For the first time in 53 years, the New York Knicks are kings of the hill, top of the heap.
Behind one last brilliant showing from captain Jalen Brunson in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, the Knicks secured a 94-90 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday at Frost Bank Center. The Knicks, winners of the series by a 4-1 final, are thus on top of the basketball world for the first time since 1973. It ends the fifth-longest active drought on the Association ledgers.
Responsible for nearly half of the Knicks’ points in a throwback slugfest, Brunson secured series MVP honors with a 45-point performance. That set a new Knicks record for most scores in a Finals game, breaking the prior mark of 38 Willis Reed earned in Game 3 of the original championship run in 1970.
That’s just a mere footnote in metropolitan hardwood history, as the Knicks are champions for the first time since the heyday of Reed, Walt “Clyde” Frazier, Dick Barnett, and more.
The five-game series was nothing if not consistent, as the finale followed a similar script to its predecessors. Hosting San Antonio once again jumped out to an early double-figure lead that only served to delay more of the inevitable.
Both sides were cold in the early going beyond the hometown breakout of rookie Dylan Harper: whereas the Rutgers alum was a perfect 3-of-3 from the field, the other participants were a combined 25%, with the Knicks sinking just four total before trailing 23-13 at the first break.
Brunson began to work his magic in a second quarter where where the Spurs’ lead peaked at 16. He and Mikal Bridges combined for 16 on their own in the frame while their Villanova teammate Josh Hart played a major role in a momentum-shifter toward the end of the half.
With the Knicks trailing by eight in the penultimate minute, Hart not only scored on a driving double and was pushed in the back by De’Aaron Fox. A review charged Fox with a flagrant foul before Bridges’ final couple created a five-point possession. Further attempts to bite into San Antonio’s push, however, were stifled by foul trouble for Karl-Anthony Towns, and the Knicks still trailed by five at intermission.
Further similarities emerged as the game continued: the New York defense stifled San Antonio from biting into the lead: Stephon Castle was held without a tally from the field in the first three periods, Victory Wembanyama (19 points, 14 rebounds) engaged in his usual double-double tricks despite a lack of three-point prowess that was shared by De’Aaron Fox. Harper was a welcome exception for the home team, coming off the bench to score 21.
Chugging away amidst the foul trouble and the Harper breakout was Brunson, who would not be denied in his quest to end the series as soon as possible. A return to Manhattan hardwood seemed imminent with continued issues from the field but Brunson ensured that they’d return with a certain piece of hardware in tow.
Down 70-55 with 2:25 left after a Castle freebie, the Knicks closed the third on a 10-2 run. Brunson foreshadowed what was to come by going to the line when he was fouled by Harper on a three attempt. He hit only two then but Hart hit a three and Robinson tipped in a Brunson misfire to narrow the gap to seven after 36 minutes.
That’s when the Brunson show engaged in the finest form of season finale: the Knicks captain scored 15 points over the final dozen alone, including a personal 10-0 run that created a tie game, even with Towns (and, to a lesser extent, OG Anunoby) mostly stuck on the .
Appropriately it was Brunson, the original signing that got this confirmed era of Knicks championship basketball started, that scored the go-ahead free throws (coming on further interference on a three-point attempt) and the driving double that created the final lead change of the season.
Taunted by a crowd summarily invaded by Knicks fans, the Spurs struggled to hits shots from all areas of the floor. Even Harper, who led the Spurs with 25 points, proved unreliable in the final stanzas, miss two free throws while the Knicks nursed a three-point lead with eight seconds left. It was a situation set up when Mitchell Robinson, in the game in place of a six-foul Towns, pulling in a rebound on missed Hart free throw while the Knicks were up three.
Prevailing in the free throw battle, as well as some final San Antonio misses, allowed the celebration to finally get underway. The Knicks thus hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy for the first time, as it was forged shortly after their prior championship in ’73. New York is also the league’s eighth consecutive unique champion, extending an Association record.
The Knicks and the city has announced that the 2026 championship parade will be staged in Manhattan on Thursday.
