A five-decade-long wait came to an end on Saturday night as the New York Knicks captured their first NBA championship since 1973.
The Knicks got over the hump at the Frost Bank Center, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 to finish off a gentleman’s sweep with Jalen Brunson leading the charge.
Jalen Brunson Leads Knicks to NBA Championship Glory
Game 5 saw New York survive a brutal opening stretch as San Antonio built another double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter.
However, as has been the case throughout the series, the Knicks shifted the momentum after halftime as Brunson refused to allow a Game 6, delivering a historic closeout performance.
Brunson recognized his teammates’ early shooting struggles and took on a massive scoring burden, recording 45 points on 14-for-27 shooting from the floor while knocking down 13 of his 15 free-throw attempts.
ALL THE FEELS.
THE NEW YORK KNICKS SOAK IN THEIR FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP IN 53 YEARS 🥹 pic.twitter.com/dYKyval9PJ
— NBA (@NBA) June 14, 2026
Brunson spearheaded a massive 10-0 Knicks run late in the fourth quarter to completely stun the home crowd. The three-time All-Star’s 45-point effort tied Michael Jordan for the third-most points in a Finals closeout game.
The Knicks smothered the Spurs in the final 12 minutes of action as New York outscored San Antonio 29-18 to complete yet another comeback.
The final buzzer signaled the end of a grueling five-game series and a long wait for the New York faithful, with X timelines erupting with reactions from supporters and NBA players.
“Never thought I’d see it. But this was the literal definition of team of destiny,” Cleveland reporter Tim Bielik posted.
Never thought I’d see it. But this was the literal definition of team of destiny. https://t.co/mn2U5ZL0d7
— Tim Bielik (@timbielik) June 14, 2026
“New York City is about to be insane tonight,” another posted.
“Shoutout to Mike Brown he deserves it!!!!” former Los Angeles Laker Dion Waiters wrote.
“Is Brunson the greatest Knick ever?” Hall of Famer Dwight Howard asked.
Is Brunson the greatest Knick ever?
— Dwight Howard (@DwightHoward) June 14, 2026
“A conversation needs to be had…. Where does Jalen Brunson rank in Knick history???🤔🤔” former Knicks player Theo Pinson wrote.
“Jalen Brunson thank you!!! Don’t run away from ‘small’ guards! You can win with them too. Just gotta believe and give em a real opportunity,” two-time All-Star Isaiah Thomas posted.
Jalen Brunson thank you!!! Don’t run away from “small” guards! You can win with them too. Just gotta believe and give em a real opportunity
— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) June 14, 2026
Clips of Brunson hoisting the Finals MVP trophy in San Antonio made the rounds on the internet as Knicks fans saw their 53-year-long championship frustrations finally come to rest.
“The 2026 NBA Finals MVP is the Captain, Jalen Brunson!”
Bill Russell Trophy winner, @jalenbrunson1! pic.twitter.com/m9wUgHhy5N
— NBA (@NBA) June 14, 2026
For San Antonio, this was a night of heartbreak, with Dylan Harper providing the only reliable spark for head coach Mitch Johnson.
Harper came off the bench to lead his team in scoring with 25 points, but the Spurs failed to execute when the game hung in the balance.
The Knicks will now head back to a city waiting over half a century for a parade, while a now-experienced San Antonio roster will spend the entire summer regretting their inability to close out games.
