Brunson’s Record 45 Points Clinches NBA Finals MVP and Knicks’ First Title in 50 Years

Tim Bontemps Jun 14, 2026, 12:00 AM ET Close Tim Bontemps is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com who covers the league and what's impacting it on and off the court, including trade deadline intel, expansion and his MVP Straw Polls. You can find Tim alongside Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon on The Hoop Collective podcast. Follow on X

_Originally reported by [ESPN](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/49056933/knicks-brunson-seals-finals-mvp-honors-45-points-game-5)._