The San Antonio Spurs had taken a 1-point lead, with just more than two minutes to play in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Finals last night, when something remarkable happened. Two words: Jalen Brunson.
Subscribe to read this story ad-free
Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.
The Knicks point guard hit a corner 3-pointer to give them the lead, and then moments later, he hit a falling-down jump shot to ice the game. That’s why they call him Captain Clutch.
We break down Brunson’s heroics below, and Mexico’s teenage sensation Gilberto Mora is today’s World Cup spotlight. For more NBA and World Cup coverage, check out the NBC News website.
NBA Finals
One of the most common refrains used to describe the NBA playoffs is that the game slows down.
Not necessarily that the basketball becomes easier, but each minute is so tense, both teams are so focused and each possession is so tight that the winner is often decided by which team — or player — can execute when the game grinds to a halt.
In Game 1 of the NBA Finals yesterday, Brunson was that player, scoring 13 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Knicks to a 105-95 victory over the San Antonio Spurs and a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs, meanwhile, scored only 19 points over the final period and looked discombobulated.
Since the start of the 2023 postseason, no other player has made or attempted more clutch field goals than Brunson. (Clutch is defined as a game within 5 points with under five minutes to go.)
And only 14.8% of Brunson’s clutch makes have been assisted, the lowest percentage of any player with at least 100 clutch attempts. That means not only that Brunson is unafraid to take and make the biggest shots — but that he often does so by creating entirely for himself.
“In the biggest moments, he shows up, and that’s what MVPs are supposed to do,” New York head coach Mike Brown said. “We put the ball in his hands and said we are going to live and die with him. And he got it done for us, and that’s happened time after time after time. He got to his spots, and he made plays.”
World Cup Countdown
Leading up to the 2026 World Cup, we’re counting down 26 players to watch. Today’s entry is Mexico’s Gilberto Mora.
At the 1958 World Cup, a 17-year-old played his way onto the field for Brazil and spurred them to win the whole tournament, almost single-handedly. He scored in a 1-0 quarterfinal win over Wales, a hat trick in a semifinal win over France, and two more goals in the final against Sweden, the host country. His talent was undeniable. His name was Pelé.
Over the course of Pelé’s career, Brazil won two more World Cups, in 1962 and 1970, cementing his status as the greatest of all time. The lesson there was: If a player is talented enough, age is no issue, and the talent might reveal itself at a precocious age.
Mexico is hoping to receive a similar spark this summer from its own 17-year-old phenom, the midfielder Gilberto Mora.
As a young boy, Mora began training with Tijuana, a club team in Liga MX. When he was just 15 years old, he made his senior circuit debut and became the youngest goal-scorer in Liga MX history. At 16, he helped Mexico win the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup and became the youngest player to claim an international trophy. He beat out Pelé for that milestone.
Mora is listed at only 5-foot-6, 137 pounds. But he’s proven to be a skilled attacking midfielder, capable of outgunning players twice his age.
“I want to win trophies with Xolos,” Mora told ESPN last year, referring to his club team, “and obviously with the national team, the World Cup, and also go to Europe.”
His pursuit of those goals continues this summer, when Mora can become only the eighth 17-year-old to play in the World Cup, and the youngest ever for Mexico.
Yesterday’s entry was Croatia’s Luka Modrić. Read about him here.
What We’re Reading
Jozy Altidore, the former U.S. men’s national team striker, will be working for Telemundo during the World Cup. And he’s bullish on his former team’s chances.
In a last-minute reversal, FIFA has banned fans from taking water bottles into World Cup stadiums.
Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson announced his retirement yesterday. He will now go into broadcasting.
What We’re Watching
The Stanley Cup Final continues with Game 2 tonight in Raleigh, North Carolina. Game 1 was a high-scoring affair, won 5-4 by the Vegas Golden Knights, that seemingly could’ve gone either way.
Can Carolina rebound and tie the series before it shifts to Las Vegas? When the Hurricanes lost Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, they responded by winning four straight games.
All times are Eastern:
- 7 p.m.: Atlanta Dream vs. Indiana Fever, on Amazon Prime
- 8 p.m.: Vegas Golden Knights vs. Carolina Hurricanes, on ABC
- 9 p.m.: Golden State Valkyries vs. Minnesota Lynx, on Amazon Prime
That’s it for now! We’ll be back tomorrow.
