Brunson seals Finals MVP with 45-point showcase

SAN ANTONIO -- Thanks to a performance for the ages, Jalen Brunson not only led the New York Knicks to their first NBA championship in more than a half-century, he also earned himself Finals MVP honors. Brunson was the unanimous choice among 11 voters after he capped his brilliant series by scoring 45 of the Knicks' 94 points in their title-clinching victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 on Saturday night. "We're going to find a way," Brunson told ESPN's Lisa Salters shortly after the buzzer sounded. "Whatever you put in front of us, we're going to find a way. ... Every time we step on this court. Every time." Brunson carried the Knicks on his back and across the finish line with a game that will go down in history. He became one of four players -- along with Michael Jordan, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bob Pettit -- to score at least 45 points in a closeout game to win an NBA Finals in the 80-year history of the sport. That was more than enough for Brunson to erase any doubts about who would be winning the top individual honor from this series. "It's everything we ever dreamed of," Brunson said, while standing next to his father after accepting the Bill Russell Trophy. "It's why I came to New York." Brunson, who struggled with his shooting efficiency earlier in the series, shot 14-for-27 in Game 5, including going 4-for-7 from 3-point range and 13-for-15 from the foul line. Fifteen of his points came in the fourth quarter, helping the Knicks overcome a seven-point deficit to pull away and end the franchise's 53-year championship drought. Saturday's title victory caps a remarkable four years since Brunson signed with the Knicks as a free agent in 2022. At the time, when he signed a four-year, $104 million contract after leaving the Dallas Mavericks as a free agent, many felt the Knicks overpaid. Instead, it has turned into one of the best free agent signings in NBA history. Brunson has helped transform a franchise that had won a single playoff series in 21 seasons before his arrival to one that has won at least one series in each of the past four seasons, including a run to the Eastern Conference finals last season and, now, New York's first championship since 1973.