When the story of the 2026 NBA Finals is written, the tale will revolve around the David and Goliath matchup between supersized San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama and Jalen Brunson, the New York Knicks diminutive floor general.
While both players ultimately led their respective teams in scoring in Game 1, in the end, it was Brunson who secured his squad the victory, in no small part due to an impressive showing in the fourth quarter where he scored 13 of the Knicks' 29 points.
Asked after the game about Brunson's big showing in San Antonio, Wemby gave credit to his fellow All-Star, noting he's an elite player, even if he was ultimately more concerned with keeping his eye on the prize.
“He's an elite player, and we got the chance that we're going to have many more chances,” Wembanyama said. “It's a first-to-four series, so we're going to have time to work on it.”
Article Continues Below
Despite a series of near-injuries that had New York fans big worried about their point guard's durability, Brunson was able to keep fighting even as his legs took a beating, keeping the Knicks steady in the pursuit of stealing one on the road in San Antonio. With one more game left to play at Frost Bank Center before the series transitions to MSG for Game 3, Wembanyama and the Spurs will have to figure out a way to slow down Brunson in Game 2, otherwise, they might just find themselves in a hole that's incredibly tricky to fight their way out of in front of a fanbase that is chomping at the bit for a parade.
Victor Wembanyama responds to Jalen Brunson scoring 30 points tonight:
"He's an elite player… it's a first to four series so we're going to have time to work on it" pic.twitter.com/TjjPZgITOI
— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) June 4, 2026
When the story of the 2026 NBA Finals is written, the tale will revolve around the David and Goliath matchup between supersized San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama and Jalen Brunson, the New York Knicks diminutive floor general.