Key Takeaways
- Jalen Brunson scored 45 points and earned Finals MVP as the Knicks clinched the 2026 NBA championship in Game 5.
- New York defeated the Spurs 94-90 on the road to close out the NBA Finals 4-1 and capture its first title since 1973.
- The championship capped a postseason run in which the Knicks lost three total games.
The New York Knicks are NBA champions for the first time in 53 years.
On Saturday (June 13), the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center, closing out the best-of-seven series 4-1. The win gave New York its first title since 1973 and the third championship in franchise history.
Jalen Brunson led the way with a game-high 45 points, capping a Finals run that ended with him being named Finals MVP. The guard shot 14-for-27 from the field and 13-for-15 from the free throw line, carrying New York through another comeback effort after San Antonio built multiple double-digit leads.
The Spurs opened the game with control and held New York to 13 points in the first quarter. San Antonio remained ahead for much of the night, but the Knicks cut into the deficit after halftime before finally taking their first lead with 3:40 left in the fourth quarter. From there, New York finished the game on the road in front of a traveling Knicks crowd that made its presence felt in San Antonio.
The championship-clinching victory came three days after one of the most dramatic games in Finals history. In Game 4 at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks erased a 29-point deficit and defeated the Spurs 107-106 after OG Anunoby tipped in Brunson’s missed 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining. That win gave New York a 3-1 series lead and three chances to secure the title.
A drought that stretched across generations
The Knicks’ last championship came in 1973, when the franchise defeated the Los Angeles Lakers behind a roster that included Walt Frazier, Willis Reed, Dave DeBusschere, Earl Monroe, and Bill Bradley. Since then, New York made Finals appearances in 1994 and 1999, but did not return to the top of the league until this year’s run.
The 2026 team reached the finish line behind Brunson, Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, and Mitchell Robinson. New York also completed a postseason run in which it lost only three games overall.
San Antonio’s Finals run ended one step short of a championship. The Spurs, led by Victor Wembanyama, Dylan Harper, De’Aaron Fox, and Devin Vassell, won Game 3 at Madison Square Garden before dropping the final two games of the series.