Jalen Brunson sits at No. 1 of our latest Emirates NBA Cup MVP ladder.
LAS VEGAS — There is only one more chance for someone to seize the moment, steer the discussion and debate in his favor and remove all doubt.
The player who rises highest in the moment come Tuesday in the Emirates NBA Cup Championship game will most likely get crowned twice.
Because, as the formula goes, he who helps win the title and does so smashingly will ultimately hold hardware in both hands. This honor will be decided by either a member of the New York Knicks or San Antonio Spurs, the last two teams standing in Cup play, teams that will bring more than enough candidates for consideration for MVP.
Here on the Cup MVP ladder, which covers all the Cup competition from Group Play to the knockout rounds to the Las Vegas contests, four of the top five remain alive. There’s nothing but respect for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the odd man out, who has won just about everything else, anyway, over the last year.
In this situation, the eventual Cup MVP winner will experience a defining moment. And maybe it leads to others down the road, perhaps later this season or next spring.
Anyway, that’s for another time. Right here and now, it’s about one game, one award for the triumphant team, and one for the player who makes a difference.
Setting the stage for the Cup Final: This is fresh territory for the Knicks and especially the Spurs; the vast majority of players on both teams lack experience in such definitive moments. Maybe the stage best fits the two biggest stars, Jalen Brunson of the Knicks and Victor Wembanyama of the Spurs..
The stat to know: Brunson’s accuracy in this tournament is superb, which means he’s getting to his spots. He has made at least half his shots in all but one Cup game, when he shot 12-for-25 against the Bulls.
What they are saying: “Can you be Sixth Man of the Year and MVP?” — Wembanyama, after coming off the bench in his first game back from a calf strain.
1. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
Last ranking: No. 2
Jalen Brunson erupted for a 40-piece to lead the Knicks past the Magic.
His case: Brunson is bringing his best when the Knicks need it most. For four straight games overall — and four straight in Cup play — Brunson has scored at least 30 points. The latest was a 40-piece which dismantled the Magic.
In his last two Cup games, Brunson blistered right from the start. In the first half against the Magic he had 25 points, and he had 20 in the first quarter against Toronto. He helped the Knicks punch their ticket to the knockout round with 37 against the Bucks. Brunson is showing savvy play, clutch ability and inspiring confidence in his team.
2. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
Last ranking: No. 5
Karl-Anthony Towns punished the rim with the Dunk of the Night from NBA Cup Semifinals action.
His case: Offense is usually his meal ticket; Towns is obviously one of the better shooting big men, if not the best. That said, in this tournament — and especially in the semis against the Orlando Magic — his defense took precedence. He triggered the Knicks in that respect (while still managing to score 29 points).
In the quarterfinals, he had 16 rebounds and a pair of blocks against the Raptors and 19-10 in Group Play against the Hornets. If Towns shows this level of balance Tuesday, he could increase the Knicks’ chances of winning the Cup and his of winning MVP.
3. De’Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs
Last ranking: No. 6
De'Aaron Fox posted a season-high 37 points in a win over the Trail Blazers in the Group Phase
His case: Fox is feeling frisky right now, an attitude born from solid play in the Cup tournament. He posted 37 points and eight assists against the Blazers, then 12 assists in a three-point win over the Nuggets, 20 points against the Lakers in the quarterfinals and dropped 22 on the Thunder.
He has been among the stabilizing forces for the Spurs while Victor Wembanyama missed 12 games with a calf strain. The prosperity shown by San Antonio during that time kept the team’s Cup hopes alive, and now, here they are, one win away.
4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Last ranking: No. 1
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 28 points in an NBA Cup win vs. Phoenix.
His case: He missed the 30-point mark by one point in the semifinal against the Spurs, which represented a blemish for him. In back-to-back Cup play against the Suns, first in the Group and then the quarterfinals, Shai scored a combined 65 points. For most players that would be a remarkable total.
Maybe the biggest change for Shai was playing the fourth quarter in the semifinals, which was necessary because of the tightness of the game against the Spurs. He did likewise in the first of two games against the Suns when he had 15 of his 37 in the fourth. In the next game, a 49-point shellacking of Phoenix, he took a seat. Even though he’s home now, Shai left an MVP-like impression on the Cup.
5. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Last ranking: Unranked
Victor Wembanyama scored 22 points in just 21 minutes in his return from a 12-game absence.
His case: Well, sure, he played only three Cup games. Still, those games are weighted in his favor because the Spurs won two of them while losing the other by one point, and he was a significant reason for the victories and, by extension, the Spurs’ place in the final.
Wemby had 22 points and eight rebounds in a win over the Rockets, then 26 points and 12 rebounds in a narrow loss to the Warriors in Group Play. His return to action last night saw his post 22 points and nine rebounds (in only 21 minutes) in the semifinal win against the Thunder after returning from his calf strain. The Spurs, despite playing well in his absence, most likely don’t make it to Tuesday’s game without his Cup contributions.
The next 5:
6. Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
7. Desmond Bane, Orlando Magic
8. Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers
9. Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
10. OG Anunoby, New York Knicks
And five more (listed alphabetically): Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns; Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder; Brandon Ingram, Toronto Raptors; Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma City Thunder; Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers.
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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.
