Brown applauds Brunson's heroics: 'That's what MVPs are supposed to do'

New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown gave Jalen Brunson his flowers following another clutch performance from the All-Star guard in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

"He's a gamer, man. In the biggest moments, he shows up, and that's what MVPs are supposed to do," Brown told reporters after the Knicks' 105-95 win Wednesday over the San Antonio Spurs, per SNY. "We put the ball in his hands. We said we were going to live and die with him, and he went, and he got it done for us."

Brunson again delivered down the stretch in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, tallying 13 of his game-high 30 points in the fourth quarter to cap a 14-point comeback.

In clutch time during the regular season, Brunson shot 48.8% from the field and tallied the eighth-most points (116).

Willis Reed and Walt Frazier are the only Knicks players who have scored more points in a Finals road game, according to StatsCentre.

"He's a tremendous player that's skilled, picks the spots, knows his angles, shoots contested shots without being sped up. He's a phenomenal player. We just got to keep making him work," Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson told reporters postgame, according to Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.

The Knicks have now won 12 straight playoff contests, tying the 1998-99 Spurs for the second-longest winning streak in a single postseason.

The Finals resume Friday in San Antonio at 8:30 p.m. ET.