Knicks head coach heaps praise on his star guard following game-winning shot.
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown had nothing but admiration for his star point guard Jalen Brunson after Thursday night's thrilling 114-113 comeback victory over the Indiana Pacers, and his words made it clear where he stands in the MVP conversation.
"Our MVP. The League's MVP. Jalen Brunson," Brown said after the game. "As Jalen's walking out on the floor, he turns to me and says: 'I'm getting this win.' He went out and came through. That's what real MVPs do, and I'm glad I'm a part of his team."
Brunson Delivers
Brunson backed up that promise in a big way, finishing with 25 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists while also adding three blocks to his stat line.
The highlight came with just 4.4 seconds left in the game when Brunson drained a step-back three-pointer over Andrew Nembhard to give the Knicks the lead for good and cap off a comeback from a 16-point deficit.
This kind of clutch performance is nothing new for Brunson, who won the NBA's Clutch Player of the Year award last season and was just named the NBA Cup MVP after leading New York to the championship over San Antonio earlier this week.
The win over Indiana extended the Knicks' winning streak to seven games and improved their record to 19-7 on the season, putting them among the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
The Case for Brunson as MVP
Brunson's numbers this season make Brown's bold statement hard to argue against. He is averaging 28.7 points, 6.4 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting efficiently from the field.
Over his last six regular season games, Brunson has scored at least 25 points in each one and has averaged 31.5 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.2 three-pointers during that stretch.
What makes Brunson's case even stronger is what he has done with key teammates missing time.
Against the Pacers, the Knicks were without Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, and Mitchell Robinson due to injuries, and yet Brunson found a way to will his team to victory anyway.
The Knicks have quietly become one of the most complete teams in the Eastern Conference this season, and their record reflects the depth and resilience that Mike Brown has built since taking over as head coach.
That is the kind of impact that defines true MVP candidates, and it is exactly what Brown was talking about when he called Brunson the league's best.
With the Knicks sitting at 19-7 and riding a seven-game winning streak, Brunson's MVP push is only getting stronger as the season goes on.