The New York Knicks captured their third NBA championship and ended a 53-year wait for the title with a dramatic 94-90 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the NBA Finals.
The Knicks sealed the best-of-seven series 4-1, completing another remarkable comeback after recovering from a double-digit deficit for the fourth time in the series. New York also became the first champions since 1973 after overturning a 29-point deficit in Game Four, the largest comeback in NBA Finals history.
Jalen Brunson led the charge with a Finals franchise-record 45 points and was unanimously named Finals Most Valuable Player. Brunson scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, including 10 unanswered points that erased a 10-point deficit and sparked the game changing rally.
“I have no words. It’s everything I dreamed of,” Brunson told ESPN. “It’s why I came to New York.”
The Knicks trailed by 16 points in the second quarter and remained 10 points behind early in the fourth before mounting another late comeback at Frost Bank Center. Brunson’s basket with just over a minute remaining gave New York a 90-88 lead, while free throws from Josh Hart and OG Anunoby stretched the advantage.
The Spurs briefly threatened when Stephon Castle converted a late dunk to cut the deficit to two points, but missed opportunities from Dylan Harper allowed New York to close out the victory.
Mikal Bridges added 14 points for the Knicks, while Hart contributed 13 points and 11 rebounds. Harper scored 25 points off the bench for San Antonio, and Victor Wembanyama finished with 19 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.
After the defeat, Wembanyama admitted the Spurs fell short in key moments.
“We weren’t ready. I wasn’t ready to win a ring, that’s clear,” he said. “This is the biggest lesson of my life.”
Oluwagbemisola Babalola
