Tonight, the New York Knicks prevailed over the Orlando Magic in the NBA Cup semifinals, going up 132-120 behind Jalen Brunson, who dropped a monstrous 40-point performance on the Franz Wagner-less Magic. This season, with the MVP race having as many relevant names as ever, it seems Brunson is upping his own buzz.

“I don’t ever hear Jalen [Brunson’s] name,” Knicks head coach Mike Brown said about the MVP race after the game. “His name has gotta be one of the first names coming out of some of these mouths.”

It’s not the first time the coach has vouched for his star player. Brown, after a game against the Bucks earlier this season, claimed there’s “not enough chatter” about Brunson’s MVP case.

The two-time All-Star has recorded great number this year, including 28.3 points and 6.3 assists on solid efficiency as he takes on a more off-ball role under Brown’s new offensive system following Tom Thibodeau’s exit this offseason. He’s also ranked third amongst all players in net rating at 9.2, behind just Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the last two MVP favorites.

Unfortunately for him, the other contenders for the MVP award all have unreal production. Jokic is bordering on averaging a 30-point triple double, SGA is leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to one of the best starts in NBA history at 24-1, Luka Doncic is leading the league in scoring at 35 points per game while also averaging nine rebounds and assists, and Cade Cunningham has led the Detroit Pistons to the Eastern Conference’s best record.

Just last year, Brunson led the Knicks to the first Eastern Conference Finals since 2000, and if he earns first place MVP votes this year, he’ll become the first Knicks player to do so since Derrick Rose in 2021.

Jalen Brunson’s 40-Point Statement Pushes Knicks to NBA Cup Finals

Jalen Brunson wasted no time in setting the tone tonight. He poured in 25 of his season-high 40 points in the first half as the Knicks dictated pace from the opening minutes. Despite the teams trading blows, the Orlando Magic had no answers for his shot creation and New York capitalized behind support from Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges.

The game swung decisively late in the third. The Knicks ripped off an 8-0 run after being tied at 92, and held the Magic scoreless for more than four minutes in a stretch between the third and fourth quarters. The Knicks shot 60.7% from the floor and forced Orlando into rushed possessions, despite Jalen Suggs matching Brunson’s 25 in the first half.

Brunson closed the game like a franchise centerpiece. His step-back at 2:47 in the fourth pushed him to 40 points and stretched the Knicks’ lead to double digits, sealing the win. With this win, the team has logged five straight, improving to 9-1 since 24th November to advance to the Cup Finals to face whoever wins between the Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs.

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