Jalen Brunson Just Erased All Doubt in Shaquille O'Neal's Mind After Game 1
Shaquille O'Neal had questions about Jalen Brunson heading into the NBA Finals. The New York Knicks superstar answered every single one.
The three-time All-Star led the Knicks to a 105-95 Game 1 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday at Frost Bank Center. He finished with 30 points on 12-of-31 shooting, three rebounds and two assists in 37 minutes.
After the game, O'Neal made sure to give the former Villanova star his flowers. The Hall of Famer said the performance should erase all doubt about Brunson's standing among the league's best players.
"Brunson had his moment in the third quarter where he took over," O'Neal said on an "Inside the NBA" post-game segment. "I admit, before the game, you know, Game 1 is always a feel-out game. I was anxious to see how he was going to do against those tough forward defenders."
O'Neal praised Brunson for embracing the Finals stage rather than shrinking under its weight.
"He just showed me he's ready for the lights. He's ready for the big lights," stated the NBA legend.
"[Jalen Brunson] just showed me ... that he's ready for the lights."@SHAQ reacts to the Knicks' 105-95 Game 1 win vs. the Spurs pic.twitter.com/sndYsL4Ho6
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 4, 2026
Brunson absorbed plenty of skepticism early in his career. Some pundits questioned whether smaller guards could thrive in today's modern NBA.
Game 1 went a long way toward quieting those voices. With the green light from coach Mike Brown all night, Brunson launched 31 shot attempts. That is the most in a Finals debut since Allen Iverson put up 41 in Game 1 of the 2001 Finals.
New York trailed by as many as 14 in the third quarter. The defense stiffened, and the Knicks entered the fourth quarter tied. Brunson took over from there. He poured in 13 points in the final 12 minutes and delivered when New York needed it most.
With the Spurs ahead 95-94 and 2:16 remaining, Brunson buried a corner 3-pointer to put the Knicks in front for good. A pull-up jumper moments later pushed the lead to 101-95 with 37.8 seconds left.
The Eastern Conference finals MVP keeps elevating as the stakes rise. New York sits three wins away from its first title since 1973. O'Neal has seen enough to know Brunson belongs on the biggest stage.
Related: Jalen Brunson Mentions Luka Doncic Before Knicks' NBA Finals
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This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 3:01 AM.