Jalen Brunson set the tone for the Knicks in their Game 1 win in the NBA Finals.
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SAN ANTONIO — The first installment of the MVP ladder might look different from the actual voting whenever the NBA Finals end. But there’s no surprise regarding which player owns pole position for the award.
It’s Jalen Brunson, followed by everyone else through one game. The Knicks guard made a bold opening statement with a strong finish to Game 1 and subsequently raised the bar for the field.
That said, much can change between now and the finish line. The championship isn’t awarded so soon and the Finals MVP isn’t crowned so quickly, either. Given the typical ebb and flow of a seven-game series, conversations can shift suddenly — almost from game to game — based on who steps forward and who regresses.
The Ladder is dominated by Knicks players, who own the top three spots. That’s an encouraging sign for a team that plays with a good flow, with players who understand their roles. After Game 2, will this ladder look the same? If so, the Knicks will go home for Games 3 and 4 feeling very frisky about their chances. They already managed the goal of getting one in San Antonio.
The Spurs have some catching up to do in the series … and on the Finals MVP Ladder.
The stat to know: With 15 rebounds, six assists and four steals — all game-highs for the Knicks — Josh Hart (No. 3 on the ladder) became the first player since Larry Bird to post those numbers in an NBA Finals game.
What they’re saying: “Jalen was the MVP in the second half. He was huge for us. He did what MVP candidates are supposed to do. He carried us home. We put the ball in his hands and he got it done for us down the stretch.” — Knicks coach Mike Brown on Brunson.
1. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
NBA Finals stats: 30 ppg, 3 rpg, 2 apg
His case: At this stage of the NBA season, where only one thing counts — winning. Brunson is the main reason the Knicks are up a game and have snatched home-court advantage from the Spurs. He had a choppy and uneven performance, much like everyone else, when the Finals tipped off. Yet again, he won, and did so by applying all the necessary touches in the fourth-quarter stretch — toughness, determination, play-making and of course, buckets.
Brunson moved ahead of the Ladder field in the process, and now the standard has been set. Can anyone match his level and surge ahead in the coming games? That’s quite a bar to clear — not impossible, just challenging.
2. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
NBA Finals stats: 18 ppg, 12 rpg, 4 apg
His case: If Towns emerges as the best center in this series, that’s quite the accomplishment, given the competition. Yes, when it’s Victor Wembanyama, an MVP contender in the regular season and strong performer through much of the playoffs, the challenge for Towns is to outperform his counterpart, which would obviously give the Knicks a solid chance of winning the championship.
Towns is approaching this series very wisely, given his Game 1, by using his shooting skills to force Wemby to venture far from the paint, then his width to gain a physical advantage on Wemby when driving to the hoop. A double-double was a fine start by Towns.
3. Josh Hart, New York Knicks
NBA Finals stats: 3 ppg, 15 rpg, 6 apg
His case: He posted one of the strangest stat lines in NBA Finals history. In addition to the numbers above, Hart also had six assists in the opener. But then you study the player himself and can understand why Hart managed this. He’s not a typical player, more like a jack of all trades who does whatever’s necessary.
He might not shoot well or compile more rebounds the rest of this series than he had in Game 1. But this is certain: Hart will not be outworked. That Game 1 performance was all guts and effort.
4. Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs
NBA Finals stats: 16 ppg, 8 rpg, 1 spg
His case: Harper had a sizzling start to Game 1 and, through three quarters led all Spurs in scoring. He executed a reverse layup that was an instant highlight and explained his versatility and ability to reach the rim as good or better than anyone in this series.
Suppose a rookie wins Finals MVP? That’s a tall order for Harper, and for that to happen, the Spurs will need to increase his minutes. He’s a bench player in name only.
5. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
NBA Finals stats: 26 ppg, 12 rpg, 3 bpg
His case: Taken as a whole, his Game 1 wasn’t disappointing, or wouldn’t be if his name wasn’t Wembanyama. That’s the point. Wembanyama has set such a high standard for himself that anything less is reflected as a failure.
Yes, he’ll need to be more efficient offensively after shooting 6-for-21 and doing so awkwardly at times. It would help if his touches begin in the paint where he can take advantage of his height and reach, instead of the perimeter, where he’s forced to be more creative. Wembanyama is fully capable of a bounce-back performance; even the Knicks are aware of this.
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA since 1985. You can e-mail him at spowell@nba.com, find his archive here and follow him on X.
