Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy did not need to see the full NBA Finals before backing Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks as title contenders.
Game 1 gave him plenty to work with. The Knicks went into San Antonio and left with a 105-95 win over the Spurs, while looking like the team in control when the game demanded poise.
Portnoy’s reaction was loud, but it did not come from nowhere. Brunson owned the decisive stretch, while San Antonio’s young star left the night with more questions than answers.
Dave Portnoy crowns Jalen Brunson and New York Knicks over Victor Wembanyama
Dave Portnoy on X reacted to the New York Knicks’ Game 1 win by framing the result as proof that Jalen Brunson and his team are simply better than Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs.
“Congrats to the Knicks on the NBA title. Tonight was no fluke. They are better than the Spurs. Brunson is better than Wemby,” Portnoy tweeted.
The post was exaggerated enough to spark debate, but it still had a clear Game 1 argument behind it. The Knicks did not stumble into the win; they erased a 14-point deficit and closed with the kind of composure championship teams need.
Brunson strengthened the point by finishing with 30 points. His early shooting was not clean, but his late-game command mattered more than the rough patches when New York needed direction.
Jalen Brunson made Victor Wembanyama look second best in New York Knicks win
Portnoy’s Brunson-Wembanyama comparison became more interesting because of how the game finished. Wembanyama still had 26 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks, but his 6-for-21 shooting and six turnovers made the night feel much rougher.
Brunson was not perfect either, but the difference was control. He guided New York through the fourth quarter, while Wembanyama never fully settled into the role San Antonio needed from him.
The Spurs shot just 36.0% from the field and 25.6% from three, which made their early lead fragile once the Knicks tightened the game late. Karl-Anthony Towns also added 18 points and 12 rebounds, giving New York another steady presence.
Portnoy’s call came early, but Game 1 gave him a real foundation. Brunson looked like the player more ready to define the Finals right now, and that is why the Knicks already looked like the safer championship pick to him.
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