Jalen Brunson and Victor Wembanyama lead 2026 All-Playoffs first team

Jalen Brunson wins 2026 Playoffs MVP after leading Knicks to title with 28.4 PPG and legendary Finals performance.

New postseason awards introduced New postseason accolades have been added in recent years, including the Clutch Player of the Year and conference finals MVP. However, a comprehensive award recognizing the entire playoff run has been missing. To address this gap, an honor has been created to celebrate the top performers across all playoff games. The 2026 All-Playoffs first and second teams recognize the 10 best players of the postseason, alongside a Playoffs MVP Award for the most valuable performer. These selections consider both the quality and volume of contributions, naturally favoring players whose teams advanced deep into the tournament. ## 2026 Playoffs MVP announced Jalen Brunson has been named the 2026 Playoffs MVP after leading the New York Knicks to the championship. The point guard also claimed the Finals MVP and conference finals MVP awards earlier in the postseason. Brunson became just the 13th player since 1984 to average at least 28 points per game for a title-winning team. His impressive résumé now includes all the game’s most elite point producers: SGA, Jokic, Giannis, Kawhi, Durant, Curry, LeBron, Wade, Kobe, Shaq, Hakeem, and Jordan. Brunson finished the playoffs averaging 28.4 points per game, capped by a 45-point masterpiece in the Finals-clinching game. His clutch performances defined the postseason, as he scored 38 points in high-pressure moments when the Knicks relied on him entirely, with the rest of the team combining for just 35 such points. ## Victor Wembanyama dominates advanced metrics Victor Wembanyama, at 22 years old, delivered a historic playoff debut, eliminating last season’s champions in a Game 7 on the road before claiming conference finals MVP honors. He reached the Finals and led all players in several advanced statistical categories, including ESPN’s net points and value over replacement player metrics. Despite some shortcomings in later rounds—fatigue, struggles in clutch moments outside one standout Game 1 performance, and potential suspension risks from flagrant foul accumulation—his overall impact was undeniable. Wembanyama concluded the postseason averaging 23.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game. The 2025-26 playoffs will be remembered for the Knicks’ championship run, with Wembanyama’s emergence as a transformative figure marking this year’s story. ## Karl-Anthony Towns key to Knicks' dominance The New York Knicks’ fortunes shifted dramatically after Game 3 of their first-round series against Atlanta, when the team expanded Karl-Anthony Towns’ role. The move triggered the most dominant stretch by point differential in NBA playoff history. While Towns’ traditional box-score numbers were modest—his 15.9 points per game were his lowest in any postseason since his rookie year with Minnesota in 2017-18—his influence was undeniable. On/off court net ratings for the Knicks’ starters revealed Towns’ outsized impact on the championship team. His on-court net rating of 22.5 contrasted sharply with 5.8 when he sat, yielding a differential of 16.7, the largest on the roster. New York’s performance with Towns in the lineup contrasted sharply with their output without him, ranking him second in total playoff net points behind only Wembanyama. ## OG Anunoby delivers historic shooting performance OG Anunoby’s postseason contributions were nothing short of extraordinary, despite missing two games in the second round due to injury. He averaged 20.1 points per game on 56% shooting, including a remarkable 49% from three-point range. Among 94 players in NBA history who attempted at least 75 playoff three-pointers and won a championship, Anunoby ranked first in accuracy. Defensively, he stifled All-Star wings and guards, averaging 1.5 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. Anunoby’s tip-in to complete a 29-point comeback in Game 4 of the Finals stands as a defining moment of New York’s championship triumph. This performance followed an earlier postseason absence when he won his first ring with Toronto, making his 2026 playoff run a redemption arc. ## Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads Thunder deep run Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the back-to-back regular-season MVP, did not meet his usual lofty standards for much of Oklahoma City’s conference finals loss to San Antonio. Still, his overall postseason resume easily merited inclusion on the All-Playoffs team. Gilgeous-Alexander navigated the opening two rounds effortlessly, as the Thunder swept Phoenix and Los Angeles in succession. He delivered a standout Game 7 in the conference finals, posting 35 points and nine assists on 12-of-21 