Jalen Brunson Avoids Repeat of NBA Cup Embarrassment With Josh Hart After Sweeping Cavs

Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart shared a funny moment after their trophy presentation.

Jalen Brunson Avoids Repeat of NBA Cup Embarrassment With Josh Hart After Sweeping Cavs

Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart (Image credits - Firstsportz)

In Short
  • Jalen Brunson was named Eastern Conference Finals MVP after leading the Knicks to their first NBA Finals in 27 years.
  • The Knicks achieved a dominant 130-93 victory over the Cavaliers, completing a series sweep.
  • Despite their success, sports analyst Skip Bayless warns the Knicks may struggle against the Spurs or Thunder in the Finals.

Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart have played an instrumental role in leading the New York Knicks to their first NBA Finals in 27 years. Brunson was named the Eastern Conference Finals MVP for his performances against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

It was a dominant performance from the Knicks in Game 4 from start to finish. Despite it being a must-win game for the Cavs, the Knicks ran away with a 19-point lead by halftime. In the end, the Knicks blew the Cavs away with a 130-93 victory at the Rocket Arena on Monday night.

During the trophy presentation, a hilarious moment took place between Brunson and Hart. Earlier this season, the two helped the Knicks win the 2025 NBA Cup. Hart playfully trolled his teammate at the trophy presentation after winning the final.

It looks like Brunson had some flashbacks from that moment on Monday night. When Brunson was called to the center of the stage, he immediately ordered Hart to get out of the frame. Hart wore a smile, jokingly raised both hands in mock surrender, and walked away without complaint.

Jalen Brunson has been the star for the Knicks throughout the playoffs this year. The Knicks’ point guard was the game-changer in Game 1 against the Cavs as the Knicks pulled off a 22-point comeback in the fourth quarter.

The mammoth comeback in Game 1 may have been the Cavs’ demise, as they never seemed to recover from the loss. Meanwhile, Josh Hart grabbed the headlines after his performance in Game 2. He received a standing ovation from his home fans after scoring his playoff career-high 26 points.

Both Brunson and Hart are close friends and were even teammates during their college days. Hart joined the Knicks in 2023, a year after Brunson. They made it to the Eastern Conference Finals last year and are now just four wins away from a historic NBA championship.

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Mike Brown compares Jalen Brunson to two all-time greats in terms of leadership

After coming up short against the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals last year, many believed that the Knicks needed to move on from Jalen Brunson if they were looking to win a championship. Being a small guard, critics felt that he was a big liability in defense, and he would struggle in the latter rounds of the playoffs.

However, that has far from been the case this year. The 29-year-old has undoubtedly been the best player in the Eastern Conference in these playoffs.

Mike Brown and Jalen Brunson
Mike Brown and Jalen Brunson (Image credits – Fadeaway World)

Knicks head coach Mike Brown was asked if he had encountered a leader like Brunson before.

Tim Duncan and Steph Curry. They are not the same player. But the aura that those guys have, quiet strength they have is unbelievable. They got it on the floor and off the floor. It is the whole package.

Mike Brown in his post match press conference

Brunson has proven his critics wrong. He was named as the Eastern Conference Finals MVP after averaging 25.5 points and 7.8 assists in four games.

Skip Bayless believes the Knicks are in for a rude awakening

The Knicks are in the best possible form heading into the NBA Finals. It feels like an eternity ago when they were 2-1 down in the first round against the Atlanta Hawks. Since then, they beat the Hawks in the next three games, clean-swept the Philadelphia 76ers, and then clean-swept the Cavs as well. They are currently on an 11-match winning streak in the playoffs.

Sports columnist Skip Bayless does not see the Knicks lifting the championship this year.

Knicks are BY FAR the best team in the East on offense and defense. But they’re in for a rude awakening vs the Spurs/Thunder defense after having to wait for a week or so.

Skip Bayless on X

The Knicks await the winner of the Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs. The series is currently tied at 2-2. The two Western Conference sides are seen as the heavy favorites to win it all this year.

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