By Matija Šerić
The waiting is the hardest part—and the New York Knicks finally endured it. After 53 extremely long years, the Knicks have finally won the NBA championship!
In Game 5 of the Finals series in San Antonio, despite once again trailing for most of the game, they managed to stage a comeback and win 94–90. Jalen Brunson and company triumphed over Victor Wembanyama and his teammates for a 4–1 series victory. The Knicks thus became the eighth different champion in the last eight years—a historic record. They achieved it with a dominant playoff run: 16 wins and only three losses, plus nine consecutive road victories. Out of their last 16 playoff games, the Knicks won 15. On top of that, New York became the first team to win a double crown in the same season: the NBA Championship and the NBA Cup. A fascinating achievement sealed by last night’s victory, which was anything but guaranteed.
Strong Start by the Spurs
Although San Antonio blew a 29-point lead in the 3rd quarter of Game 4 of the series, one might have expected them to be shaken by that collapse. However, coach Mitch Johnson and his staff did an excellent job preparing the team physically and mentally for Game 5. The Spurs looked like the series had just begun.
In particular, star player Wemby appeared highly motivated, clearly eager to redeem himself for past mistakes in the series. Early on, the Frenchman was delivering “block after block,” effectively shutting down opposing shooters. At the same time, Wemby, along with Julian Champagnie and Dylan Harper, created a highly efficient scoring machine from all angles.
Jalen Brunson was largely responsible for the Spurs winning the first quarter 23–13.
Knicks Come Back in the 2nd Quarter
The visitors woke up in the second quarter after San Antonio led 31–15 in the 17th minute. With excellent play from Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges, the Knicks found their rhythm, especially from three-point range. New York won the second quarter 24–19.
The 42–37 halftime score was the lowest-scoring NBA Finals half in the last 16 years. Both defenses executed their assignments at a high level.
Spurs Maintain the Lead in the 3rd Quarter
The third quarter was very balanced. The Spurs maintained their lead and were up by 12 with 8:49 left in the quarter. Brunson took over during moments when his teammates were struggling, scoring from all positions.
On the other side, rookie Harper was excellent both from deep and in the paint, and the home team led 70–55 with just over two minutes left in the quarter. At the end of the third, the Spurs led 72–65.
Knicks Take Control Late
Keldon Johnson’s three-pointer at the start of the fourth quarter extended the Spurs’ lead to +10, and only Spurs haters would have suggested they would collapse again. However, that is exactly what began to happen.
Brunson, with sensational drives and scoring, brought the Knicks back to 83–83 with 4:48 remaining. New York went on a 15–2 run over six and a half minutes to take an 88–85 lead. The Spurs ran out of energy and offensive execution, and their shooting nearly completely collapsed.
Still, Harper and Wemby managed to tie the game at 88–88.
Decisive Moments
Brunson hit a floater for 90–88 with 1:06 remaining. Harper then drove coast-to-coast to tie the game with about 30 seconds left but missed the layup—this proved to be crucial.
The Knicks led by two with possession. Fox immediately fouled Hart. Hart made the first free throw but missed the second; however, Mitchell Robinson grabbed the offensive rebound, giving New York a 91–88 lead and possession.
From there, the Knicks calmly closed out the game through free throws and control of possession to secure a 94–90 victory.
Bitter Taste for the Texas Team
A major Knicks statement win at Frost Bank Center, and a bitter ending for the Spurs, who once again came so close yet so far. They lost three Finals games after being in winning positions. With slightly more composure and better decision-making, they could have won the series 4–1 or even 4–0. Instead, it ended 4–1 for the Knicks. A painful lesson in inexperience and rushed decisions.
San Antonio led for 84% of the game and at one point had a +16 advantage, but it meant little in the end. The Spurs also had slightly better shooting (38–36) and fewer turnovers (14–13). In rebounding, New York had a slight edge at 48–47, but OG Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson, and others grabbed crucial rebounds in key moments. The Knicks also had more steals (8–6). Both teams made 12 three-pointers and shot 32% from deep.
Brunson – Finals MVP
Jalen Brunson was the undisputed star of the Finals. He scored 45 points—47.8% of the Knicks’ total points. Without him, San Antonio would likely have won comfortably, perhaps by as many as 30 points. But Brunson delivered: 45 points, 3 assists, rebounds, and 2 steals. He shot 4–7 from three and 14–27 from the field.
Brunson was named Finals MVP. No player since Michael Jordan had scored 45 points in a single Finals game.
The Knicks’ captain brought the title back to New York after a long wait since 1973. Bridges scored 14 points, Hart 13, Anunoby 11, while Karl-Anthony Towns had just 2 points. Towns had an off night, shooting 1–7, though he added 10 rebounds. Wemby neutralized him well and also played only 23 minutes due to foul trouble.
Spurs Were Too Green for the Title
Wembanyama played brilliantly in the first half but faded later. Still, he finished as the Spurs’ best player with 19 points, 14 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 2 assists. Rookie Harper scored 25 points, Champagnie added 14, and Vassell 12. De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle underperformed with 7 and 6 points respectively—far too little for starters.
Fox clearly had not recovered from his mistakes in Game 4. It remains to be seen whether he will remain a starter next season. Wemby and Harper could not carry the team alone.
“This is the biggest lesson of my life, the biggest learning moment. I can’t fully define the lesson, but we are learning,” Wemby said after the game. The Spurs are one of the youngest teams ever to reach the NBA Finals—the second youngest, with an average age of 25.04.
“We were not ready to win an NBA title,” said coach Mitch Johnson. “The better team won. We did many good things, but we didn’t finish the job. That’s it.”
Euphoria and Celebration in New York
In this year’s playoffs, the Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks 4–2, the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers 4–0, and the San Antonio Spurs 4–1 to achieve a historic run.
“I have no words. This is everything I’ve ever dreamed of,” Brunson said during the on-court celebration. He added: “I don’t know what I feel. I’m amazed. Whenever people doubted us, we found a way to respond.”
“It’s unreal. I still can’t believe it happened,” said Knicks coach Mike Brown, who was hired a year ago—becoming the 24th coach of the franchise since their last title in 1973.
On the streets of the Big Apple, celebrations erupted everywhere. Fireworks lit up the night sky, car horns echoed through packed streets, and firefighters from their trucks gave high-fives to ecstatic fans. “HISTORY,” wrote New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani on social media, adding that the championship parade will take place on Thursday.
A historic achievement for the Knicks, closing an extraordinary NBA season. But it is also a new beginning. The NBA Draft follows on June 23 and 24.