shooting in a losing effort. Among all postseason players, he ranked third in points per game at 27.6 and third in assists per game at 7.9, guiding his team to within one victory of the Finals. ## Jeremy Castle shines in Spurs' Finals run Jeremy Castle made his first postseason impact felt during San Antonio’s run to the Finals, averaging 18.2 points and 6.1 assists per game. As the primary defender on key opponents like Brunson, Gilgeous-Alexander, Julius Randle, and Deni Avdija, Castle contributed on both ends. Though his shooting fluctuated and turnovers were an issue, his two-way play proved vital to the Spurs’ success. Dylan Harper also drew consideration, but Castle’s greater volume sealed the spot. Castle logged 24% more minutes, 29% more points, and 127% more assists than Harper in the postseason. ## Mikal Bridges rebounds to star in playoffs Early in the playoffs, Mikal Bridges’ future role seemed uncertain after a slow start against Atlanta, where he averaged 7.2 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists with a 44% field goal percentage. Knicks coach Mike Brown maintained confidence in him, and Bridges rewarded the decision with a red-hot stretch. In the series-clinching win over the Hawks, Bridges ignited a scoring surge, averaging 18.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.1 assists over the next nine games while shooting 63% from the field. Though he tapered slightly in the Finals, his resurgence was pivotal to New York’s championship drive. ## Alex Caruso delivers elite role player impact Alex Caruso’s value as a role player shone brightly during Oklahoma City’s postseason run. The Thunder posted a plus-16.4 net rating with him on the court versus a minus-4.7 rating without him, a staggering swing of 21.1 points. Only Ajay Mitchell, who sat out the final four games against San Antonio, posted a larger on/off differential among Thunder players. Caruso defended multiple elite wings and big men, including Wembanyama and Castle, while shooting 47% from three-point range. His 50% three-point shooting in the conference finals series against San Antonio forced the Spurs to adjust their defensive schemes, and his 14.9 points per game in that series represented a career high in any playoff run. ## Jarrett Allen outshines Evan Mobley for Cavaliers Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley both contended for a spot on the All-Playoffs team as the Cleveland Cavaliers reached the conference finals with an 8-10 postseason record. Mobley’s overall performance was strong, but Allen earned the final selection for two key reasons. Allen elevated his play in crucial moments, delivering 22 points and 19 rebounds in a Game 7 win over Toronto and 23 points and seven rebounds in a Game 7 win over Detroit. Cleveland’s net rating reflected his importance: the team posted a plus-6.8 rating with Allen on the court without Mobley, compared to a minus-9.0 rating when Mobley played without Allen. ## Cade Cunningham falls short of final All-Playoffs spot Cade Cunningham nearly secured the last spot on the All-Playoffs team, averaging 28.1 points per game, second only to Brunson in the postseason. However, his candidacy was weakened by struggles in critical losses to Cleveland and a high turnover rate at 5.6 per game. The Detroit Pistons, seeded first, underperformed relative to expectations and were eliminated in the second round. Had Orlando’s Franz Wagner remained healthy, Detroit’s postseason outcome might have mirrored an unlikely 8-over-1 upset. ## Anthony Edwards' absence shapes Timberwolves' run The Minnesota Timberwolves impressed in the first round with a first-round upset of Denver, followed by a competitive second-round series against San Antonio despite major injuries. Anthony Edwards hyperextended his left knee and missed the final two games of Minnesota’s first-round series. Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert stepped into larger roles, with Gobert considered for the All-Playoffs team for his defense on Nikola Jokic before fading against Wembanyama in the second round. McDaniels, however, remained a defensive force throughout, frustrating elite point guards like Murray and Fox. ## Jaden McDaniels secures final All-Playoffs spot Jaden McDaniels claimed the final spot on the 2026 All-Playoffs team after a standout postseason for Minnesota. Jamal Murray managed just 20.7 points per 100 matchups against McDaniels, well below his usual playoff output of 33.5 against other Timberwolves defenders. On the offensive end, McDaniels boosted his production when called upon due to injuries, highlighted by a 32-point, 13-of-25 shooting performance in the closeout win over Denver. That outing represented the highest-scoring playoff game of McDaniels’ career and sealed his inclusion among the postseason’s top performers.