Brunson reacts – Jalen Brunson has responded to Juan Soto’s use of his signature Knicks celebration after the Mets star homered, just as New York rides a stretch of dominance ahead of the NBA Finals.
When the Juan Soto home run landed on Wednesday, it wasn’t just another baseball highlight—it carried a little Knicks flair. Soto, the New York Mets star, leaned into Jalen Brunson’s signature celebration by holding his fingers over his face after crossing the plate.
Brunson noticed. He shared his reaction through the Knicks point guard’s own response, saying, “That’s pretty dope to see, for sure,” according to SNY Mets on X, formerly Twitter.
The gesture hit at the right time for New York basketball. not because Brunson needed the reminder of his place in the moment—but because the Knicks are living in one right now. New York still has almost a full week off before it kicks off the NBA Finals against either the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Knicks haven’t lost a game in over a month. They’ve turned that stretch into something rare, regular season or postseason, winning their last 11 games. Since the playoffs began. the only loss they’ve absorbed came in the first round when they went down 2-1 to the Atlanta Hawks. From there, ten of their 11 victories during the current run have come by double-figure margins.
Brunson’s own celebration has been a bit of a case study in how quickly the playoffs can change. He didn’t get to use the three-point celebration very often in the Eastern Conference Finals because he suffered from a brutal series from beyond the arc. It didn’t stall the Knicks, though—his teammates kept carrying the offensive rhythm. Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges have been among the names driving the hot stretch.
Now, the Knicks are waiting to find out exactly who they’ll open the NBA Finals against. The Thunder finished with the best record in the league this year, while the Spurs came in with the second-best mark.
New York would benefit if that series went to seven games. San Antonio has a chance to force it on Thursday, which would extend the rest advantage for the opponent.
Either way, the calendar is closing in: the NBA Finals are set to get underway on Wednesday evening.
Jalen Brunson Juan Soto New York Knicks New York Mets NBA Finals San Antonio Spurs Oklahoma City Thunder Karl-Anthony Towns OG Anunoby Mikal Bridges Atlanta Hawks