Jaylen Brunson Leads the New York Knicks to their first NBA Finals since 1999
After sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals, the Knicks are headed to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.
NEW YORK — Their dominant performance has made the team look unbeatable. Although they lost two of their first three games to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, they have since put together one of the most successful playoff runs in NBA history. They won 11 consecutive postseason games, setting a new franchise record.
A major reason for New York’s success has been the play of star point guard Jalen Brunson. In the series against the Cavaliers, he was the best player from start to finish. His incredible 38-point performance in Game 1 helped New York overcome a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
When New York offered the then-Dallas Mavericks guard a four-year, $104 million contract in 2022, there was widespread skepticism in the league. He then averaged 24 points per game in his debut season, earned three consecutive All-Star selections, and led the Knicks to the Eastern Conference finals last season, proving the skeptics wrong!
His dominant performance against Cleveland, where he averaged 25.5 points and 7.8 assists per game, earned him the Eastern Conference Finals MVP honors and the Larry Bird Trophy.
“It means a lot, but I wouldn't be here without my team-mates, the belief they had in me," said Brunson during a post-game interview.”
“They give me the confidence. They let me be me. Most importantly, we all believe in each other from top to bottom. It's an honour to play with them.”
““He just puts in the work. He’s a testament of that,” Knicks center Karl Anthony Towns said.”
““He believes in that, and he showcases that every single day to all of us and it drives us to be better.””
As they prepare for the NBA Finals, the Knicks believe that they have what it takes to bring a championship back to New York after 53 years.
“We've got four more wins to try and go get and we know it's going to be even harder. Being in this position with this team, it's pretty special," said Brunson.”