Sports
Column: Jalen Brunson imposed his will, Knicks rewarded with NBA crown
Jun 13, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) walks off the court after the Knicks defeat the San Antonio Spurs during game five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images SAN ANTONIO — Jalen Brunson fully understands what leading the New York Knicks to the NBA championship means for him, for his team and for the city of New York.
He’s heard it from Walt Frazier, who was a part of NBA champions in 1970 and ’73. He’s talked about it with Bernard King and Patrick Ewing, stars who got the Knicks close in the 1980s and ’90s, and he’s lived it though his father, Rick Brunson, a former player and now an assistant coach for the team.
Jalen Brunson knew what it would take to carry the Knicks to their first title in 53 years, the price he would have to pay to get his team to the Finals for the first time in 27 years, and what he would have to do to get the Knicks over the finish line against San Antonio and its superstar forward Victor Wembanyama, one of the league’s faces of the future.
Now it’s time to reap those rewards and put to rest one of the most dubious title droughts in pro sports history.
Brunson poured in 45 points, 29 in the second half, to lead New York to a come-from-behind 94-90 win over the Spurs in Game 5 of the Finals on Saturday night, clinching the best-of-seven series 4-1. Three of the Knicks’ wins came on the road with each of them coming down to the final minutes and requiring comebacks from New York.
Brunso, the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, was the ticker that never flickered.
The 45 points tallied by Brunson set a Knicks record for a Finals game, supplanting the 38 scored by the legendary Willis Reed in 1970. Reed scored his in the third game of a series that went to seven and ended with the big center literally willing New York to the title over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Brunson’s effort in this series was just as arduous and will go down in Big Apple lore with Reed’s performance in that distant Knicks championship run. The undersized New York captain took a beating as the Spurs employed four different players to defend him and knock him around every time he touched the ball. His bruises had bruises and his lumps had bumps.
“I’m hurting right now, oh, I do hurt right now,” Brunson, 29, said after the win. “I’m feeling maybe a little bit worn down physically just because of the game and what (San Antonio was) trying to do. Mentally, I feel fresh. I feel like that’s where I thrive. I’m just happy we’re able to find ways to win the games.”
There was nothing more San Antonio could do. Brunson was just too good. He’s one of just 11 different players to score at least 45 points in an NBA Finals game, for a total of 15 games.
San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson had a matter-of-fact response when asked what his team could have done differently against the Knicks star.
“Make (Brunson) score less points,” Johnson explained. “He’s aggressive. He got to spots. We were undisciplined at times. He got going, then he got going later on. He’s a heck of a player. He deserves everything he’s got.”
On a night when the Knicks got next-to-nothing offensively from Karl-Anthony Towns (two points) and OK production from Game 4 hero OG Anunoby (11 points, eight rebounds), it was up to Brunson to make the plays that produced the victory and the championship. His 15 points in the final quarter were one more than the rest of his teammates combined (14).
“You know, people say (Brunson is) too small. People say he’s a 1B or a 2B or whatever,” New York coach Mike Brown said of the three-time All-Star, listed at 6-foot-2. “He is a freaking 1A. He is an MVP candidate. Brunson — he is him, man, when it comes to New York basketball. He is freaking him.”
Brunson averaged 32.6 points per game in the Finals, scoring 30 or more in four of the contests. As hard as it is to fathom, he got better as the series went on, racking up 32, 36 and then 45 in the last three slugfests.
“That’s who Captain is, man,” Towns said about Brunson. “Captain always finds a way to get back into court and produce as a testament to who he is. It’s just his story, (he’s) never given up, always has been the underdog, always been looked down upon.”
“Shout out to everybody told him he couldn’t do it.”
After the final buzzer on Saturday, Brunson — a white towel over his head — ran on the floor toward half court, but he was overcome with emotion, and stopped and crouched near the scorer’s table. At his side were teammates Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges, his running buddies and fellow former stars at Villanova, loving him up before literally lifting Brunson to a standing position.
