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsJun 14, 2026, 7:22 PMJalen Brunson enters Michael Jordan territory with insane fourth-quarter stat in Game 5
Jalen Brunson did not just lead the New York Knicks to a championship. He became the face of a title run that ended a 53-year wait.
- CBS NBAJun 14, 2026, 5:21 PMKnicks' Jalen Brunson joins Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar among few to achieve remarkable career feat
Brunson's accomplishments have him entering another echelon of legendary players after leading the Knicks to their first NBA championship in 53 years
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