In the bright lights of Las Vegas, where the NBA Cup semifinals turned T-Mobile Arena into a mid-season battleground, Jalen Brunson reminded everyone why he’s one of the league’s most unstoppable forces. The New York Knicks punched their ticket to the NBA Cup final with a commanding 132-120 victory over a gritty but shorthanded Orlando Magic squad, missing star forward Franz Wagner.

Brunson, unleashing a season-high 40 points on hyper-efficient shooting, carved up one of the league’s stingiest defenses like it was playground ball, adding eight assists for good measure. It was his fourth straight 30-point explosion, a scorching streak that’s propelled the Knicks into contention for something bigger than just in-season hardware.This year’s MVP race is a crowded thriller, packed with megastars dropping jaw-dropping numbers night after night. Yet amid all the noise, one name keeps flying suspiciously under the radar.

“I don’t ever hear Jalen’s name,” Knicks head coach Mike Brown said postgame, his frustration palpable as he championed his point guard. “His name has gotta be one of the first names coming out of some of these mouths.”

Brown’s right—and Brunson’s latest masterclass only amplifies the case. As the Knicks chase their first trophy of any kind in years.

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.

Furthermore, Luka Doncic is leading the league in scoring with 35 points per game, while also averaging nine rebounds and assists. Meanwhile, Cade Cunningham has led the Detroit Pistons to the best record in the Eastern Conference.

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.

He earned one first-place vote, which accounted for all 10 of his total points in the MVP standings, placing him ninth overall. This vote came from a fan ballot rather than a media voter, as confirmed by league sources.

Rose, then with the New York Knicks, came off the bench effectively after a midseason trade from Detroit, averaging solid numbers that fueled his Sixth Man of the Year candidacy (third place). Nikola Jokic won MVP overwhelmingly, but Rose’s outlier vote drew attention amid the Knicks’ playoff return.

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 in the late third quarter. 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 November 24th to advance to the Cup Finals, where they will face the winner of the Thunder-San Antonio Spurs matchup.