By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The New York Knicks captured the NBA championship for the third time in team history and first in 53 years. Following a thrilling series victory over the San Antonio Spurs and their French phenom Victor Wembanyama, Jalen Brunson was awarded the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award, clinching the franchise’s first league title since 1973.
The 29-year-old point guard delivered a masterpiece in Saturday’s Game 5, erupting for 45 points to close his historic postseason run. Standing next to his father on the stage with tears in his eyes, he expressed the magnitude of the moment. “It’s everything we dreamed of. It’s why I came to New York,” Brunson said.
He was briefly speechless when asked what it meant to share the triumph with his father, Rick, a former league point guard who now serves as an assistant coach for the franchise. “Whatever you put in front of us, we’re going to find a way,” he added. “Every time. Every time.”
Throughout the best-of-seven championship series of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google, the superstar guard averaged 32.6 points, 4.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game en route to the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.
This milestone holds unique historical weight, as Rick and Jalen Brunson became the first father-son duo to reach and win the ultimate series with the same franchise.
Before securing this championship and MVP nod, the former second-round draft pick had already transformed his career, earning accolades as a three-time NBA All-Star, a three-time All-NBA selection, and the NBA Cup MVP. His pedigree also includes a legendary collegiate tenure as a two-time NCAA national champion at Villanova.
NBA Playoffs 2026
Eastern Conference
Quarterfinals (best-of-seven)
Detroit Pistons – Orlando Magic 4-3 (101-112, 98-83, 105-113, 88-94, 116-109, 93-79, 116-94)
Cleveland Cavaliers – Toronto Raptors 4-3 (126-113, 115-105, 104-126, 89-93, 125-120, 110-112, 114-102)
New York Knicks – Atlanta Hawks 4-2 (113-102, 106-107, 108-109, 114-98, 126-97, 140-89)
Boston Celtics – Philadelphia 76ers 3-4 (123-91, 97-111, 108-100, 128-96, 97-113, 93-106, 100-109)
Semifinals (best-of-seven)
Detroit Pistons – Cleveland Cavaliers 3-4 (111-101, 107-97, 109-116, 103-112, 113-117, 115-94, 94-125)
New York Knicks – Philadelphia 76ers 4-0 (137-98, 108-102, 108-94, 144-114)
Finals (best-of-seven)
New York Knicks – Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 (115-104, 109-93, 121-108, 130-93)
Western Conference
Quarterfinals (best-of-seven)
Oklahoma City Thunder – Phoenix Suns 4-0 (119-84, 120-107, 121-109, 131-122)
Los Angeles Lakers – Houston Rockets 4-2 (107-98, 101-94, 112-108, 96-115, 93-99, 98-78)
Denver Nuggets – Minnesota Timberwolves 2-4 (126-115, 114-119, 96-113, 96-112, 125-113, 98-110)
San Antonio Spurs – Portland Trail Blazers 4-1 (111-98, 103-106, 120-108, 114-93, 114-95)
Semifinals (best-of-seven)
Oklahoma City Thunder – Los Angeles Lakers 4-0 (108-90, 125-107, 131-108, 115-110)
San Antonio Spurs – Minnesota Timberwolves 4-2 (102-104, 133-95, 115-108, 109-114, 126-97, 139-109)
Finals (best-of-seven)
Oklahoma City Thunder – San Antonio Spurs 3-4 (115-122, 122-113, 123-108, 82-103, 127-114, 91-118, 103-111)
NBA Finals 2026 (best-of-seven)
San Antonio Spurs – New York Knicks 1-4 (95-105, 104-105, 115-111, 106-107, 90-94)
Make