NBA Game Notes (June 13, 2026)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on June 13, 2026.
Three Stars
Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games, with the “first star” considered the top performer.
First ⭐️
Jalen Brunson scored a game-high 45 points as the New York Knicks rallied to beat the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to claim their first title since 1973. Brunson shot 14-27 from the field (4-7 on threes) and 13-15 from the free throw line. He also contributed three rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 41 minutes played.
Second ⭐️
Dylan Harper came off the bench to score a team-high 25 points, but it wasn’t enough in the Spurs’ series-ending loss to the Knicks. Harper made 10 of his 19 attempts from the floor, including two 3-pointers. He added five rebounds, four assists, and one block in 31 turnover-free minutes.
Third ⭐️
Josh Hart recorded a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing a team-high 11 rebounds in the Knicks’ comeback win. Hart shot just 4-11 from the field, but sank three of his six 3-point attempts. He posted a team-high rating of plus-15 points in 39 minutes of action.
Milestones
Brunson won the Bill Russell Trophy as the NBA Finals MVP. He averaged 32.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 4.6 APG, and 2.0 SPG in five games, shooting 42.1% from the field, 38.9% from 3-point range, and 86.0% from the free throw line.
Brunson is just the fourth player in NBA history to score at least 45 points in a Finals-clinching win, joining Bob Pettit (50, 1958), Michael Jordan (45, 1998), and Giannis Antetokounmpo (50, 2021). He and Jordan are the only players to accomplish the feat on the road.
Brunson recorded his 10th career 40-point playoff game, becoming the 12th player in NBA postseason history to reach that mark. At 6 feet 2 inches tall, he’s the second-shortest player to attain that milestone, trailing only the 6-foot Allen Iverson.
At 20 years and 103 days old, Harper became the youngest player in NBA history to score at least 25 points in a Finals game. Magic Johnson set the previous mark of 20 years and 271 days in Game 4 of the 1980 Finals.
The New York Knicks won their first title in 53 years, the longest gap between championships in NBA history. The previous mark of 50 years was held by the Milwaukee Bucks (1971 to 2021).
The Knicks outscored their opponents by 283 points in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, by far the largest such figure in a single postseason in league history. The previous mark of 230 points was set by the 2017 Golden State Warriors.
The last four games of the 2026 NBA Finals were decided by four or fewer points. Only one other Finals has featured four such games in a row: the 1956 series in which the Philadelphia Warriors defeated the Fort Wayne Pistons four games to one.
Streaking
Brunson has scored at least 15 points in each of his last 61 playoff games, tying Jerry West (March 24, 1961 to April 28, 1966) and LeBron James (June 9, 2011 to May 26, 2014) for the eighth-longest such streak in NBA postseason history.
The Knicks won their ninth consecutive road playoff game, breaking a tie with the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers for the longest such streak in a single postseason in NBA history.
Miscellany
Brunson was the night’s leading scorer, dropping 45 points. He was followed by Harper (25 points), the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama (19), the Knicks’ Mikal Bridges (14), and the Spurs’ Julien Champagnie (14).
Wembanyama was the top board man last night, collecting 14 rebounds. Also securing double-digit boards were a trio of Knicks: Hart (11 rebounds), Mitchell Robinson (10), and Karl-Anthony Towns (10).
The Spurs’ De’Aaron Fox took home nightly honors in assists, handing out five helpers. Next in line were Bridges, the Spurs’ Stephon Castle, and Harper with four dimes apiece.
Brunson accounted for 47.9% of the Knicks’ points, the fifth-highest such figure in a Finals game in NBA history. The only player to score a higher percentage of his team’s points in a closeout win is Michael Jordan (51.7%, 1998).
The Knicks’ Mike Brown won his first NBA title in his 12th season as a head coach. The only coach to wait longer for his first championship is Larry Brown, who accomplished the feat in his 21st NBA season.
I think that in general the "Streaking" section should also include the end of notable streaks, in this case the Knicks' 27 straight playoff games in triple digits.
Not that they would care all that much of snapping that one :-)