Jalen Brunson Instead of Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander Would Help Thunder Top Spurs, Says Analyst

Jalen Brunson figured it out and broke through the Spurs' tough defensive schemes to help the New York Knicks win the NBA title.

Jalen Brunson Instead of Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander Would Help Thunder Top Spurs, Says Analyst

Jalen Brunson and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Image via FirstSportz)

Once Jalen Brunson climbed the mountaintop by leading the New York Knicks to the 2026 NBA championship, it was inevitable that comparisons with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander were going to follow.

The Oklahoma City Thunder superstar is a two-time league MVP and was close to returning to the NBA Finals, if not for Victor Wembanyama and his San Antonio Spurs.

Sure, the Knicks had the momentum and the support of their passionate fanbase. But so did the Thunder, and their experience was always going to give them an edge.

But what changed the narrative is when the Spurs essentially stopped the Canadian from thriving in the Western Conference Finals.

It was his worst stretch of games, and analysts pointed out that the Spurs’ bigger-bodied defenders and astute game plan helped them negate SGA’s usually lethal scoring. That is how they won the Western Conference title.

Now, for Jalen Brunson to defeat that same system was enough for some to crown him as a better player over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. But now, an analyst has an even wilder hypothetical involving the two.

If you take Shai off the Thunder and replace him with Jalen Brunson, the Thunder beat the Spurs. Same guys that defended Shai tried to defend Brunson.

Max Kellerman said on the Game Over Podcast

He pointed out that even though the Spurs managed to limit Brunson earlier in the NBA Finals, the Knicks guard figured it out and ended up turning the tables.

That is unlike when the Spurs clamped down on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the entire seven games of the Western Conference Finals.

RELATED
Jalen Brunson’s $113 Million Pay-Cut Winning NBA Title Makes it Tough for Other Supermax-Eligible Superstars

Jalen Brunson explains his non-reaction to Victor Wembanyama’s ‘blatant foul’

After the Spurs clamped down on Jalen Brunson in the first couple of games, he started to figure it out. Maybe the West champions saw that, and those frustrations probably led Victor Wembanyama to viciously shove the Knicks’ point guard in the middle of the game.

Victor Wembanyama and Jalen Brunson
Victor Wembanyama and Jalen Brunson (Image via Full Court Hoops/X)

At the time, the 29-year-old reacted by pointing fingers, but never did anything more. When he was on the sets of CBS Mornings, host Gayle King asked him about it, and his non-reaction that followed.

It was definitely a spur-of-the-moment thing. But I think, no matter what, you’ve got to understand the moment and what you’re doing and what’s your main goal and focus. I just knew that no matter what, I’ve always had that ability to stay even-keeled.

Jalen Brunson replied

The three-time All-Star made it clear that he knew what the end goal was. Therefore, it was important for him to stay in character, and that is to focus on the task at hand.

Many players have lost their cool and ended up being suspended. That has altered the course of games and series. Brunson did not want that to become the storyline and hence refused to give Wembanyama more attention than necessary.

RELATED
Dan Orlovsky Declaring Jalen Brunson as the Greatest Knicks Player of All-Time Over Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier Sparks Wild Reactions

Jalen Brunson explains why he hugged Spurs HC before his father after winning title

A while later, Gayle King picked up the topic of what Jalen Brunson felt in the immediate seconds once the final buzzer sounded for Game 5. When he first mentioned that he hugged Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson before his father, King, asked him to explain that decision.

I hugged and said what’s up to coach Johnson from the Spurs first, just to show respect… It was just kind of instinct, like how I was raised. I think, win or loss, you show respect regardless of the outcome. I’ve got a lot of respect for them over there.

Jalen Brunson replied

This was in stark contrast to how Wembanyama and the Spurs’ players reacted after losing the NBA Finals. To this day, the West champions are being criticized for not shaking the hands of Knicks players and walking away to the tunnel. It seems Brunson is different.

Also Read: