BROOKLYN, NY - APRIL 01: From left to right McDonalds High School All Americans Darryn Peterson (22) and Cameron Boozer (12) were awarded co most valuable players on April 1, 2025, for the McDonalds Boys High School All American Game at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The most obvious answer to this question is “whoever the Wizards don’t pick between AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson.” Right now on FanDuel, AJ Dybantsa is at the highest it’s been all draft season at -500. Those aren’t the astronomical odds that were set for Cooper Flagg and Victor Wembanyama, but it’s interesting they keep climbing.
With those odds, it’s a good bet that Utah will be choosing between Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer, and it will come down to who the Utah Jazz prefer between those two. Recently, we’ve heard more buzz around Cam Boozer, with new mock drafts claiming the Jazz will seriously consider all options, including Boozer.
With the NBA Finals now over and the New York Knicks now champions, is there a lesson to be learned from them? One thing we saw from the Knicks was Jalen Brunson’s insane shot-making. It’s a reminder that the most important thing our offense needs is an elite, shot-making playmaker who can score when you need them to most. Cam Boozer is going to be a great player. He’s going to shoot it with great efficiency. He’ll also punish mismatches in the post and make great passes when the defense folds. That said, it’s hard to see Boozer being an elite isolation scorer like Brunson when the defense is at its toughest. One thing I can see is Darryn Peterson evolving into one of the best isolation scorers in the league. The toughest thing in the NBA is when things get tight at the end of playoff games, and you need players that can defend but also score at a high level in isolation. That is 100% a description of Darryn Peterson, a player that should be All-NBA at some point in his career. It’s easy to see Peterson being an absolute demon scorer for the Jazz, especially when defenses focus on the plethora of shooters on the floor.
There’s also the simple fact that Peterson is just the better player. Cam Boozer is the analytics darling, but the spacing in the NBA is going to take Peterson’s game to another level. He’s going to score at such an efficient level, and that’s why he’s the player the Jazz should select at #2.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 22: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Kansas Jayhawks looks on during the second half against the St. John's Red Storm in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena at San Diego State University on March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 13: Devin Vassell #24 and Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs react during the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the majority of the NBA Finals, it looked like the San Antonio Spurs had found an answer to slowing down the New York Knicks, the Spurs had built double-digit leads only to collapse in the game’s final minutes to see New York grab the win. That formula was the same on Saturday night.
Facing elimination and trying to get over the sting of a historic loss in Game 4, the Spurs led by as many as 16 points and appeared like they were getting ready to send the series back to New York. Instead, the Knicks delivered one final blow to the Spurs’ hopes.
Jalen Brunson scored 45 points as he powered New York to rally from another double digit deficit to defeat the Spurs 94-90 to capture the franchise’s first NBA championship since 1973 and end the season on the Spurs’ own home floor at the Frost Bank Center.
“We weren’t ready to win an NBA championship, better team won, we did a lot of good things, and we didn’t finish the job,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said.
For three quarters, the Spurs controlled the pace of the game. Their defense frustrated New York, Victor Wembanyama protected the rim with five blocks, and the crowd — made up of Spurs fans as well as thousands of Knicks fans — felt like the impossible could be possible. That was until Brunson took over.
The Knicks’ star chipped away at San Antonio’s lead, getting bucket after bucket. As the time came off the clock, the Spurs’ advantage was gone and the Larry O’Brien trophy was nearly in his reach. Just as it had done all series, San Antonio’s offense stalled when it mattered most.
The Spurs were outscored 29-18 in the fourth quarter and struggled to generate consistent offense down the stretch. De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle combined for 13 points on 4-for-25 shooting and left San Antonio searching for more answers in the game’s final moments.
“It’s tough, it hurts a lot, it stings a lot,” Spurs forward Devin Vassell said. “Right now, seeing them storming the court on our home court, it’s tough. We know we’ll do everything we can, scratch fight to get back into this position.”
Wembanyama finished with 19 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks, impacting the game on both ends for most of the evening. Dylan Harper continued his breakout postseason with 25 points off the bench, providing a glimmer of hope for the Spurs’ future in a gloomy night in the Alamo City.
When the final buzzer sounded, Knicks players celebrated at center court while Spurs players headed to the locker room to process how close they had come. New York won the series 4-1, with Brunson earning Finals MVP honors after another standout performance in the championship-clinching victory.
“One of many things I learned is the margin of error is very, very thin,” Wembanyama said when asked what he learned from this year’s postseason run. “We absolutely, absolutely dominated for most of the series, but our mistakes are punished so hard.”
The loss will sting for a long time for the Spurs, who lost all three home games in the series and watched two leads disappear in Games 4 and 5. However, amid the heartbreak, the Spurs also gained something invaluable: proof that their future has arrived sooner than expected.
This was the franchise’s first trip back to the NBA Finals since 2014, led by a young core of Wembanyama, Castle, Harper, and Fox. They ended the season just two wins shy of a championship and spent much of the postseason looking like a team built to contend for years to come.
The ending belonged to New York.
The future, however, still looks bright in San Antonio.
Game Notes
The Frost Bank Center was not a home court advantage for the Spurs in this series as Spurs fans were severely outnumbered by the large group of Knicks fans that made the trip.
Dylan Harper is going to terrorize NBA defenses for years to come.
Stephon Castle needs to get into the gym and work on his midrange game this summer. He’s already got the defense locked up.
I fully expect the Spurs to extend Julian Champagnie this summer and he’s more than earned it.
U.S. Soccer posted a video on Instagram of Adams watching the end of the game with his family at the team hotel. When the final buzzer sounded, Adams jumped up and down, exchanging hugs and hand slaps with anyone in reach.
"Let's go!" Adams yelled, before looking around and yelling, "Tims!"
The team is flying back home right after their celebrations end at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio rather than spending the night in Texas and flying Sunday morning, according to multiple reports.
They’ll join Knicks fans celebrating across the city and beyond, although some aren’t heeding owner James Dolan’s plea to stay safe.
Karl-Anthony Towns (c.) lifts the Larry O’Brien trophy as the Knicks celebrate winning the NBA championship on June 13, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostKnicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (c.) and legend Patrick Ewing (r.) hold up a New York Post cover behind Tracy Morgan after the team’s NBA championship win on June 13, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostThe Post’s front page on June 14, 2026: “CHAMPS!”
Jalen Brunson carried the Knicks to a win in Game 5, scoring 45 points in their 94-90 win on 14-for-27 shooting en route to being named the unanimous NBA Finals MVP.
“Congratulations to Jim Dolan and the New York Knicks!!!” Trump posted.
The president called the Knicks remarkable playoff run “maybe the greatest of all time.”
Jalen Brunson scores during Game 5 of the NBA Finals. NBAE via Getty Images
He proceeded to laud several Knicks players.
Tonight, a superstar was born, his name is Jalen Brunson, and there are others, including Karl-Anthony Towns OG Anunoby and, great patriot, Mitchell Robinson!” he wrote.
The Post’s front page on June 14, 2026: “CHAMPS!”Knicks fans celebrate the team winning its first championship in 53 years. Robert Mecea for New York PostJalen Brunson holds the NBA Finals trophy after the Knicks win their first championship in 53 years. Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump gestures during the National Anthem as he attends an NBA Finals playoff basketball game between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden in New York on Monday, June 8, 2026. AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
Trump was at MSG to watch the team play Game 3 last Monday.
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After 53 years, the wait is over.
The Knicks won the 2026 NBA Finals, defeating the San Antonio Spurs to bring the Larry O’Brien Trophy back to Madison Square Garden for the first time since 1973.
Jalen Brunson. Karl-Anthony Towns. OG Anunoby. Josh Hart. These guys actually did it.
The road through San Antonio wasn’t always clean, but that’s this team. Gritty, stubborn, refusing to fold. Brunson was everything this city needed him to be, and Towns finally got the ring his talent has always deserved.
New York hasn’t seen a Knicks championship in most fans’ lifetimes.
The last time this franchise hoisted the trophy, Nixon was in the White House, “The Godfather” was still in theaters and the Garden looked completely different.
Fifty-three years is a long time to wait. But the Knicks championship parade is now on the horizon, and the city is predictably losing its mind. Here’s everything you need to know about when and where to celebrate.
The merch rush has already started.
Championship gear moves fast, and by next week, half of this stuff will be on backorder or marked up by resellers. If you want to own a piece of this moment while you still can, here are five items worth grabbing right now:
New York Knicks 500 Level 2026 NBA Finals Collage T-Shirt
This black tee is the ultimate Knicks championship shirt, highlighting the team’s incredible run.
FANATICS $39.99
New Era Official Team New York Knicks 59FIFTY Fitted Hat
Top off your fan fit with a classic Knicks 59FIFTY hat. This fitted black cap is a staple for any upcoming parade outfit.
FANATICS $43.99
Jalen Brunson 2026 NBA Finals Patch Fast Break Jersey
Honor the heart of the team with a blue Jalen Brunson jersey featuring the official NBA Finals 2026 patch.
FANATICS $90.00
New York Knicks Fanatics NY Forever Legacy Hoodie
Perfect for staying warm while repping your team, this blue hoodie celebrates the long-standing legacy of the New York Knicks.
FANATICS $84.99
New York Knicks Sportiqe 2026 NBA Finals Champions Trophy T-Shirt
Commemorate the epic clash with this black matchup tee, forever cementing the historic showdown against the Spurs.
FANATICS $45.00
Ready to deck out your entire family in blue and orange? Don’t wait. Click here to shop the full New York Knicks official collection before it’s all gone.
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Maybe not Jalen Brunson in this scenario, who scored 45 points to power the Knicks back from a 16-point deficit to their first NBA championship in 53 years on Saturday night’s 94-90 Game 5 victory in San Antonio.
But the lifelong celebrity Knicks fans felt just as elated over the end to the title drought.
Timothée Chalamet was the most notable and visible.
The four-time Oscar nominee actor, who was seen taking some deep breaths throughout the tense final moments, gave an honest reaction in the aftermath.
New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges and Timothee Chalamet hold up The New York Post after the Knicks won the NBA Finals. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostKnicks center Karl-Anthony Towns celebrates with Timothee Chalamet. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
“Way rather this than the Oscars, c’mon, baby! Knicks are champions, baby!” Chalamet, who has been nominated for four Oscars but has yet to win one, yelled during the trophy ceremony, where Brunson was named series MVP.
He later held up a mockup of The Post in a picture with Mikal Bridges on the court at Frost Bank Center.
The Post’s front page on June 14, 2026: “CHAMPS!”Timothée Chalamet celebrates with Mikal Bridges of the New York Knicks after the victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. Getty ImagesTimothée Chalamet celebrates after the New York Knicks’ victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE Getty Images
Chalamet then made his rounds among the Knicks, notably hugging Knicks great Allan Houston and owner James Dolan.
“World champs, baby!” he screamed in a video shared on social media.
Following the final buzzer, the ESPN broadcast flashed to Spike Lee, who was yelling among his group of friends in the stands as the Knicks bench erupted onto the court in celebration.
He was later seen hugging actor — and fellow “Do The Right Thing” star — John Turturro on the broadcast before the two were spotted hugging players and Knicks staff members over the win along with fellow Knicks fan Tracy Morgan.
— Timothée Chalamet Updates (@timotheeupdates) June 14, 2026
Walt “Clyde” Frazier had nothing but smiles on his face after the victory. Patrick Ewing was also seen in a championship hat, cheering on the Knicks throughout their trophy ceremony and hugging some players.
It has been a long time coming for the Knicks, and the weight of that was felt Saturday night.
A floater from Brunson gave the Knicks a 90-88 fourth-quarter lead with only 1:05 left, and even after the game remained tight, the Knicks held on for the victory.
Filmmaker Spike Lee celebrates after the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in San Antonio. AP Photo/Darren Abate
The celebrations will only continue for Knicks fans and across New York with a championship parade on Thursday.
The Knicks made it interesting in Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals...again.
After being down double digits in San Antonio on Saturday night, Jalen Brunson led the Knicks to a fourth-quarter comeback to end New York's 53-year drought.
It came down to free throws in the waning seconds as Dylan Harper missed both free throws and OG Anunoby made one of two free throws to come up clutch and bleed the clock.
Of course, with plenty of Knicks fans in attendance, the Knicks radio announcers did their thing to meet the moment.
"It's happening Knicks fans, it's happening," Tyler Murray said. "It's been 53 years! But for this moment, it was well worth the wait.
The Knicks radio announcers reacting to the final moments of Game 5, as Dylan Harper misses both free throws, OG Anunoby splits the clutch free throws, and the New York Knicks win a championship for the first time in 53 years pic.twitter.com/IiGdlUNXKG
On the other end, the Spurs' fourth-quarter lead was slowly but surely overtaken.
Spurs radio play-by-play Dan Weiss and Spurs legend Sean Elliott were on the radio for San Antonio and could not believe the free throws being missed by Harper.
And, despite the Spurs losing, they gave the Knicks their flowers.
"Gotta give them credit, Dan. They earned," Elliott said. "We had them down in every single game and they never gave up. They showed the heart of a champion."
The Spurs radio announcers' reaction to the last moments of Game 5 - Dylan Harper two missed clutch free throws, OG Anunoby splits the clutch free throws, and the Knicks win their first championship in 53 years. pic.twitter.com/BG6iPDjHTQ
For weeks now, the New York Knicks’ run at their first championship since 1973 has brought together a city that rarely sees eye-to-eye on much. Fans decked out in Knicks merchandise filled the streets, subways and office towers with a sea of blue and orange, often fist-pumping strangers with all feeling buoyed by the Knicks pinch-me moments on the march to the championship prize.
On Saturday night, this team of destiny delivered New Yorkers the Larry O’Brien trophy, at last, a moment that drove fans out of bars and their apartment buildings into the streets to celebrate the Knicks 94-90 Game 5 win in San Antonio.
As the Knicks closed in, and then closed it out, during the fourth quarter, each new bucket was greeted with cheers and car honks from Brooklyn to the Bronx. The city’s beacon was the Empire State Building lit up in blue and orange.
As Sportico‘s Sara Germano, a die-hard Knicks fan, reported: “Down at Pier 17, in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge, hundreds of Knicks fans had camped out before a large projector screen. Euphoric shrieks filled the Harbor of the East River as soon as the Knicks clinched. A young boy of about 9 years old shook the shoulders of another, yelling, ‘we finally did it!!’ When the broadcast showed Jalen Brunson receiving the finals MVP award, someone lit off Orange and blue fireworks over the pier. Spectators spilled into the seaport, grabbing celebratory hot dogs and ice cream from trucks parked along South Street as revelers screamed and milled about taking in the balmy, euphoric night.”
Added our colleague Jacob Feldman: “Having visited the Statue of Liberty earlier Saturday, I watched the pandemonium pouring across Brooklyn as the clock struck midnight through the eyes of the tourists I’d encountered on Liberty Island, visitors wearing Brazil and Morocco jerseys, whose long awaited soccer match was being shown up by an NBA Finals run few foresaw. For those World Cup visitors: No, New Yorkers don’t usually gather on street corners for impromptu watch parties. They rarely swap hope and handshakes with total strangers. At some point in the last month, the world’s city had transformed into a sports town, as if we’d all been transported to a foreign land.
“Sporting events usually get swallowed here. Win or lose, reality typically awaits just outside the MetLife, Yankee Stadium, or MSG gates. But for weeks, the Knicks have turned all of NYC into a dreamland. In the wee hours of Sunday morning, no one wanted to go to bed—much less wake up.”
Partying wasn’t limited to just the five boroughs, engulfing the surrounding suburbs, too. Sportico‘s Molly Geary, reporting from Long Island, said: “Baseball and football tend to take fan precedence on Long Island, but I’ve seen more Knicks apparel around here in the last month than in the last five years combined. Immediately after Game 5 ended fireworks were going off on my block and, as the Knicks received the trophy, continued to be heard from various directions in the distance. ‘He seems like a very humble young man,’ my non-sports fan Dad—a lifelong New Yorker who came in the room for the last two minutes of the game—just remarked about Jalen Brunson.”
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 03: Landry Shamet #44 of the New York Knicks reacts during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on February 3, 2026 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Former Wizards players Landry Shamet, Trey Jemison III and Dillon Jones won an NBA championship with the New York Knicks on Saturday.
Former Wizards Landry Shamet, Dillon Jones and Trey Jemison III have won an NBA championship with the New York Knicks.
It marks the ninth time in 10 years that at least one former Wizard has won the NBA Finals. pic.twitter.com/zULkAEgZUV
It marked the ninth time in 10 seasons that at least one former Wizard has won the NBA title.
Shamet spent the 2023-24 season in Washington before leaving in free agency and later signing with the Knicks. The veteran sharpshooter averaged 7.1 points across 46 appearances with the Wizards.
Jones, who won an NBA title with the Oklahoma City Thunder is 2025, was traded to Washington last summer. The Weber State product spent Summer League and the preseason with the Wizards before he was waived and eventually picked up by the Knicks.
Jemison played two games with the Wizards during the 2023-24 campaign before signing with the Memphis Grizzlies to close the season. The 6-foot-10 forward is currently on a two-way contract with the Knicks.
Any more talking heads want to doubt him? All he did was lead the Knicks to their first championship in 53 years with a virtuoso effort.
He scored 45 points on 14-of-27 shooting.
Fifteen of his points came in the fourth quarter to rally the Knicks from yet another double-digit deficit.
Zero
De’Aaron Fox’s gaffe at the end of Game 4 cost the Spurs, and the veteran shot them out of Game 5. His brutal finals ended with a 3-of-15 shooting performance.
Coach Mitch Johnson said he was going to stick with Fox, and that decision paid off — for the Knicks.
De’Aaron Fox drives on Jalen Brunson during the Knicks’ 94-90 NBA title-clinching Game 5 win over the Spurs on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio. AP
Unsung hero
Mitchell Robinson was pressed into extended action due to Karl Anthony-Towns fouling out, and the longest tenured Knick enjoyed his best game of the finals.
He had 10 rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes. His offensive rebound of a Josh Hart missed free throw with the Knicks up three and 22 seconds remaining was a monster play.
Key stat
47.8: Percentage of Knicks points scored by Brunson in the clinching Game 5.
Quote
“It’s everything I dreamed of. This is why I came to New York,”
James Dolan is over the moon that his Knicks are the NBA champions.
He just wants Knicks fans to know he feels bad it took this long to get back to the top of the basketball mountain.
The team owner took center stage at Frost Bank Center with the Larry O’Brien Trophy after the Knicks won 94-90 in Game 5 over the Spurs on Saturday to clinch their first NBA Finals win since 1973.
Dolan, while talking with ESPN host Ernie Johnson, made clear that he felt bad the Knicks hadn’t won in over five decades.
"Hey New York, I'm sorry it took so long, but here we are, and hopefully it won't take that long again.” pic.twitter.com/GlktjZVRGw
“Hey, New York, I’m sorry it took so long, but here we are, and hopefully it won’t take that long again,” Dolan said. “Yeah!”
Earlier in the week on WFAN, Dolan was confident the Knicks, who had lost Game 3 on home court in their first Finals home game in 27 years, would not only win Game 4 but take the whole series
“I expect to win tonight, being as [when] I make predictions here they come true,” he said, referring to the WFAN studio. “We’ll win tonight and we’ll win the Finals.”
ames Dolan holds the Larry O’Brien as the Knicks won the NBA Finals.
Jason Szenes for the New York PostFinals MVP Jalen Brunson admires the trophy. NBAE via Getty ImagesThe Post’s front page on June 14, 2026: “CHAMPS!”
Dolan then came in during Josh Hart’s postgame press conference to tell New Yorkers to be safe in their celebrations and confirmed that the championship parade will be held Thursday,
Dolan took over the Knicks in 1999, the year they last made the finals before this epic run. They fell into a few doldrums in the 2000s and the late 2010s, but with the hiring of Leon Rose as team president in 2020 and the infusion of Jalen Brunson in 2022, the Knicks turned things around with playoff appearances in 2021, ’23, ’24 and ’25.
Now, they have their third-ever title that their fans have long dreamed about.
SAN ANTONIO — Josh Hart missed the last celebration.
Jalen Brunson makes a point of needling his friend at every opportunity, reminding the world that Hart was no longer on Villanova when Brunson and Mikal Bridges left San Antonio in 2018 with their second national championship in three years.
Hart was in Los Angeles with the post-Kobe/pre-LeBron Lakers, his first of three teams in five seasons, each ending before the postseason. The former 30th overall pick — taken 22 spots behind Knicks lottery pick Frank Ntilikina — had carved out a place in the league, but had yet to find a coach who understood the value he brought beyond the box score, or teammates who knew he would sacrifice a limb for a loose ball.
Josh Hart (left) talks with ESPN announcer Ernie Johnson as teammate Mikal Bridges listens during the trophy presentation after the Knicks’ 94-90 Game 5 NBA title-clinching win over the Spurs on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio. Getty Images
Hart was set to be among the countless players who leave the league without leaving a mark. Then came the trade on Feb. 8, 2023, the news that left Brunson in disbelief, reacting like he won the lottery — “Oh sh-t! Yes!” — raising his arms in triumph.
Brunson knew the Knicks — then without a playoff series win in a decade — were getting someone whose selflessness would’ve fit with the franchise in 1973, whose passion and toughness would’ve blended seamlessly in 1993.
Someone who found where he always belonged.
“I had a lot of instability in those 6½ years, I had six head coaches, three different teams, so I was just kind of looking for a home and stability, and I found that in New York,” Hart said before the Knicks’ Game 5 94-90 NBA Finals-clinching win. “I think the city really embraced me, my style of play, me as a person. When you do that, you feel like you’re able to go out there and play your best.
“This city is built on toughness, grit, blue-collar people, and I feel like I’m the same person. They can look in the mirror and they can see myself, just because that’s how I look at myself and I just happen to hoop.”
Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks drives to the basket during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Five. NBAE via Getty Images
As Brunson (45 points) received little support in the biggest game of their lives, Hart played the part of the trusted sidekick, also becoming an all-time New York legend after recording 13 points, 11 rebounds and two assists, as the Knicks clinched their first championship in 53 years Knicks on Saturday night at Frost Bank Center.
Hart started the series with a historic stat line, becoming the first player in an NBA Finals game to lead both teams outright in rebounds (15), assists (6) and steals (4). In Game 4, the fan favorite nearly became Charles Smith.
If not for OG Anunoby’ last-second tip-in, the Knicks’ 29-point comeback might have been for naught, a night that might have been remembered for Hart’s blown layup in the final minutes, the lasting image of a collapse that cost the team its long-awaited title.
After 53 long years of watching both contending teams fall short of the finish line and others appear on a collision course with the NBA Draft lottery, the New York Knicks are NBA champions.
And, as in the first four games of the 2026 NBA Finals, Mike Brown's team had to rebound from a slow start. However, unlike their other three wins, the Knicks had to rely mainly on Jalen Brunson to get the job done in San Antonio on Saturday night.
The Knicks' captain went off for 45 points, leading the team to a 94-90 win over the San Antonio Spurs at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. Unsurprisingly, he was named the winner of the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award.
Shooting 8-of-15 from the field and 12-of-13 from the foul line, Brunson scored 29 points in the second half alone. No other Knick scored more than seven points (Josh Hart) in the second half, as Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby struggled with foul trouble for most of the night.
San Antonio built up double-digit leads in all five games of the series. However, except for Game 3, they were unable to keep the Knicks from clawing their way over the finish line. Towns shot 1-of-7 from the field, scoring just two points before fouling out, while Anunoby finished with 11 points on 3-of-11 shooting.
Mikal Bridges (14) and Josh Hart (13) also scored in double figures, with the Knicks' three Villanova alums combining to score 72 of the team's 94 points. Given how lead executive Leon Rose put this team together, it is fitting.
Spurs rookie Dylan Harper capped his series with another outstanding performance, scoring a team-high 25 points while also accounting for five rebounds and four assists. Victor Wembanyama added 19 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks, but the struggles of Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox were too much to overcome.
They shot a combined 4-of-25 from the field, with Castle not scoring his first field goal until late in the fourth quarter.
Given San Antonio's youth, the expectation is that they'll have more opportunities to hang another banner. However, as the Knicks can attest, getting back onto this stage is not guaranteed.
The Knicks are finally back on top of the basketball world.
After five games - five breathless, eternally memorable games - the franchise has finally captured the elusive Larry O'Brien Trophy for the first time in 53 years.
It's been a whirlwind postseason, and the Knicks lost just three games on their march to the championship.
While the streets of New York City are crammed with fans, young and old, celebrating arm in arm, social media is abuzz with reactions to this incredible moment.
Of course, just a borough away from Madison Square Garden, both the Mets and Yankees congratulated the Knicks on bringing a championship back to New York City.
The talking heads of the sports media world were in awe of the 45 point performance of Jalen Brunson, which earned him the NBA Finals MVP award.
“Everyone’s better than Jalen Brunson until it’s time to be better than Jalen Brunson”
Former legends of the hardwood, including former Knicks guard Jamal Crawford, chimed in as well, with Dwight Howard posing a question that could become a very interesting and prominent discussion as the dust settles on the Knicks' triumph.