He had carried the Knicks to the title — and now, fittingly, it was his teammates that helped him to his feet. The weight of the world was lifted off his shoulders. The hopes and dreams of the whole of New York City and its rabid and vocal fan base had finally been realized.
After the game, Brunson clutched the Larry O’Brien Trophy and offered a weary smile. There’s a trip to the Canyon of Heroes in lower Manhattan in his and the Knicks’ future, as the team will be feted in the time-honored Big Apple parade tradition at long last.
It will be a day cherished for a generation of New Yorkers, an “I-remember-where-I-was-when” moment, for fans young and old.
Someday there might even be a statue of Brunson outside Madison Square Garden. If so, let’s hope it’s as tough and as durable as the man is himself.
–Steve Habel, Field Level Media
Sports
Jalen Brunson's 45 points carry Knicks past Spurs for 1st NBA title since 1973
Jun 13, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives to the basket past San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) during game five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Pool Photo via Imagn Images SAN ANTONIO — Jalen Brunson set a franchise NBA Finals record with 45 points and nearly single-handedly ended the 53-year NBA title drought as the New York Knicks recorded a 94-90 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night.
Brunson scored 29 points in the second half of Game 5 as New York overcame a 15-point third-quarter deficit to win its first NBA championship since 1973. The Knicks won four of the five games in the best-of-seven series.
The Knicks also trailed by 16 points in the second quarter, one game after they rallied from 29 down to beat the Spurs in Game 4 on Wednesday in New York.
Brunson made four 3-pointers while posting his fourth outing of 30 or more points in the series en route to being selecting the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.
Brunson broke the team record of 38 points set by Hall of Famer Willis Reed in Game 3 of the 1970 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Mikal Bridges scored 14 points and Josh Hart registered 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Knicks. OG Anunoby had 11 points and Karl-Anthony Towns collected 10 rebounds before fouling out. Mitchell Robinson also grabbed 10 boards.
Dylan Harper scored 25 points and Victor Wembanyama added 19 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots for San Antonio. Julian Champagnie had 14 points and Devin Vassell added 12.
New York trailed by 10 with under eight minutes to play before Brunson took over with 10 straight points to tie the score at 83 with 4:48 left. Brunson shredded the San Antonio defense by driving for three layups during the spurt.
Vassell knocked down a 17-foot jumper to put San Antonio back ahead at 85-83 with 4:14 left. Brunson then was fouled shooting a 3-pointer 34 seconds later and made all three free throws to give the Knicks a one-point edge.
A short time later, Harper’s basket tied the score at 88 with 1:16 left. But Brunson once again navigated through the defense and made a floater with 1:05 left.
Hart and Anunoby each split two free throws as New York led by four with 21.6 seconds remaining.
Wembanyana missed a 3-pointer on San Antonio’s next possession, but Stephon Castle’s putback dunk brought the Spurs within 92-90 with 16.3 seconds left.
Bridges split two free throws with 8.8 seconds left to give New York a three-point lead before Harper missed two free throws with 8.5 seconds to go.
Anunoby split two free throws with 7.7 seconds left to close it out.
The Knicks made just 35.6% of their shots (31 of 87), including 12 of 37 from 3-point range.
San Antonio connected on 38.4% of its attempts (33 of 86) and also was 12 of 37 from behind the arc.
Vassell and Harper connected on back-to-back 3-pointers and Harper followed with three more points during a 9-0 run to give San Antonio a 68-53 lead with 3:11 left in the third quarter.
A short time later, Hart buried a 3-pointer and Brunson knocked down three free throws after being fouled shooting a trey to start a quarter-ending 10-2 burst. Robinson’s late tip-in brought the Knicks within 72-65 entering the fourth quarter.
Both teams were shaky offensively during a first half that concluded with San Antonio holding a 42-37 lead at the break. New York trailed 31-15 with 8:29 remaining in the half.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Astros rally with four homers to outlast Royals
Jun 13, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Houston Astros left fielder Brice Matthews (0) celebrates while running the bases against the Kansas City Royals after hitting a two run home run during the fifth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Christian Walker hit one of Houston’s four homers, reached on a fielder’s choice that allowed the tiebreaking run to score in the ninth and helped the visiting Astros to an 8-7 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.
Trailing 7-5, Houston’s Jose Altuve hit a two-run homer in the eighth before the game endured a 91-minute rain delay. In the ninth, the Astros had runners on first and third with one out when Alex Lange (0-4) got Walker to bounce into a potential 6-4-3 double play, but second baseman Nick Loftin’s throw was wide of first, allowing a run to score.
The Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. doubled, for his third hit, in the ninth, but was doubled off second on Isaac Collins’ liner to end the game.
Yordan Alvarez had three hits for Houston.
The Royals’ Noah Cameron did not allow a hit or walk through the first three innings, then yielded two-run homers to Walker and Brice Matthews, plus five other hits, over the next 1 1/3 before being pulled.
Houston starter Mike Burrows grinded before being lifted after allowing Salvador Perez’s single to open the sixth, and gave up seven hits, two walks and was charged with five runs — four earned.
Kansas City opened the scoring in the second on Michael Massey’s single to right field. In the third, Vinnie Pasquantino’s RBI single put Kansas City up 2-0. Witt, who reached on a soft single for his 800th career hit, then scored via a passed ball. Pasquantino later exited with a right hand/hamate injury.
In the Houston fourth, Alvarez recorded a one-out single and came home via Walker’s drive over the left-field fence. Kansas City got a run back in the bottom of that frame when Lane Thomas went deep into the left-field seats.
The Astros tied it in the fifth, when Jake Meyers reached on an infield single and Matthews homered. They took their first lead in the sixth when Meyers sent a pitch from John Schreiber into the left-center field seats.
However, Carter Jensen’s three-run double split the left-center field gap in the sixth to give Kansas City a 7-5 edge.
Bryan King (1-1) pitched a scoreless inning for the win with a strikeout.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Joey Volchko's dominant complete game leads Georgia past Texas
Jun 13, 2026; Omaha, NE, USA; Georgia Bulldogs starting pitcher Joey Volchko (37) celebrates after defeating the Texas Longhorns at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images Georgia used a four-run first inning and a dominant complete game from Joey Volchko to coast to a 7-1 defeat of Texas in the College World Series opener for both teams on Saturday night in Omaha, Neb.
The Bulldogs (52-12) held the Longhorns (45-14) to just four hits, winning the opening game in their first CWS appearance since 2008. The No. 3 overall seed, Georgia is the highest seed to make it to Omaha after No. 1 UCLA and No. 2 Georgia Tech lost in home regionals.
Georgia took a 2-0 lead three batters into the bottom of the first as Tre Phelps worked a leadoff walk and, one out later, Rylan Lujo hit his 14th homer of the season down the left field line. It was originally ruled a foul ball before Georgia challenged and the call was overturned.
The Bulldogs tacked on two more runs in the first on a pair of errors from Texas All-American catcher Carson Tinney.
That four-run advantage wound up being more than enough for Volchko (11-2), who allowed one unearned run over nine innings, striking out 15 and walking one.
Georgia tacked on three more unearned runs in the seventh off Texas ace Dylan Volantis (10-2), who allowed seven runs (two earned) on four hits over 6 1/3 innings, striking out nine and walking one.
Lujo and Kenny Ishikawa each had two hits, while Phelps scored two runs for Georgia, which will face Oklahoma in a winner’s bracket game Monday evening for a spot in the semifinals.
Adrian Rodriguez and Ethan Mendoza each had two hits to account for all of Texas’ production. The Longhorns face Alabama, which lost 9-0 to the Sooners earlier in the day, in an elimination game Monday on the all-Southeastern Conference side of the bracket.
–Field Level Media
Jalen Brunson's 45 points carry Knicks past Spurs for 1st NBA title since 1973
Astros rally with four homers to outlast Royals
